Traditions of composing wills among central European Jews, in particular in Warsaw during the first half of the nineteenth century

Researchers in Jewish studies have underutilized documents such as wills, especially those found in notary files. In this article, I focus on testaments preserved in the records of notaries in Warsaw from the first half of the nineteenth century. I present the characteristics of the individuals who left wills and examine diverse approaches to the roles of family members, especially women. The study identifies two family models: patriarchal, marked by male control of assets and limited female independence; and proto-egalitarian, featuring more equal asset distribution and greater female agency. In the latter, women often acted as business partners and guardians of children, increasing their economic influence. This research challenges singular views of Jewish family dynamics, highlighting diverse structures and the significant social power women exercised in nineteenth-century Warsaw.