Baruch Mizrachi family

The oldest Jewish family in Jerusalem.

Baruch Mizrachi came to Jerusalem in 1621 and bought 5 houses in the old city of Jerusalem.

On 1643 Baruch Mizrachi wrote a will, bequeathing the houses to his sons, but preventing them from selling the houses, and obliging them to bequeath the houses to their sons, so that when the Messiah will come Baruch Mizrahi will be able to return and live in his houses.

The houses passed from generation to generation, and were the main reason that the family didn't leave Jerusalem (while most families at time emigrated from the city because of the rush economic conditions at the time).

The houses were let by the family members since the turn of the twentieth century to an Arab family, while the family members built their houses out of the walls.

On 1948 the Old city of Jerusalem was conquered by the Jordanian army, and the same Arab family continued living in the houses.

On 1967 upon the reoccupation of Jerusalem by the Israelis the family members returned to the houses and claimed ownership to the property.

At the time the Israeli authorities expropriated and demolished all the houses in the Jewish Quarter of the old city of Jerusalem in order to build a new neighborhood, and hence the family members were able to collect only compensations, which he family members felt they were not allowed to collect because of Baruch Mizrachi's will.

Instead it was agreed that on the new building a plank will be hanged with the story about the family. This plank is serving as one the touristic attractions in Jerusalem today.

The Meyers of Jerusalem Teddy Kollek and Uri Lupolianski both promised that upon the arrival of the Messiah, Baruch MIzrachi will be able to receive from the municipality 5 new houses in Jerusalem.

Among the descendantes of the Baruch Mizrachi are: Yitzhak Navon the former Israeli president, Gilead Sher who was in charge of the Israeli peace negotiations.