CHIEF BRITISH RABBI.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 129, 24 July 1911, Page 6

CHIEF BRITISH RABBI.

Dr. Adler, Chief Rabbi of the British Empire, whose death was leported recently, was horn in Hanover in 1839, and preached his first sermon as far back as 1959. His father, the Chief Rabbi of that date, had promised to attend the consecration cf a synagogue in Swansea. When the time came he was too ill to go, but he sent his sou, a young man of 20, studying for the priesthood. So ably did tire young man take his father’s place that from this time forward he seemed marked out to he Ids successor. In 1879 he was appointed ‘‘delegate Chief Rabbi,” and after his father’s death in 1890 invested with the full powers of the office. The “Daily Mail” wrote of Dr. Adler two years ago; “By his full style and title he is ‘Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregation of the British Empire,’ which makes him the greatest Jewish minister in the world. One of the regrets of Ins life is that be lias not yet been able to fulfil t >the hope ha expressed unen he was installed of visiting the various Colonial communities of Jews. But ho has not entirely given up that hope yet. He neither feels nor looks old. His friend General Booth, who is ten years bis senoir, takes tremendous journeys. So why should not hep It is his wide sympathy, his keenness in every noble cause, which lias given the Chief Rabbi so distinguished a position. He is not only famous among Ids own people; be is recognised as one of the foremost men of the nation in philanthropic endeavour. Since 1873, when it was founded, he has been on the Council of the Hospital Sunday Fund. He also helps to administer King Edward’s Hospital Fund. He is connected with the People Palace, the Children’s Country Holidays Fund, (he Children’s Happy Evenings, and many oilier such good works. When he was invited to join the Athenaeum Club, the invitation was given to him, not alone*on account of his Hebrew scholarship, but of Ids social services to the nation at largo. Naturally, Dr. Adler’s activity has had the effect of

both■ raising his office in public estimation and, as the ‘Jewish World’ put it a low years ago, ol showing the whole Jewish people in tlio best light, it is equally natural that lie should

strongly resent attempts to isolate the Jews, to regai4 them as a race apart, to represent thorn as being outside the cos rents oi national

thought .aid feeling. He carried on for several years a heated controversy with Professor Goldwiu Smith, who had raised the foolish question, ‘Can Jews be*'Patriots-?’ Flo is at the present moment keenly interested in the Territorial movement, and lias been vigorously urging Jewish young men to e» lif t.”

Dr. Adler was the author of a number of volumes of sermons and articles on social and historical subjects.