UZÈS ( or ):

By: Isidore Singer, S. Kahn

Town of France, in the department of Gard, about 15 miles north-northeast of Nîmes. Jews were settled there as early as the fifth century. St. Ferréol, Bishop of Uzès, admitted them to his table and enjoyed their friendship. On this account complaint was made of him to King Childebert, whereupon the bishop changed his attitude toward the Jews, compelling all those who would not leave Uzès to become Christians. After his death (581) many who had received baptism returned to Judaism ("Gallia Christiana," vi. 613; Dom Vaissète, "Histoire Générale de Languedoc," i. 274, 545). Before the French Revolution there were seven Jewish families at Uzès, comprising forty-six individuals, who later settled either at Nîmes or at Pont-Saint-Esprit. Toward the end of the nineteenth century there was only one Jewish inhabitant in Uzès, namely, A. Mossé, an attorney. He was mayor of the town for several years (see Kahn, "Notice sur les Israélites de Nîmes," p. 31).

Among the scholars of Uzès were: the anonymous compiler (13th cent.) of the Talmudic collection mentioned in Steinschneider, "Cat. Bodl." No. 2343;Samuel ben Judah, Gabriel of Milhaud, and Don Dieulosal ("R. E. J." xliii. 247).

S. S. K.