 Elijah of Ferrara (1438) had come to Jerusalem and had a certain jurisdiction in rabbinical matters over Damascus as well.He speaks of a great plague which devastated Egypt, Syria, and Jerusalem; but he does not say in how far the Jews of the first-named city suffered.Menaִhem ִHayyim of Volterra visited Damascus in 1481, and found 450 Jewish families, "all rich, honored, and merchants."