Jonathan-Raphaël Bischoffsheim

Jonathan-Raphaël Bischoffsheim (26 April 1808 – 5 February 1883) was a Belgian banker, businessman and philanthropist.

Family He descended from the Bischoffsheim family, which was endowed with an exceptional European network. On 11 June 1832, he married Henriette Goldschmidt (1812–1892) in Brussels, and together they had four children: Claire (1833–1899), Regine (1834–?), Ferdinand Raphaël (1837–1909), and Hortense Henriette (1843–1901).

Career In 1827, he co-founded the bank of Bischoffsheim & Goldschmidt. He played an important role for the finances and the institutions during the early years of Belgian independence. Bisschoffsheim was a Director of the Banque de Belgique and was one of the founders of the National Bank of Belgium, the regional tramways and managed the Crédit Communal and the Caisse Générale d'Épargne et de Retraite.

Together with his brother Louis-Raphaël Bischoffsheim (1800–1873), he founded the bank which eventually developed into Paribas bank. From 1862 until 1883, he was also a Liberal member of the Belgian Parliament, and as such was influential in the development of the public education network.