In search of Isaac Bellam...

We seek him here, we seek him there; we do not find him anywhere.

At first, things looked promising. Our erudite co-researcher, Andrew Kopkin, who is also our cousin, sent us some tantilising information about Isaac Bellem. A certain Isaac Bellam is listed as a subscriber to the Seder Ha-Tefillah Translated by A. Alexander and B. Meyers, published in London in 1770, by W. Tooke. Andrew could not remember where he discovered this intriguing information. After googling the name of the Siddur for some days, we found a full scanned copy online. Not only a copy of the translated Siddur, but a full list of the subscribers. Under the surnames beginning with “B”, guess what? We found Mr. Isaac Bellam. 

Who is Isaac Bellem? The Bellems are our family—we know that for a fact. We have seen their headstones. 

Their names are recorded in documents. They are mentioned in the definitive work of Rabbi Dr Bernard Susser, who notes in his index that Bellam is an alternative spelling for Bellem. Of course, we have the oral history of the Bellem family, going back to my great grandfather: we are Bellems.

Issac Bellem, however, remains a mystery. We wanted to find out if and how he fits in to our tree. Being an English Jew in 18th century with the surname “Bellem”, he has to be related. 

We want to tell you about our adventurous failures in finding out who this individual was and how he is related to us. Adventurous, because we discovered things along the way. Failures, read on! 

At first, we found that this Siddur was for sale. Its immediate provenance— the Hebrew Union College, Ohio. So, we contacted them in order to get information on “subscribers”. Maybe we could follow up Isaac Bellem in that way. Dr. David Ruderman, Joseph Meyerhoff Professor of Modern Jewish History at the Department of History of the University of Pennsylvania swiftly wrote back that “subscriber lists have a long history in supporting publication of books by individual authors and by publishers”. He added “well-to-do donors were sought to publish specific books and projects in return for mention of their names in the publication”. He further informed us “subscribers heard about these projects from the authors and publishers themselves, who solicited them”. He proposed “subscribers came primarily from large urban areas, first and foremost London”. This was a good beginning, but it was not enough. We followed the Professor’s lead and contacted Professor Adam Shear at the Department of History at the University of Pittsburgh. 

Adam informed us that he would be interested in conducting research on the subscribers list and thereby add information into the “Footprints” database project that he manages. Another piece of the jigsaw that he added: subscribers were members of various Ashkenazic congregations, not just one.

Still not enough. Who was Isaac Bellem, and how is he related?

We decided to write to the Board of Deputies of British Jews. After all, this is the first prayer book to be translated into English*. Surely, they would know something about the subscribers to this Siddur. Its translation into English was such an important landmark. Alas! Another dead end. Their reply was succinct. We know nothing. 

A scintilla of hope still remained. We found on Shapero, a website of rare Judaica and Hebraica, a wonderful description of the Siddur that Isaac Bellam subscribed to. Undeterred by previous failures, we contacted them. Who knows what they will reveal?

Ever hopeful, we are writing these words. Who was Isaac Bellem? If, by any chance, you think you might be able to help, perhaps you would drop us a line. 

*the Apostate, Mears, under the pseudonym of Gamaliel Ben Pedahzur published an earlier translation in 1738. The translators refer to this in their preface:  “It is true, such a thing hath been attempted under the title of Liturgia Judaica, but the manner in which it was effected plainly demonstrates, that Gamaliel Ben Pedahzur, either knew nothing of the Hebrew tongue, or that his intention was to throw a ridicule upon the whole Jewish community ; of the truth of which everyone will be convinced who but takes the book into his hand.”