Urania of Worms explained

Urania of Worms
Burial Place:	Worms, Germany
Other Names:	Orania, Orgiah

Urania bat Abraham of Worms (died 11 February 1275), also known as Orania and Orgiah, was a Jewish precentress in medieval Ashkenaz (Rhineland and the Palatinate).^[1] Urania's role as a precentress, one of a handful of women known to be serving in this capacity in this region in the 13-14th centuries, is attested on her grave stone.

Biography

Little is known about Urania save that she died a young woman, the daughter of a Rabbi Avraham. The exact pronunciation of her name is uncertain. Rochelle Furstenberg spells the name as Urania—likely relating this woman's name to "Heavens"^[2] —while David Sperber spells her name Orania.^[3]

Urania died on Adar 6 (February 11), 1275, likely in the morning. Her tombstone, in the city of Worms, reads as in English follows:

Notes and References

1. Book: Sperber . David . Sperber . Daniel . Minhagey Yisra'el VII . 2002. 68–91 . Hebrew . הנשים המפללות לעצמן: עולמן הרוחני-תרבותי ותפילת נשים, בראי האמנות היהודית.
2. Web site: Furstenberg . Rochelle . Medieval Jewish Women Were Leaders in Religion and Business . My Jewish Learning . 27 February 2020.
3. Book: Sperber . David . Sperber . Daniel . Minhagey Yisra'el VII . 2002. 68–91 . Hebrew . הנשים המפללות לעצמן: עולמן הרוחני-תרבותי ותפילת נשים, בראי האמנות היהודית.