Kimhi Explained

Kimhi, Kimchi, Kamhe, or Kamche (Hebrew: קִמְחִי or קַמְחִי) is a Jewish surname of disputed origin.^[1] Notable people with the surname include:

Medieval

• Joseph ben Isaac Kimhi (1105–1170), biblical commentator and poet, father of David and Moses Kimhi
• Moses Kimhi (c. 1127 – c. 1190), biblical commentator and grammarian
• David Kimhi (1160–1235), biblical commentator, philosopher, and grammarian
• Isaac ben Mordecai ibn Kimhi of Salon, "Mestre Petit de Nyons" (f. 1290), Talmudist^[2]
• David ben Joseph Kimhi of Frascati (fl. 1326), author of a biblical commentary (found MS Angelica 1.2)
• Samuel ben Moses Kimhi of Sicily (fl. 1342), author of a commentary to Perek Shira
• Joseph ben Saul Kimhi, author of the Mezuqqaq Shiv'atayim (1380). This is apparently the same scholar called Joseph ben Saul of Bannieres (מובנייר) in philosophical literature.^[3]

Several medieval letters mentioning Salama ben Joseph al-Kamha^{[4] [5] [6] [7]} and Abu al-Fadhl ben al-Kamha^{[8] [9] [10] [11]} were found in the Cairo Geniza, which may be the same name.

Modern

• Solomon Kimhi (fl. 1862), Turkish rabbi
• Rafael Moshe Kamhi (1870-1970), IMRO revolutionary
• Jon Kimche (1909-1994), Swiss journalist
• Victoria Kamhi (1905-1997), Turkish pianist
• David Kimche (1928-2010), Israeli diplomat and deputy-director of Mossad
• David Kamhi (1936-2021), hazan of the Sarajevo Synagogue
• Michelle Marder Kamhi (born 1937), art critic
• Alan Kimche (born 1952), British-Israeli rabbi
• Alona Kimhi (born 1963), Israeli author and actress
• Katherine Kamhi (born 1964), American actress
• Shavit Kimchi (born 2002), Israeli tennis player

Other

• Zalman Kimhi (1904), short story by ^[12]

See also

• Khimki, Russian city
• Kimchi (disambiguation)

Notes and References

1. Book: Steinschneider, Moritz . An Introduction to the Arabic Literature of the Jews . 1901 . 606 . en.
2. Book: Landshuth, Eliezer . ʻAmude ha-ʻavodah: reshimat rashe ha-payṭanim u-meʻaṭ mi-toldotehem... . 1857 . he.
3. יעקב זוסמן, “שני קונטרסים בהלכה מאת ר' משה בוטריל”, בתוך קבץ על יד, סדרה חדשה ספר ו' (טז), עמוד 273
4. Web site: מכתב: ENA 2591.13 + ENA 2591.12 . 2024-08-19 . Princeton Geniza Project . he.
5. Web site: מכתב: Moss. IV,80 . 2024-08-19 . Princeton Geniza Project . he.
6. Web site: מכתב: Halper 389 . 2024-08-19 . Princeton Geniza Project . he.
7. Web site: Letter: Moss. IV,80 . 2024-08-19 . Princeton Geniza Project . en.
8. Web site: רשימה או טבלה: ENA NS 77.? . 2024-08-19 . Princeton Geniza Project . he.
9. Web site: מכתב: T-S 13J19.9 . 2024-08-19 . Princeton Geniza Project . he.
10. Web site: מכתב: T-S 10J6.4 . 2024-08-19 . Princeton Geniza Project . he.
11. Web site: רשימה או טבלה: T-S Ar.6.8 . 2024-08-19 . Princeton Geniza Project . he.
12. Book: שטיינברג, יהודה . אחיאסף יב . 1904 . he . זלמן קמחי.