Makhlouf Eldaoudi - Biography

Makhlouf Eldaoudi (1825–1909) (in Hebrew: מכלוף אלדאודי) was the Hakham Bashi (Turkish for the Chief Rabbi) of the Jewish community of Acre, Haifa, Safed and Tiberias (1889–1909).

He was born in Marrakesh, Morocco, and his family later migrated to Palestine. His father David descended from the poet Hiyya al-Daudi, and he belonged to the Jewish elite. Eldaoudi became a rabbi during his youth. He made trips as official rabbi to many countries of the world, since he spoke several languages. He wrote three religious works which were not published.

In 1889 was designated Hakham Bashi by the authorities, with the permission of the Ottoman sultan Abdul Hamid II. During his period as Hakham Bashi he insisted on recovering the Jews who attempted to convert to other religions. His son Selim narrated in his Memories all the unknown episodes in which his father took part.

Makhlouf Eldaoudi died in Safed at the age of 83.

Sources

• Szekely, Yaffa: Unknown episodes in the public activity of Rabbi Makhlouf Eldaoudi in his early years as Hakham Bashi of Acre and Haifa at Beth Hatefutsoth
• http://www.daoudi.co.il/mahluf-el-daoudi.htm (in Hebrew)

Category;Rabbis in Ottoman and British Palestine