Horowitz family
The Horowitz family (Hebrew: הוֹרוֹביץ, Yiddish: האָראָװיץ) is a prominent Ashkenazi Levitical rabbinic family that is widely acknowledged for its ancient and well-chronicled Levitical pedigree. The family chiefly descends from Rabbi Joseph HaLevi, who settled in Hořovice, Bohemia, (German: Horschowitz or Horowitz) in 1391 and adopted the surname "Ish-Horowitz" (lit. 'Man of Horowitz').
| Horowitz family האָראָװיץ | |
|---|---|
The Pinkas Synagogue built by R. Aaron Meshullam Horowitz and named after his grandson R. Pinkas Horowitz. | |
| Parent family | Yizhari of Girona |
| Current region | Prague, North America and Israel |
| Earlier spellings | Ish-Horowitz |
| Place of origin | Hořovice, Bohemia |
| Founded | 1391 |
| Founder | R. Joseph HaLevi of Hořovice |
| Traditions | Judaism |
| Cadet branches |
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| Website | www.horowitzassociation.org |
From the 16th century and onward, the family dominated the Prague community and formed marriage alliances with other prestigious families. They later spread out to Eastern European communities, and produced numerous rabbis and communal leaders. Following the rise of the Haskalah, the family produced several writers of the Enlightenment, scholars, musicians, and scientists.