The Parnas - Meir Baras

A young Jew crossed the bridge and approached the gate to the city of Cologne. Ragged, wounded, more dead than alive, he collapsed before the two astonished gatekeepers. They would have thrown him to the dogs, or better yet, left him to the ravaging Crusaders who were not far behind – thousands upon thousands of them. But because they thought he might earn them a few coins reward, they dragged him to the home of the Parnas ? the benefactor and head of the Jewish community.