Moshe Hacohen

Moshe Kalphon Hacohen, (1874–1950), also known by his acronym Ramach, was one of the leading rabbis of the island of Djerba, Tunisia, during the 20th century.

His father Rabbi Shalom, the author of numerous books including Nahar Shalom, Hefetz Yakar and HaimVeShalom, was initially the rabbi and head of the local rabbinical court in the city of Zervis, near Djerba, but in 1924 he emigrated to Mandatory Palestine to join the Elders of Zefat (Safed).

When his father was called upon to be the rabbi of Zervis, Moshe was asked by the local community to become their ritual slaughterer.

In 1895, at the age of 21, Moshe married Masida, daughter of his maternal uncle Rabbi Aharon Hacohen.

This court enacted a number of important decrees and carefully regulated the lives of the Jewish communities throughout the island.

In 1943 the Nazis came to Tunisia, and demanded that Rabbi Moshe collect 50 kilos of gold in 31⁄2 hours and hand it over to them; otherwise they would bomb the Jewish communities of Djerba and Tunis.

His son Shushan traveled to Tunis to arrange the necessary visas but Rabbi Moshe's health deteriorated even further and the emigration had to be called off.

He was buried in Djerba but in 2006, 55 years after his death, his bones were moved from Tunisia to Israel (via France) to the Mount of Respite cemetery in Jerusalem.