Nissan Jacobson – Peter Schupter’s Great Grandfather
Nissan Jacobson (pictured right) was at best a secular Jew. A traveller from Latvia in the early 1800’s as a young man, he found his way to London in his early 20’s. As far as I can ascertain his reason for travelling to another country was opportunistic rather than any form of persecution.
Although the archives at the Sydney Jewish Museum list him as a cigar maker, his occupation or should I say “hobby” was that of master counterfeiter. (These are the Names. John S Levy. Jewish Lives in Australia, 1788-1850.)
In-fact he was transported to Australia in 1817 on the ‘Lady Castlereagh’, along with three other Jewish men, after being found guilty in the Old Bailey of being in possession of a forged English Bank Note. He received 14 years for his trouble and after landing in Sydney, was then shipped off to Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) almost immediately.
He was handed over to the care of one Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey where he was to serve out his “time” as the Humphry’s servant.
It wasn’t long before he found his way back in court in Hobart in December 1823 for the charge of ‘Insolence toward his mistress’ times five. Clearly not a man who did not like being ordered around. He was eventually found not guilty and a ‘Certificate of Freedom’ was issued in April 1831. (The Van Diemen’s Land Annual, 1837.)
Settling in the town of New Norfolk, about one-hour northwest of Hobart, he became a farmer. Finding it difficult to farm in the Derwent Valley, he eventually found his way to the town of Sorell, about 30 minutes east of Hobart he settled down and married a gentile woman with the name of Hannah Athorn where they then had seven children.
When I arrived in Israel in 2008, I immediately felt as though I was at home.
One of particular note was Jacob, my great Grandfather. He was father to my Grandmother Miriam Lavender Jacobson, (Born: Hobart 1878) who inturn was the parent of my mother Muriel Robertson. (Born: Hobart 1924)
Raised Christian, she became a stalwart of the faith in Hobart and was known and regarded well in the then large Christian Brethren community in Tasmania. She married Ilia Schuptar, a Ukrainian immigrant in 1955, in Hobart. She had four children, Maree, Christopher, Peter and Zonia.
Never forgetting her Jewish roots my mother, of blessed memory, taught us children equally from the Torah and prophets as well as the life of Messiah Yeshua as told in the gospels and apostolic writings.
I remember as a child and growing up seeing many pointers to our Jewish heritage on the walls and in the bookshelves of our home.
Depictions of the High Priest of Israel performing ceremonial duties
These items included two priceless gold etched prints, belonging to my grandmother Miriam, of the High Priest in the Holy of Holies sprinkling the blood of the Lamb on the Mercy Seat (pictured right) and the other of the Tent of Meeting in the desert with the cloud of smoke billowing from the Holy of Holies (pictured above). Another precious item is a leather bound 170-year-old copy of ‘The Works of Joshephus’. It truly looks as though it has come off the movie set of ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (pictured below).
A 170 year old copy of the Works of Josephus
Along with other personal items pointing to our Jewish heritage, these now reside in my home in Brisbane.
My Jewish journey was always a constant companion during my early life growing up as mentioned before thanks to my mother. But it wasn’t until my very first visit to Israel in 2008 that I started to really see the importance of my Jewish heritage and upbringing.
When I arrived in Israel in 2008, I immediately felt as though I was at home. Although totally foreign everything around me felt natural, in order (B’seder) in Hebrew. I was alive and everything in me was buzzing! This was a truly amazing eye opener for me and something I will never forget, my feet touching the tarmac at Ben Gurion International Airport.
In the ensuing 12 years since my first Aliyah (going up) to Israel and Jerusalem many strange and appointed times have occurred. Really too many to mention, but here’s a few:
Being approached randomly by a Rabbi in Hong Kong desperately trying to complete the 10 required for a Minyan (representation of the community of Israel) for Sukkot.
Sharing Sukkot with the Israeli Ambassador to Hong Kong on a roof top in Kowloon,
My Bar Mitzvah, also at Synagogue in Hong Kong,
Meeting by chance Cookie Schwaeber -Issan, the then principal of Makor Hatikvah Messianic School.
Given the “keys” to the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem and being told “nothing is off limits except for the Ark” by the Chief Rabbi,
Meeting Pastor Ofer Amitai in Jerusalem
Meeting author and Rabbi R. Moshe Kempinski in Jerusalem
Having the opportunity to live and study Hebrew in Jerusalem for 4 months
The list really does go on. The point being if you had told me in 2008 before my first visit to Israel I would do and see all these things in 12 short years I would have laughed. But my name is not Isaac (Genesis 21:6).
If God has called you to visit Israel and you go with an open mind and more importantly an open heart, and you are prepared to “follow Him with all your heart and mind” (Matthew 22:37) then believe me the blessings will over flow, so much you won’t be able to contain them.
And just like my great, great grandfather Nissan Jacobson, an unexpected journeyman to Australia over 200 years ago, who started a line of inspirational women like Hannah, Miriam and Muriel your first visit to Israel could start a line of events that you won’t want to stop.
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