Joshua ben Gamla

Who is Joshua ben Gamla?

Yehoshua ben Gamla was a Jewish high priest who officiated in about 64 CE. He married the rich widow Martha of the high-priestly family Boethos, and she by bribing Jannai secured for him the office of high priest. Although Yehoshua himself was not a scholar, he was solicitous for the instruction of the young, and provided schools in every town for children over five years of age, earning thereby the praises of posterity. The two lots used on the Day of Atonement, hitherto of boxwood, he made of gold. Yehoshua did not remain long in office, being forced, after a year, to give way to Matthias ben Theophil.

According to the Talmud he is regarded as the founder of the institution of formal Jewish education for children as young as 6 years old.

Although no longer High Priest, Yehoshua remained one of the leaders of Jerusalem. Together with the former high priest Ananus ben Ananus and other men of rank, he opposed, without success, the election of Phinehas b. Samuel as high priest. Josephus reports that Yehoshua was an "intimate friend", who reported a plot to replace Josephus as general of Galilee to Josephus' father. Because his father wrote to him of the plot, Josephus was able to resist it.