Haim Nissim Amzalak

1828-1916

Haim Amzalak, Joseph's eldest living son, remained in Jerusalem for several years after his father's death. During those years he often travelled abroad, probably on business. In the late 1850's, upon his first marriage, he finally established himself in Jaffa.

Haim Amzalak was married twice; the first time was to Esther Levi of Hebron. They settled in Jaffa where they had six children: Joseph Ben-Zion (1860), Abraham (1864), Luna-Bolissa (1862), Rosa, Kaleb, and Sultana. In his later years, Haim had four more daughters by his second wife: Fortuni (1902), Jamila (1900), Rozina (1896), and Rachel (1896). After his brother Solomon's death (1876) Haim also adopted Solomon's son, Ben-Zion, who finally married Haim's daughter, Luna-Bolissa.

Haim Amzalak and his family resided in a large three-storey house near the port of Jaffa. However, they eventually had to move from there, due to the noise in the area, and to settle in one of the houses on Ben-Zion's (Haim's nephew and son in law) estate in Manshiya. The atmosphere in Haim Amzalak's house was described by Sir Moses Montefiore, an old friend of the family:

It must have been about seven o'clock in the evening when we arrived. The lady of the house, surrounded by the most amiable young family and some friends of the house, gave us a friendly welcome. A refreshing beverage, consisting of almond and rose water, was handed round and ten minutes afterwards a dinner was served in the best European style. An almost endless variety of dishes, partly Syrian, partly French, were handed round by waiters dressed in the French style, who spoke French, Italian, Spanish, german and Arabic. All this might have made us forget that we were in the Holy Land had we not been reminded of it every now and then, either by the overpowering heat or the bite of an intruding mosquito."

Like his father, Haim Amzalak was involved in the banking business, where he operated in collaboration with Ya'akov Valero, a member of another prominent Sephardi family. But it was in the land business that he invested his main fortune and efforts. He owned some land in Jerusalem, which was managed for him by his representatives there. Some of it he later sold, and some was retained and provided him with rental income. Amzalak was one of the first Jews to buy land in the vicinity of Jaffa, both in anticipation of its development for residetial use, and for the planting of orange groves. His wife, Esther, probably on his advise, also bought some land in the area, which was planted with fruit trees, mainly oranges. It was this compound that also served the family as their summer residence. Amzalak also represented other investors in real estate, using his extensive knowledge and expertise in this field.

In 1875 Haim Amzalak was appointed the representative of British Lloyd's in Jaffa. The agency prospered during those years, owing to the growth of Jaffa as a centre of trade and industry. In 1899, Lloyd's acknowledged Amzalak's performance on their behalf:

"I am instructed to take this opportunity of expressing to you the best thanks of the Committee of Lloyd's for the many valuable services rendered by you to this Corporation during the time that you have held Lloyd's Agency at Jaffa, and to express the hope that you may continue to occupy that position."

In 1911, Haim retired from his position as Lloyd's agent and recommended that Lloyd's continue their agency under his eldest son's supervision. Lloyd's aggreed and the agency remained in the hands of the Amzalak family.

Haim Amzalak received consular appointments from two nations, the first from Portugal in 1871, and the second from Great Britain in 1872. While Amzalak's services to the Portuguese government appear to have been rather limited, his activities on behalf of the Britain were of a much greater consequence. The appointment was approved on December 16, 1872, on the recommendation of the British Consul in Jerusalem, Noel Temple Moore. The Jewish community celebrated the appointment and the Habazelethnewspaper wrote:

"Today was a happy day for Israel, today a royal decree was read appointing Haim Amzalak the position of Vice Consul of Great Britain"

Montefiore, on his visit to Jaffa in 1875, also expressed his sentiments about Haim Amzalak's role as vice consul:

"At four o'clock p.m. Her Majesty's Vice Consul at Jaffa (Signor Amzalak) accompanied by his son, two kawasses, with their official batons and several attendants, approached our ship. It was a source of high gratification to me to see one of my bretheren, a native of the Holy Land, filling so high and honourable an office. I knew his father well. He was one of the most worthy and charitable of our bretheren in Jerusalem, and I was now much pleased to have the opportunity of evincing my regard for his son, whose abilities and high character had been so honourably acknowledged by the consular functions entrusted him."