{{distinguish|Isaac da Fonseca Aboab}} '''Isaac Aboab da Fonseca''' (February 1st, 1605 - April 4th, 1693) was a Rabbi, scholar, Kabbalist and writer. In 1656, he was one of several elders within the Portuguese-Israelite community in the Netherlands who excommunicated Baruch_Spinoza for the statements this philosopher made concerning (the nature of) God. Isaac Aboab da Fonseca was born in the Portuguese town of Castro d'Ayre as Simao da Fonseca, a Christian name. His parents were Maranos, Jews who had forcefully been converted to Christianity. However, although the family had converted to Christianity, life was still to a great deal uncertain. When Isaac was seven, the family moved to Amsterdam. From that moment on, the family reconverted back to Judaism, and Isaac was raised Jewish from that moment on. Together with Manasseh_ben_Israel, he was given lessons by Isaac_Uziel, a scholar. At the age of 18, Isaac was appointed rabbi (''chacham'') for Beth Israel, one of three Sephardic communities which existed at that point in Amsterdam. In 1642, Aboab da Fonseca was appointed rabbi at the Dutch colony of Pernambuco (Recife), Brazil. Most of the white inhabitants of the town were Sefardic Jews from Portugal who had been banned by the Inquisition to this town at the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. In 1624, the colony had been occupied by the Dutch. By becoming the rabbi of the community, Aboab da Fonseca was the first appointed rabbi of the Americas. However, during the time he was rabbi in Pernambuco, the Portuguese re-occupied the place again in 1654, after a struggle of nine years. Aboab da Fonseca managed to return to Amsterdam after the occupation of the Portuguese. Back in Amsterdam, Aboab da Fonseca was appointed chief rabbi for the Sephardic community. In 1656, he was one of several scholars who excommunicated famous philosopher Baruch Spinoza. During the reign of Aboab da Fonseca, the community flourished; the Portuguese synagogue (the Esnoga) was inaugurated on August 2th 1675 (10 ''Menachem'' 5435). On April 4th 1693, Isaac Aboab da Fonseca died at the age of 88 in Amsterdam. ==See also== * History_of_the_Jews_in_the_Netherlands * Sephardic_Jews_in_the_Netherlands * Manasseh_ben_Israel * Marano * Spanish_and_Portuguese_Jews ==External links== * Jewish Historical Museum * Jewish Virtual Library {{Uncategorized|October 2006}} Pt:Isaac_Aboab_da_Fonseca