Granas

Gorneyim, Gorni or Grana, are the Juif S originating in the city Toscane of Leghorn, Leghorn in Hebrew. A specific Sociolecte was spoken by this community, the Bagitto.

Leghorn

In 1548, As Ier of Médicis invites the foreigners, including the Conversos of Spain and of the Portugal, to settle in the wearing of Leghorn, in order to redynamiser this one after the stranding of the port of Pisa. The June 10th 1593, Ferdinand Ier de Médicis guarantees by a edict of tolerance ( the " Livornina" ) freedom of worship, right to Tuscan nationality, right to the property and the implicit acceptance of the right of the conversos to return to the Judaism. In 1675, Leghorn becomes a Port-franc and its importance increases.

Many a Juifs originating in Spain which had settled in North Africa and Ottoman Empire comes to be established in Leghorn, where the number of Jews passes from 114 in 1601 to approximately 3.000 in 1689.

In 1667, the Spanish governor of Oran (current Algeria) issues the expulsion of all the Jews and the conversos, which join other Jews of Oran which had been established in Leghorn since the Spanish occupation of Oran in 1509. These conversos returns to the Judaism.

Diaspora

North Africa

In 1685, a first community of Gorneyim is organized with Tunis, where they are strongly distinguished from the indigenous Jews because of their Europeanization: they speak the Italian and marry only between them, get dressed with European, carry wigs and powder, have their own rites, synagogs, officiants, rabbis and cemeteries and are regarded as the floret of the Bourgeoisie come from Europe. They do not have or few relations with the Jews autochtones which them speak judéo-Arabic and get dressed with the Eastern one. The arrival of this new community causes the creation of a Schisme which divides the Jews of Tunisia during almost 2 centuries. An agreement, ratified in 1741, concretizes the separation of the 2 communities.

With Algiers, Gorneyim become, at the 18th century, the banker of the Dey S, the intermediaries between those and the European powers, some become even advisers, even ministers. Concentrated in the big cities and having an easy economic situation, they are very minority, polyglot, and maintain privileged relations with Europe. This distinction is common with what existed in Morocco and in Tunisia with the difference that the Ladino, language of the Jews of Spain never prevailed as it was the case with Tangier or with Tétouan and than the religious institutions were never divided as it was the case in Tunisia between grana and toshavim.

America

After having had to yield to Portugal the Dutch Brazil in 1654, the United Provinces project to reinstall the Jews obliged to flee these territories in two colonies Dutchwomen, the island of Cayenne (current French Guiana) and Nieuw Middelburg, in the territory of Essequibo (current Guyana). In order to increase the population and to instigate these colonies, they invite there Gorneyim via their representative in Amsterdam, Paulo Jacomo Pinto. The September 12th 1659, one of the Jewish refugees of Brazil concludes an agreement with the Company Dutchwoman from the Western Indies for the creation of a Jewish village, Remire or Irmire, on the west coast of the island, where also settle of Gorneyim. In 1664, on arrival of the French in Cayenne, the Netherlanders go without fighting but obtain the guarantee of the free exercise of their religion for the Jews. Nevertheless, two thirds of the Jews of Remire, is approximately 300 people, leave to be established with the Suriname, then British. They profited there under British colonization, then Dutchwoman, of a certain autonomy in a locality called Jodensavanne which they had setting-up in 1652 on Savannah close to the split of Cassipora.

Sources

Mordechai Arbell, Leghorn: center off immigration to the Sephardic Jews to America, 17th century

Documents

Ferdinando I De Medici, Document Inviting Jewish Merchants to Settle in Livorno and Rammed, in Italian, Manuscript one Vellum, Florence, Italy, 10 June 1593 (facsimile)

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