RIMOCH, ASTRUC

RIMOCH, ASTRUC (14th–15th century), physician from Fraga, Aragon. Rimoch was close to the circle of poets under solomon da piera . During the anti-Jewish riots of 1391, he was active in collecting funds to ransom the community from the rioters. A letter of encouragement and comfort which he sent to a Jew of Monzón, dating from the same period, is extant. It states that his father and brother converted to Christianity and reveals interesting details on the divisions within many Jewish families as a result of the riots – when some of their members abandoned their religion, while others remained faithful. During the tortosa disputation Rimoch converted to Christianity and changed his name to Franciscus de Sant Jordi. After his conversion, he wrote a letter to his friend Shealtiel Bonafos in order to persuade him to convert as well. The poet solomon bonafed , a friend of Bonafos, replied to this sharply. -BIBLIOGRAPHY: Steinschneider, in: HB, 15 (1875), 108ff.; Baer, Urkunden, 1 (1929), index; Baer, Spain, 2 (1966), index S.V. Astruc Rimoch.