Hermann Adler

Rabbi
Hermann Adler
CVO
Hermann Adler, by H. S. Mendelssohn c. 1900
TitleChief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth
Personal
Born30 May 1839 (1839-05-30)
Hanover, Germany
Died18 July 1911(1911-07-18) (aged 72)
London, England
ReligionJudaism
Signature
Jewish leader
PredecessorNathan Marcus Adler
SuccessorJoseph Hertz
SynagogueBayswater Synagogue
PositionChief Rabbi
OrganisationUnited Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth
Began1891
Ended1911
BuriedWillesden United Synagogue Cemetery
Adler caricatured by Spy for Vanity Fair, 1904

Hermann Adler HaKohen CVO (30 May 1839 – 18 July 1911; Hebrew נפתלי צבי הירש הכהן אדלר ) was the Chief Rabbi of the British Empire from 1891 to 1911. The son (and successor as Chief Rabbi) of Nathan Marcus Adler, the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica writes that he "raised the position [of Chief Rabbi] to one of much dignity and importance."

Biography

Naftali (Hermann) Adler was born in Hanover. Like his father, he had both a rabbinical education and a university education in Germany, and like him he subscribed to a modernised orthodoxy. He attended University College School in London from 1852 to 1854 and rabbinical college in Prague. He graduated from Leipzig in 1862 with a PhD.[1] He received his semikha (Rabbinic ordination) from Rabbi Solomon Judah Loeb Rapoport. He later received honorary degrees from Scottish and English universities, including Oxford.

Rabbinic career

He was head of the congregation of Bayswater Synagogue, Paddington, during his father's lifetime, and his father's assistant from the time his father's health began to deteriorate in 1879, before succeeding him on his death in 1891.

In 1909 he was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO).[2]

Once he was having a lunch with British Catholic cardinal Herbert Vaughan. The cardinal asked the rabbi "Now, Dr. Adler, when may I have the pleasure of helping you to some ham?" The rabbi responded: "At Your Eminence's wedding".[3]

Adler wrote extensively on topics of Anglo-Jewish history and published two volumes of sermons. He was a vigorous defender of his co-religionists and their faith, as well as their sacred scriptures.[4]

He is buried in the Willesden United Synagogue Cemetery in London.

See also

References

  1. ^ Gilman D. C. et al. The New International Encyclopedia, Dodd, Mead and Company, New York 1905, pp.119–120. Accessed 25 July 2014 at Internet Archive
  2. ^ London Gazette Issue 28263 pp. 4856–7
  3. ^ Lawrence Jeffrey Epstein (1989). A treasury of Jewish anecdotes. Jason Aronson. p. 8. ISBN 9780876688908. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
  4. ^ Jung, Leo (ed.) "Three Chief Rabbis", Cecil Roth in Jewish Leaders, (Jerusalem 1953)
Wikisource has original works by or about:
Hermann Adler
Wikiquote has quotations related to Hermann Adler.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hermann Adler.
Jewish titles
Preceded by Chief Rabbi of Great Britain
1891–1911 		Succeeded by