English translations of the second thousand acts of Roman rabbis recorded in an archive known as the Notai ebrei , which altogether contains about 10,000 acts from the years 1536-1640. They provide a mirror for social and cultural life, including such aspects as litigations, broken engagements, adoptions, synagogue disputes, rentals, contracts, and apprenticeships. Noteworthy is the ownership of property by women and the overall emphasis on individualism. Historical or cultural notes accompany many of the entries. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.