place · L0207

Worms וורמייזא

Rhineland city, one of the three ShUM communities (Speyer, Worms, Mainz) that formed the cradle of Ashkenazic Torah. Rashi studied here under R' Yitzchak HaLevi; its 11th-century synagogue (rebuilt after repeated destructions) and Europe's oldest surviving Jewish cemetery still stand.

I. Who

Hebrew
וורמייזא
Also known as
Vermaiza, Warmaisa

III. Where

Modern location
Worms, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

V. How do we know

ClaimEvidenceConfidenceSources
Worms was one of the ShUM cities whose communities and customs shaped Ashkenaz; its Jewish quarter, synagogue, and cemetery are documented from the 11th century and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. external archaeology ★★★★☆
Rashi studied in the yeshiva of Worms under R' Yitzchak HaLevi before returning to Troyes. external tradition ★★★★☆

Referenced by: Yaakov ben Yakar, Yitzchak HaLevi (of Worms), Rashi, Maharam of Rothenburg, The Rosh