THE LATE CHIEF RABBI.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1224, 5 September 1911, Page 5

THE LATE CHIEF RABBI.

DR. ADLER'S BRILLIANT CAREER. JEW AND PATRIOT. Dr. Hermann Adler, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the British Empire, who died in London on June 18, was born in Hanover in 1839, tho son of the Chief Rabbi, Nathan Marcus Adler. His father became Chief Rabbi in London fivo years later, eo that tho son received an English education being sent to * University Collego School, and then to University College. This made no difference to his strong attachment to Jewish tradition and -dogma, inherited from a long lino of distinguished Hebrew scholars. Tho Adlcrs were distinguished in Frankfort in the middle ages for their learning and piety, and there had 'been learned Rabbis in the family Jot generations. His own early education had . been confided to - the well-known Biblical scholar, Dr.. Kalisch, and after the completion of his fivo years' course at University College, where Lord Herschell, Lord Morley, and Sir George Jes--531 were among Ins comrades, he went to Prag, (0 study Hebrew theology under Rabbi Rapoport and Ifabbit Freund. I'rom Kabbi Kapoport he received the Rabbinical diploma in 18G2, and iu the same year ho took his doctorate in philosophy at Leipsig. He had alirady won a considerable reputation as t'ho iirst minister of the Bayswater Synagogue when, in lS7y, ho became delegate to his lather, whose health was beginning to fail. He had, therefore, already served a serious apprenticeship to the ollicc before in 1891, two years after his father's death, lit was promoted to bo Chief Rabbi. Few men in London had a more strenuous day than the Chief liabbi. Ue was commonly at his office in Finsbury Square by teu o'clock or soon after to deal with the mass of correspondence ranging from reqnests for assistance from tiny Jewish communities all over the English-speak-ing world to questions of theology and ritual in his own congregations. At noon on several days a week he went to the East End to preside over the Beth Din or Ecclesiastical Court in Mulberry Street. There he had to settle domestic and trade disputes, questions of religious import, mzt'lers concerning Jewish immigration, lie had also to superintend the arrangements for the supply of Jewish meat, and there was no great Jewish organisation, whether it ilealO with Rabbiuical training, with the conduct of Jewish schools, or tho relief or distress, which had not claims on his attention. When he returned from Whitcchapel in the afternoon there was still much business to be transacted before ho could return to his home. All Jewish religious marriages had to receive tils authorisation, and he had constantly to consider the claims of the downtrodden .Jews in Russia and .Poland on the more happily situated English community. Then there were numerous social engagements at which he had officialy to represent English Judaism. His learning, his uprightness, his wisdom and good citizenship did honour to the country of his adoption. He identified himself with the best interests of the people of London without giving away on the main standards of Jewish discipline and dogma. He constantly inculcated in his own people tho due .observance of the Sabbath and tho Jewish festivals, he set his face resolutely against mixed marriages, the offspring of which, ho once said, were like a blank page between the Old and the New Testaments. But he took no narrow sectarian view of life. He testified the liveliest interest in the social regeneration of London, and, indeed, in every charitable cause. So it catno about that the Chief Kabbi came to be known to* the people of London, not only as tho official representative of Judaism on great ceremonial and State occasions, but as an ardent worker in philanthropic and social* causes. His wife, Rachel Joseph, rendered him nnicli help in social and charitable matters. Their unmarried daughter, Miss Nettie Adler, who, with Mr. A. J. Shcpheard, represents Central Hackney on the London County Council, has long been prominently connected with London education and with movements for promoting the interests of women workers and children. Dr. Adlcr was an eloquent'and cultivated preacher. Ho preached ot regular intervals in the chief London synagogues, and occasionally in the provinces. Not long ago a volume of his sermons was published, so that Gentile readers had an opportunity of becoming acquainted with his preaching. Many of those sermons dealt with occasions of public rejoicing or mourning. All these are stamped with genuine patriotism. His 70th birthday two years ago was made the occasion of many celebrations, and he received congratulations from the King and the C.V0.., while Oxford conferred on him a D.C.L."—"Daily News."