The Pincas Family

Introduction

This document summarizes our exploration of the Pincas family history, drawing from a hand-crafted genealogical book created by Jacques Pincas in Tel Aviv between 2000 and 2001. The book meticulously documents four interconnected Sephardic family lines—Danon, Beruhiel, Salti, and Pincas—tracing their journeys from the Iberian Peninsula through the Ottoman Empire to the modern world.

The Pincas family story is one of resilience, migration, and cultural continuity. From medieval Toledo to modern Tel Aviv, the family maintained their identity across dramatically different linguistic and cultural environments while producing artists, professionals, and community pillars.

The Name Pincas

The surname Pincas derives from the Biblical Hebrew name פִּינְחָס (Pinchas, anglicized as Phinehas). This is distinct from the modern Hebrew word פנקס (pinkas), meaning "notebook" or "register," which entered Hebrew much later from the Greek pinax (writing tablet). The similarity between the surname and the common word is coincidental.

The biblical Pinchas was the grandson of Aaron the High Priest, giving this name priestly (Kohen) associations. The meaning is debated among scholars—some suggest "oracle" or "mouth of brass," while others propose Egyptian roots from Pa-nehasi meaning "the Nubian" or "the dark-skinned one."

Geographic Journey

The Pincas family's migration pattern reflects the broader story of Sephardic Jewry, from expulsion to settlement across the Ottoman Empire and eventually to the modern state of Israel.

Toledo, Spain (Pre-1492)

The family's roots trace to Toledo, one of the great centers of medieval Jewish life in the Iberian Peninsula. Toledo's Jewish community flourished under both Muslim and Christian rule, producing scholars, poets, and translators who bridged cultures. The 1492 Alhambra Decree, which expelled all Jews from Spain, ended this golden age and scattered the Sephardic diaspora across the Mediterranean world.

Sarajevo, Bosnia (16th–20th century)

Following the expulsion, the family settled in Sarajevo, which became a major Sephardic center under Ottoman rule. The city welcomed Jewish refugees and allowed them to maintain their traditions. Sarajevo connected multiple family branches—Danon, Beruhiel, Salti, and Pincas—who intermarried over generations.

Vidin, Bulgaria (1846–1941)

Vidin, a Danubian port city in northwestern Bulgaria, emerged as a key Pincas family center. Jewish community birth records from 1881–1891 document the family here, providing crucial genealogical evidence. The book contains photographs of these records, showing the family's presence across multiple generations.

Most notably, Vidin was the birthplace in 1885 of Jules Pascin (born Julius Mordecai Pincas), who would become one of the most celebrated artists of the School of Paris.

Istanbul, Turkey (19th–20th century)

Istanbul served as a connection point between the Balkan and Middle Eastern branches of the extended family. The book includes historical maps and photographs of the Jewish quarter, documenting the family's presence in the Ottoman capital.

Tel Aviv, Israel (1920s–Present)

The modern chapter of the Pincas story centers on Tel Aviv, where Jacques Pincas settled and created his family tree book. Multiple branches of the Pincas, Danon, and related families established themselves in Israel, continuing the family's journey that began in medieval Spain.

Key Figures in the Pincas Line

Direct Patrilineal Ancestry (Jonathan Pincas)

Jules Pascin (1885–1930)

Born Julius Mordecai Pincas in Vidin, Bulgaria, Pascin became one of the most famous members of the Pincas family. He moved to Paris and adopted the anagram "Pascin" as his artistic name. He became a central figure of the School of Paris—the loose affiliation of artists who worked in Paris in the early 20th century, many of them Jewish emigrants from Eastern Europe.

Pascin was known for his delicate line work, his depictions of Parisian life, and his bohemian lifestyle. His tragically short life ended in Paris in 1930, but his artistic legacy endures in major museums worldwide. The family book dedicates several pages to his artwork and biography.

Moreno Pincas (Contemporary Artist)

The artistic tradition continues with Moreno Pincas, a contemporary painter whose work is documented extensively in the family book. His vibrant canvases demonstrate the family's continued engagement with visual arts. His work has been exhibited at venues including the Centre National d'Art in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Jacques Pincas (b. 1921) — The Author

Jacques Pincas, born in 1921, is the author of the family tree book that forms the basis of this summary. He married Rivka Salti (born 1930), connecting the Pincas line to the Salti family. A talented artist in his own right, his paintings of locations including Aschaffenburg (1968) and Mexico's Valle de Mutscho (2001) are included in the book.

Jacques's dedication to documenting his family's history produced a remarkable 58-page handwritten and illustrated genealogical work, combining family trees, photographs, historical documents, and original artwork.

Family Connections

The Pincas family is deeply interconnected with three other Sephardic families documented in the book:

The Salti Family

Rivka Salti's marriage to Jacques Pincas united these two families. The Salti line includes Rivka Abiry (née Salti), whose artwork—including a 1985 drawing of St. Petersburg—is featured in the book.

The Danon Family

The Danon family comprises the largest section of the book (pages 1–8), with branches spreading from Sarajevo to Israel, Paris, Belgium, San Diego, and Vancouver.

The Beruhiel Family

The Beruhiel family (pages 9–13) includes the Berry branch that settled in Miami, USA. Some family members tragically perished in the Holocaust, with Donna Kalma noted as having died at Auschwitz.

Conclusion

The Pincas family's five-century journey—from the Jewish quarter of Toledo through the Ottoman cities of Sarajevo, Vidin, and Istanbul, to modern Tel Aviv, Paris, London, and beyond—exemplifies the resilience and adaptability of Sephardic Jewry. Through expulsions, migrations, and transformations, they maintained their identity, their Hebrew names, and their connections to one another.

The family produced not only artists of international renown like Jules Pascin, but also dedicated historians like Jacques Pincas, whose patient work of documentation ensures that this remarkable story will be preserved for future generations.