Levi Herzfeld
Levi Herzfeld ( born December 28, 1810 in direction of adjustment, † March 11, 1884 in Braunschweig ) was a German rabbi and from 1843 to 1884 Chief Rabbi of the Duchy of Brunswick.
Life
The son of Reuben Herzfeld and his wife Friederike, née Levi, received a theological education. The Talmudic studies he began in Würzburg with Rabbi Abraham Bing (1752-1841) and put it in Braunschweig in Chief Rabbi Samuel Levi Eger (1769-1842) continued. In Berlin he was a student of the Jewish scholar Leopold Zunz ( 1794-1886 ).
Braunschweigischer Landesrabbiner
After graduating with a PhD, Herzfeld 1836 Rabbineradjunkt was in Braunschweig under Chief Rabbi Eger. There he introduced the German language in the synagogue, as Hebrew was not understood by many parishioners. He was elected in 1842 as the successor of Eger 'to the Rabbi of the Jewish municipality of Brunswick, which was confirmed by the Brunswick State Ministry. 1843 Herzfeld was. Initial protests against the Wolfenbüttel Jewish community rabbi for the entire Duchy of Brunswick With the help of the Ministry of State he could quickly consolidate his position. A significant event of his rabbinate was the 1844 in Braunschweig, held, marked by reform plans General German rabbi conference, which he initiated with. Herzfeld himself stood near the Reform Judaism, but can neither be the " reformed " nor the " orthodox" way to assign. Inaugurated under Herzfeld 1875 New Synagogue in the Old Knochenhauerstraße in Braunschweig pointed in the sense of Reform Judaism on an organ.
His scientific work covers the Jewish synagogal and poetry. Herzfeld's interest was also directed at the economic history of the Jews. He is the first author of a Jewish trade story that appeared in 1879. Together with the rabbi Ludwig Philippson of Magdeburg (1811-1889) and the Leipzig A. Meyer Goldschmidt he was until 1873 Head of the Institute for the Promotion of Israelite literature.
To Herzfeld 1884 expressed resignation at its end of life for gathering anti-Semitism: " I stop because I realize that despite all we Jews are not able to take the fight to the anti-Semites, but do better in them the gradual awakening of the justice and humanity to wait patiently. " In the Office of the State rabbi followed him Rülf Gutmann, who had confessed to him since 1882 as an adjunct to the side.
Honors
Duke William awarded him the title of professor in 1879.
Family
Herzfeld married 1844 in Winsen Georgine Salomon ( 1822-1887 ). The couple had eight children. Herzfeld died on March 11, 1884 in Braunschweig, his wife on August 8, 1887 in Hanover. Both grave is located on the Old Jewish Cemetery at the Hamburg Street in Brunswick.
Works (selection)
- Chronologia Judicum et primorum regum Hebraeorum. Berlin 1838.
- The book of Ecclesiastes translated and explained. Braunschweig 1838.
- The German in the liturgy of the synagogue Brunswick, introduced still under the blessed rabbi SL Eger. Braunschweig 1844. ( Digitized )
- Two sermons on the doctrine of the Messiah. Braunschweig 1844.
- Proposals to reform the Jewish. Marriage laws. Braunschweig 1846.
- History of Israel from the destruction of the first temple to the establishment of the Maccabee Shim'on to the high priests and princes. Braunschweig 1847.
- Trading History of the Jews of antiquity. Braunschweig, 1879.