David Levi (1742-1801), born in London, was a printer, author, pioneering Jewish translator, and scholar. A self-taught English Jew, he provided an educated defense of Judaism against its English detractors and published resources on Judaism to both Jews and Christians in English. Since the English Jewish community of the time knew little or no Hebrew, Levi translated the Sefaradi and Ashkenazi prayer books, and produced expositions and translations of much Jewish lore about ritual and practice. His texts were used by Jewish and Christian writers well into the 19th century.