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Pallache, also de Palacio(s), Palache, Palaçi, Palachi, Palatsi, Palacci, Palaggi, al-Fallashi, and many other variations, is a prominent, Judaeo-Spanish-speaking Sephardi Jews family from the Iberian Peninsula, who spread mostly through the Mediterranean after the Alhambra Decree of March 31, 1492, and related events.
The Pallaches established themselves in cities in Morocco, the Netherlands, Turkey, Egypt, and other countries from the 1500s through the 1900s. The family includes , , founders of and beth midrash, scientists, entrepreneurs, writers, and others. Best known are Moroccan envoys and brothers Samuel Pallache (–1616) and Joseph Pallache, at least three grand rabbis of Izmir – Gaon. Haim Palachi (1788–1868), his sons Abraham Palacci (1809–1899) and Rahamim Nissim Palacci (1814–1907), grand rabbi of Amsterdam Isaac Juda Palache (1858–1927), American mineralogist Charles Palache (1869–1954), and Dutch linguist Juda Lion Palache (1886–1944).
In 1480, Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon established a Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition, commonly known as the Spanish Inquisition. Its dual purpose was to maintain Catholic Church orthodoxy in Spain while replacing the Medieval Inquisition under papal control. On March 31, 1492, Isabella and Ferdinand issued the Alhambra Decree (or "Edict of Expulsion"), thereby ordering the expulsion of practicing Jews from the Kingdoms of Castile and Aragon, its territories, and it possessions by July 31 that year–in four months. Jews who had converted to Christianity (" conversos") were safe from expulsion. Some 200,000 Jews converted; between 40,000 and 100,000 fled from the kingdoms.
On December 5, 1496, King Manuel I of Portugal decreed that all Jews must convert to Catholicism or leave the country. Jews who converted to Christianity were known as New Christians. This initial edict of expulsion turned into an edict of forced conversion by 1497. In 1506, the Lisbon Massacre erupted. In 1535, Portugal launched its own inquisition. Portuguese Jews fled to the Ottoman Empire (notably Thessaloniki and Istanbul and to Morocco. Some went to Amsterdam, France, Brazil, Curaçao, and the Antilles. Some of the most famous descendants of Portuguese Jews who lived outside Portugal are the philosopher Baruch Spinoza (from Portuguese Bento de Espinosa), and the classical economist David Ricardo. As Portugal was under control of the Philippine Dynasty of the House of Habsburg (1581–1640), the Portuguese Inquisition blended with the Spanish.
The combined Spanish-Portuguese inquisitions caused one of the largest Jewish diaspora in Jewish history.
According to Professor Reginald Aldworth Daly, the Pallaches were "persecuted Sephardim Jews of Portugal who were exiled to Holland".
According to Professor Giovanna Fiume, "The Pallache family also emigrated to the Netherlands, perhaps from Portugal or Spain, or, second, another hypothesizes, they emigrated directly from their native Spain to Fez."
José Maria Abecassis cites historian Abraham ibn Daud of Toledo (–1180), who wrote:
Moïse Al Palas (also Moses al-Palas) (???–1535), born in Marrakesh, was a rabbi who moved to Tetuán and lived for a time in Salonica, then in the Ottoman Empire. Before dying in Venice, he published Va-Yakhel Moshe (1597) and Ho'il Moshe (1597), and an autobiography.
Isaac Pallache was a rabbi in Fez, Morocco, first mentioned in takkanot (Jewish community statutes) in 1588. His sons were Samuel Pallache (–1616) and Joseph Pallache. Isaac was married to a sister of Fez's grand rabbi, Judah Uziel; his nephew Isaac Uziel became a rabbi of the Neve Shalom community in Amsterdam.
After an unsuccessful attempt to return to Spain in the mid-1600s, Samuel and Joseph Pallache settled a new branch of the Pallache family in the Netherlands by 1608. There, they represented their benefactor, Zidan al-Nasir of Morocco, as well as the Dutch government, in complex negotiations with Morocco, the Netherlands, Spain, France, England, the Ottoman Empire, and other European states – often on behalf of more than one sponsoring state and (as stateless Jews) on their own behalf.
The sons of both brothers continued in their fathers's footsteps, some remaining in the Netherlands (e.g., David Pallache), others returning to Morocco (e.g., Moses Pallache).
In the Netherlands, the surname solidified as "Palache" (a spelling variation which started in the 16th century), and the family continues as Palache in the Netherlands to the present. Prominent members have included grand rabbi Isaac Juda Palache (1858–1927) and his son, Professor Juda Lion Palache (1887–1944).
The Pallache brothers and their sons did not marry members of the Portuguese Sephardic community in the Netherlands. "It seems significant that no male member of the Pallache family ever married a woman from the Portuguese community... it is surely significant that neither Samuel nor any of his heirs were ever to marry into the great trading families of 'the Portuguese nation'." In September 2016, however, two 1643 marriage certificates were discovered for David Pallache (1598–1650 ) and Judith Lindo family (??? – October 30, 1665 ) of Antwerp, daughter of Ester Lindo Death details for David Pallache also confirm the marriage. Further, three years later, in 1646, Samuel Pallache (1616–???), son of Isaac Joseph Pallache and nephew of David Joseph Pallache, married Abigail (born 1622), sister of Judith Lindo.
The Pallache appear in Izmir (then, "Smyrna") no later than the time of rabbi Jacob Pallache, who married the daughter of a grand rabbi Joseph ben Hayyim Hazan. Jacob's son became grand rabbi Haim Palachi (1788–1868), two of whose sons, Abraham (1809–1899) and Isaac, or Rahamim Nissim (1814–1907), also became grand rabbis there.
According to the Encyclopedia of Jews in the Islamic World: In 1863, a London-based Jewish newspaper noted "the chief rabbi of Smyrna, Palacci, a venerable, octogenarian, seems to command universal respect by his truly patriarchal appearance, his countenance reflected the gentleness of his heart." In 1868, Die Deborah (part of The American Israelite) reported a gather of four rabbis who unanimously supported the wish of the late Abraham Palacci that his son (son not named) be appointed in his place. In 1872, the Bulletin de l'Alliance Israélite Universelle reported on a "real famine" for which relief was sent to Chief Rabbi Palacci to distribute. In early 1873, the name of Haim Nissim Palacci appears as treasurer in Smyrna of the Alliance Israélite Universelle (founded 1860). In mid-1873, the Universal Israelitish Alliance of Paris and the Anglo-Jewish Association of London agreed to establish a school for Jewish boys and girls in Smyrna under the guidance of Dr. Palacci, Chief Rabbi of Smyrna. In 1891, a newspaper reported the a "good likeness" of chief rabbi Abraham Palacci was on its way from Smyrna to Istanbul as part of books sent there. In 1893, a newspaper reported that the importance of a grand rabbi Palacci (which one, unspecified), aided by his son Nissim Palacci (a commonly used family name).
The Pallache continued in Turkey past the 1922 great fire of Smyrna; some left during Allied evacuation during World War II and were murdered during the Holocaust.
Which members of the family had what foreign citizenship is as yet undetermined, e.g., Spanish under the Decree-Law of 29 December 1948. Neither "Palacci" nor variations on the surname appear in either the Egyptian or Greek lists.
In 1916, "Palacci, Fils, Haym, and Co." were listed among "persons who have been granted licenses to trade in Egypt, with the British Empire, and with Allies of Great Britain". The same year, "Palacci Fil, Haim & Co." filed a suit against "Mohamed Moh. Sélim".
When Vita died in 1917, his oldest son Albert Vita Palacci succeeded as manager. The store had offices overseas in Paris (1922) to purchase draperies and hardware, while its Cairo offices exported household essentials and perfumes. By the mid-1920s, Palacci had branches on Fuad Street and in Heliopolis.
In 1925, the Palacci partook in a "Gran Corso Carnivalesque" in Cairo, organized by the International Union of Commercial Establishment Employees of Cairo, along with 24 other grand department stores, including: Cicurel family, (1998). 9780520211759, University of California Press. ISBN 9780520211759Bon Marché, Mawardi, Salamander, and Paul Favre. Other department stores of that time included: Chemla Frères (see Jacqueline Kahanoff), Orosdi-Back, Sednaoui (see Elisa Sednaoui), Hannaux, Chalons, Ades (see Ades Synagogue and Yaakov Ades), Gattegno (see Caleb Gattegno and Joseph Gattegno), Madkur, Ahmad, Yusuf Gamal, Benzion (see owner Moïse Lévy de Benzion and Levi de Benzion), Morum's, Stein's, Raff's, Robert Hughes, Mayer, Tiring. The history Maadi: 1904–1962 lists the following Jewish families around the Adly synagogue including: Rasson, Romano, Gold, Kabili, Rofe, Mizrahi, Chalem, Calderon, Agami, setton, Simhon, Sofeir. It also lists those Jewish families close by, including: Harris, Risolevi, Hettena, Sullam, Ades, Watoury, Palacci, Curiel, Basri, Farhi, Hazan, and Hazan. The history Egypt: The Lost Homeland lists the following Jewish families in Cairo who "were considered Austrian and enjoyed the protection of the Austria-Hungary embassy, event though they were not Austrian citizens": Adda, Benarojo, Belilios, Qatawi family, Forte, Goldstein, Heffez, Ismalun, Mondolfo, Pallaci, Picciotto, Rossano, and Romano.
In the 1920s, the store advertised in newspapers, e.g., "Visitez Palacci, Haym & Co. – Mousky – Rabais considérables dans tous les comptoirs. Profitez !" ("Visit Palacci, Haym & Co. – Mousky – Considerable discounts at all counters. Enjoy!"). In 1923, the advertising changed to "Demandez à Palacci, Haym & Co., leurs conditions de Vente à crédit avec facilités de paiement. Prix défiant toute concurrence." ("Ask Palacci, Haym & Co. for their terms of Credit Selling with payment facilities. Price defying all competition."). In 1924, it changed for the year to "Vente à crédit chez Palacci, Haym & Co. Facilité de paiements" ("Credit selling at Palacci, Haym & Co. Payment facility.") In 1926, advertising changed to "Chez Palacci, Haym & Co. Mousky. Vente à crédit. Facilités de Paiement. Mêmes prix qu’au comptant" ("At Palacci, Haym & Co. Mousky. Sale on credit. Payment facilities. Same price in cash"). By November 1926, advertisements added a new location in Heliopolis in its next advertisement, "À crédit. Faites vos achats chez Chez Palacci, Haym & Co. Mousky-Heliopolis. Vente à crédit. Facilités de paiement. Mêmes prix qu’au comptant" ("On credit. Shop at Palacci, Haym & Co. Mousky-Heliopolis. Credit sale. Payment facilities. Same price as in cash"). In 1927, its new advertisement claimed that it had become a grand magasin (a full, European-style, modern department store), targeting newlyweds: "Grands Magasins de Nouveautés. Palacci, Haym & Co. Mousky. Heliopolis. Avant de garnir votre Appartement, visitez notre salon de Mobilier. Vente à crédit – Facilités de Paiement" ("New arrivals at our department stores. Palacci, Haym & Co. Mousky. Heliopolis. Before furnishing your Apartment, visit the Furniture section. Credit sales – Payment facilities"). In mid-1927, the advertisement tried "Actuellement – chez Palacci, Haym & Co., Mousky. Exposition d’articles de voyage et de bains de mer à prix très avantageux. Visitez-nous" ("Now at Palacci, Him & Co., Mousky. Display of travel and sea-bathing items at very favorable prices. Visit us"). Its next ad campaign was "Grande Maison de Nouveautés. Palacci, Haym & Co., Mousky – Héliopolis. Les plus vastes magasins spécialisés dans la vente des Meubles. Prix hors Concurrence – Facilités de Paiement" ("New Arrivals at Department Store. Palacci, Haym & Co., Mousky – Heliopolis. The largest stores specializing in Furniture sales. Unbeatable Prices – Payment Facilities"). By late 1927, it had begun to advertise not just seasonally or special occasions like weddings and "back to school" but also for specific items like Tapis ("carpets"),Lits en cuivre ("brass beds"), and Chemises, Cravates, Faux-Cols ("shirts, ties, and false collars"). In September 1928, it began to advertise only as "Palacci" and dropped Heliopolis as its second location but restored a more French version "Palacci Haym & Cie" as well as the second store in Heliopolis (alternate version "Palacci Haim & Cie.") in the first quarter of 1929, reverting again to "Palacci Haym & Co." In 1930, Palacci added mention of its catalog, by which times its ads began to place on pages 5, 6 and even 9 of newspapers while settling largely on "Palacci" again on pages 3 and finished 1930 and starting 1931 on page 2. In 1932, Palacci first used an image with its ads, which faces on furniture and beds.
In 1933, the family of Mahmoud Abel Bak El Bitar had a lawsuit against "Pallaci, Haym & Co." By 1935, the Palacci department store had experienced financial difficulties.
In August 1937, the original department store of les "Grand Magasins" Palacci, Haym & Co. on Mouski Street burned; the family did not rebuild. L’Aurore newspaper of Cairo reported:
Tous les amis, tous les clients de MM. Palacci Haym & Co. ont appris avec un regret infini l’incendie de leurs grand Magasins du Mousky jeudi soir dernier. On a lu dans la presse quotidienne les détails de ce sinistre et il n’y reviendront pas. Qu’il nous suffise de dire ici que c’est avec une amicale émotion et une sincère sympathie que nous avons appris la dure épreuve subie par nos excellent amis et coreligionnaires Albert Palacci et Albert Haym dont le dévouement et la labeur inlassable pendant plus de trente années dans ce coin du Mousky à la tête de leur Maison sont connus de tous si avantageusement. Nous leur formulons à nouveau nos sincères regrets et leur adressons nos vœux les meilleurs. Messieurs Palacci, Haym et Co., adressent leurs vifs remerciements à tous leurs amis, fournisseurs, et clients, pour la grande amitié et la sympathie qui leur furent témoignées à la suite de la dure épreuve qu’ils viennent de subir. Ils informent leurs clientèle, Messieurs les Commissionnaires, et leurs fournisseurs qu’ils ont établi un Bureau provisoire dans l’immeuble Liepmann, au-dessus de la poste Hamzaoui. Toute correspondance doit être adressée comme jusqu’ici B.P. 371, Le Caire.
All the friends, all the clients of MM. Palacci Haym & Co. learned with infinite regret of the fire in their Mousky department store last Thursday evening. We read the details of this incident in the daily press and will not come back to it. Suffice it to say here that it is with friendly emotion and sincere sympathy that we learned of the hard ordeal endured by our excellent friends and co-religionists Albert Palacci and Albert Haym, whose dedication and tireless work for more than thirty years in this corner of Mousky at the head of their House are known to all so advantageously. We reiterate our sincere regrets to them and send them our best wishes. Mrs. Palacci, Haym and Co., extend their sincere thanks to all their friends, suppliers and customers for the great friendship and sympathy shown to them following the hard ordeal they have just suffered. They inform their customers, the Commissionaires, and their suppliers that they have established a provisional office in the Liepmann building, above the Hamzaoui post office. All correspondence should be addressed to P.O. Box 371, Cairo.
– Advertisements for the Palacci department store vanish from newspapers.
The family company or derivatives continued. In 1938, an Elie Palacci started advertising in Alexandria: "Faites vos achats chez Elie Palacci, dépôts de denrées alimentaires. 13, Boulevard Saïd 1er. Téléphone 254-17" ("Shop at Elie Palacci, food depots. 13, Boulevard Saïd 1er. Phone 254-17"). In 1947, an ad for "La Maison A. V. Palacci & Co." in the Hamzaoui section of Cairo appeared, as did an "H.M. Palacci & Co." as an agent of the G. R. Marshall & Co. exporting company of Richmond, Canada. The 1948 Cairo bombings, which included the Ades and Gattegno stores, did not deter the family; both Albert Vita Palacci and Dr. Victor Palacci appear in a 1955 Who's Who for Egypt, while Henry Menahem Palacci in Cairo appears in the mid-1950s (along with an Albert Palacci in Belgium).Victor D. Sanua (2025). 9780976322641, International Association of Jews from Egypt. . ISBN 9780976322641 By the time Nasser had nationalized all Jewish-owned assets in Egypt (1958), most Palacci had left Cairo in diaspora–yet "Palacci Fils, Hayem et Cie." remained listed as a business in Cairo as late as 1959.
During 1916–1917, "Palacci Fils, Haym & Co." was one of numerous donors in Egypt to the "Yeshibat Erez Israel (Rabbinical Institution) for the Refugee Rabbis from the Holy Land, established by the Alexandrian Rabbinate." From 1 Year 5676 through Sivan 5677 (4 April 1916 through to 29 June 1917), this group collected 120,427.5 Egyptian pound (piasters), routed to its treasurer, E. Anzurat and published its third financial report. Donors were from Alexandria, Cairo, "suburbs," England, Australia, Canada, S. Africa, India, France, and the USA. The local collector in Cairo was Rabbi Haim Mendelof. The Palacci donated 500 PT, as did Maurice Calamari, I.M. Cattaui & Fils, Le Fils de M. Cicurel, Jaques & Elie Green.
In the mid-1940s, Henri Palacci, son of Menahem, son of Aaron (Henri) Palacci, founded "La Coupole" store in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (then Leopoldville, Belgian Congo), as documented here: (See "Congo Crisis" for more on the emergence of the DR Congo. )
By 1855, a "Vita Palacci" appears in Argentina.
In 1911, Camille Palacci, daughter of the late Aaron Palacci of Cairo, married Benjamin Bigio in a synagogue on Mauldeth Road in Manchester, United Kingdom.
By the 20th century, the Pallache had established itself within the United States. The family of noted American mineralogist Charles Palache (1869–1954) came to California from Jamaica. His descendants includeJudith Palache Gregory (1932–2017), a writer, counselor, educator, and permaculturalist.
Numerous Palacci came to the United States in diaspora from Turkey and Egypt, including Colette Rossant.
Variations on the Pallache name appear on both Spanish and Portuguese lists of Sephardic names. For instance, "Palacci" is listed as Spanish Sephardic, while "Pallache" is listed as Portuguese Sephardic.
Samuel Pallache's name appeared in several forms–including variations that he himself used.citation pending from A Man in Three Worlds A German Vierteljarhschrift mentions both "Duarte de Palacios" and "Duarte Palache" when referring to the same person, thus making direct equation between the names "de Palacios" and "Palache."
Documented names include:
(e.g., Samuel Pallache's death certificate) (as Portuguese) ) (" Clara Palacios, dochter van Jacob de Palacios... een dochter van Jacob de Palacios" ) (as Portuguese)
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