Obadiah the Proselyte

Who is Obadiah the Proselyte?

Obadiah the Proselyte was a Catholic priest or a Norman-Italian baronet who converted to Judaism in 1102. It was common practice for proselytes to choose the name "Obadiah" because of the tradition that Obadiah the prophet was an Edomite converted to Judaism.

His reasons are not entirely clear. It is believed he had been inspired by the Jewish people during the First Crusade and archbishop Andreas of Bari who had converted to Judaism. His understanding of the Bible may have also played a role.

He is known for recording medieval Jewish chant in Gregorian notation. There is a dispute whether this Gregorian melody used is of Jewish origin or of non-Jewish origin.