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C. 570 - C. 640 EL'AZAR HAKALIR (Tiberias, Eretz Israel)
Poet and mystic. He wrote more than 200 hymns ( Piyutim) . Many of them are still recited today. These include those read for the 9th of (the month of) Av, the book of slichot (recited leading up to the high holy days), and those recited for rain in the fall and dew in the spring. There is some controversy as to his exact identity and time he lived.
576 Easter CLERMONT-FERREND (Gaul)
During a procession, a recent convert to Christianity was doused with rancid oil by a former co-religionist. Though Biship Avitus succeeded in temporarily calming the crowd . Four days later local Christians burned down the synagogue and began attacking Jews. The Bishop offered the Jews a choice baptism or exile, he reported that 500 Jews accepted conversion.The rest fled, mostly to Marseilles. Many of those who ostensibly converted managed to eventually return to practicing Judaism.
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