A RECONSTRUCTION OF THE HISTORY OF AN ASHKENAZI-ITALIAN JEWISH PHYSICIAN FAMILY: BETWEEN ACCULTURATION AND ORTHODOXY.

The article reconstructs the history of the de-Jona family, a dynasty of Ashkenazi-Italian Jewish physicians active in the 17th century Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, focusing on their origins, acculturation, and orthodoxy. It presents evidence that the family originated from Casale Monferrato in Italy, supported by university records from Padova, contemporary French sources, and Jewish gravestone iconography, while also considering possible Iberian (Sephardic) ancestry. Despite their Italian cultural background and education, members of the de-Jona family maintained a strong Jewish identity and orthodox religious involvement, serving prominent roles in Jewish communal leadership and marrying into notable rabbinical families. The study highlights the family's integration into Ashkenazi Polish Jewry, illustrating a balance between acculturation to Italian and Polish contexts and adherence to Jewish orthodoxy.