The Synod of the Jewish Communities in Germany

The earliest full synods in Ashkenaz took place in the twelfth century in Troyes and Rheims. They were often ad hoc and coincided with city fairs, which were attended by many Jews. They deliberated on a variety of topics, from marriage to relations with non-Jews, in addition to judging cases of personal grievances. The synod that took place in 1603 in Frankfurt am Main was the last of these synods; following the Thirty Years’ War, the division of Germany into duchies and principalities encouraged local autonomy rather than area-wide Jewish communal organization. The proceedings of this last synod were examined by the government in conjunction with accusations of treason, and many of its participants were interrogated.