Pardo Family Adventure
Summary of the Sephardic World presentation by Ton Tielen on 13 October 2024
The speaker discussed the genealogy of the Pardo family, focusing on the first five generations spanning roughly two centuries. He acknowledged the existence of multiple Pardo families but concentrated on the lineage originating from Yoseph Pardo, born in Salonica.
Yoseph Pardo migrated to Venice before 1589 and served as a Ḥakham (rabbi) at the Levantine synagogue. He later moved to Amsterdam, becoming a Ḥakham at the Bet Jacob synagogue in 1608 and subsequently at the Bet Israel synagogue in 1618.
Yoseph Pardo played a significant role in educating the first generations of Portuguese Jews arriving in Amsterdam about Judaism, including its rituals and theology. He also brought the concept of Dotar, a charitable society assisting prospective brides, from Venice to Amsterdam.
Yoseph Pardo's son, David Pardo, followed in his father's footsteps, serving as a Ḥakham at Bet Israel and holding the position of Parnas (warden) of the Biker Ḥolim (society for the care of the sick).
David Pardo had a son named Joseph Pardo II, who served as a Ḥazzan (cantor) and Shoḥet (ritual slaughterer) in Rotterdam. Joseph Pardo II had a relationship with Rebecca Homberg, an Ashkenazi woman, and they had twin sons, one of whom was named David Pardo.
David Pardo, the son of Joseph Pardo II, studied at Etz Ḥayim (Tree of Life) yeshiva and later became a Ḥazzan in London. He eventually moved to Suriname, where he also served as a Ḥazzan.
David Pardo's brother, Yoshiyahu Pardo, was a rabbi who held positions in Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and Jamaica. His gravestone in Jamaica features a skull and bones motif, which the speaker clarified was not a pirate symbol but rather a representation of the fragility of life.
The speaker traced the two main branches of the Pardo family, one descending from David Pardo (son of Joseph Pardo) and the other from Isaac Pardo (son of Yoshiyahu Pardo). He highlighted their geographical spread across continents, their involvement in religious occupations in the 17th century, and their transition to mercantile activities in the 18th century, including connections to slavery and plantations.
The speaker concluded by acknowledging the limitations of his research and inviting further contributions from individuals with Pardo ancestry, particularly those interested in DNA testing to establish connections between different branches of the family.
The talk concluded with a Q&A session where the speaker and audience discussed topics such as the possibility of Anthony being Isaac Pardo's son, the use of the term "Ḥazzan" in the context of charities, the spread of the Pardo family to Cuba, the languages spoken by the Pardo family in different locations, and the significance of the skull and crossbones symbol.