ABSTRACT
OBADIAH late 11-12th century. Convert from Catholicism. Among the material discovered in the Cairo Geniza in the early 20 century were documents relating to a certain Obadiah born in the late 11 century in Italy. The documents included an autobiography, the so-called ‘Obadiah Scroll’ written in biblical Hebrew, and notes on early synagogue chants. He was the son of a Norman nobleman who had settled in Bari, and the young man entered the church as a priest. Influenced by the example of a townsman and by the persecution of the Jews, he decided to convert to Judaism. He travelled to Baghdad where he studied Hebrew and the Pentateuch. He settled in Fostat, Egypt.
