In 1739, Gutel (Yittel)
Leidesdorfer, the daughter of Samuel Perez (Sanwel) Leidesdorfer of
Nassau Germany married Akiva Eger The Elder, one of the greatest
Rabbis of all time. Two of her children, Akiva Eger The Younger and
Simcha Bunim Gins-Schlesinger were also immortalized in the history
books as being the greatest rabbis of their generation. Gutel’s
granddaughter, Sarah Eger, married Moses Schreiber who went by the
name of Chatan Sofer.
Even today, their graves are frequented by tourists from around the
world eager to pay their respects to these great men. Their timeless
writings remain core curriculum in Yeshivas and their religious
rulings still valid in rabbinical institutions.
An interesting divide is the fact that the wealth of the
Leidersdorfer family enabled this branch to be dedicated to Judaism,
even defining the ultra-Orthodox laws and customs, while the wealth
and nobility of the descendants of Aron Mendel Leidesdorf von
Neuwall and Marcus Ritter von Neuwall caused them to converted to
Christianity.
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