Yonah Moshe Navon

Navon was born "at the end of the 18th century"^[1] in Jerusalem to Rabbi Binyamin Navon, author of the book "Twice as much" (Hebrew: פי שניים), who himself was the son of Rabbi Yonah Navon. The family was famous within the Jewish community of the city.^[2] He studied at the Yeshivat Beit Yaakov [he], where many sages in Jerusalem had studied prior.^[3] In 1799, following Napoleon's campaign in the region, poverty became widespread in the community. Navon was sent to cities in North Africa along with his cousin Rabbi Yonah Saadia Navon.^[4] One such city was Algiers, in which the Navons complained to Rabbi Yehouda Ayache about the mishandling of funds meant for families in Eretz Yisroel from Alexandria.^[5]

He became a member of the court of Rabbi Shlomo Moshe Suzin. In 1836, with Suzin's death, he was appointed in his place to be Rishon LeZion.^[6] Some sources say that this was, in fact, on 8 Tevet 5596, which would be December 29, 1835.^[7] During this time, he helped to refurbish the Hurva Synagogue and establish the Menachem Zion Synagogue.^[8] He held the position from 1836 until his own death.^[9] He died on January 16, 1841 in Jerusalem^[10] and was buried in the Mount of Olives Jewish Cemetery.