Ber Venyamin

Ber Venyamin(Benjamin) – factor (supplier) for Polish, Lithuanian, and Courland Jews.

In 1764, Venyamin Ber arrived in Riga by order of Empress Catherine II to work alongside D. Bamberg on the resettlement of Jews to New Russia.

In September 1765, Ber submitted a complaint to Catherine II against the Riga magistrate, which was imposing arbitrary taxes, and petitioned for the removal of certain restrictions placed on Jews in the city. The Empress partially granted his request, prohibiting the collection of a special tax for the benefit of the burgomaster and other officials.

In 1770, under the pretext of a plague epidemic, the Governor-General of Riga and Reval, Brown, ordered the expulsion of Jews from Livonia and Courland. At the time, Ber was in Mitau (Jelgava) and faced expulsion himself. However, a petition was submitted to Catherine II on behalf of Riga’s Jewish community by V. Speer, which allowed Ber to remain—although it is unclear whether Speer’s appeal was specifically for Ber or for all Jews.

Literature:

  • Buchholtz A. Geschichte der Juden in Riga (History of the Jews in Riga). R., 1899. Pp. 59, 64–67, 69–70 (footnote), 119, 122.

  • Orshansky I. Russian Legislation on Jews. St. Petersburg, 1877. Pp. 374–379.

Note:

According to this source, Speer’s petition was submitted on behalf of all Jews, not just Ber specifically.