Solomon Freehof
Encyclopedia
Solomon Bennett Freehof was a prominent Reform
rabbi, posek
, and scholar. Rabbi Freehof served as president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis
and the World Union for Progressive Judaism
. Beginning in 1955, he led the CCAR's work on Jewish law through its responsa committee. He also spearheaded changes to Reform liturgy
with revisions to the Union Prayer Book
(siddur
). For many years, he served as the pulpit rabbi at Rodef Shalom
in Pittsburgh, PA ). According to the congregation, "For more than 35 years, Dr. Freehof's weekly book review series attracted audiences of more than 1,500 Christians and Jews."
(1914) and ordained from Hebrew Union College
(1915). He was a World War I
army chaplain
, a liturgy professor at HUC, and a rabbi at Chicago's Congregation Kehillath Anshe Maarav
before moving to Pittsburgh. He retired in 1966. He is descended from the Alter Rebbe, the founder of Lubavitcher Hasidism
.
He studied halakhah with various Orthodox
rabbis, including Rabbi Wolf Leiter of Pittsburgh and Rabbi Yekutiel Yehuda (Leopold) Greenwald.
Lillian (née Simon) Freehof, his wife, wrote plays, novels and children's books. They married in 1934.
Freehof was followed at Rodef Shalom, and in work on Reform responsa, by his protege, Rabbi Dr. Walter Jacob
, who later established the Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah.
Reform
Reform means to put or change into an improved form or condition; to amend or improve by change of color or removal of faults or abuses, beneficial change, more specifically, reversion to a pure original state, to repair, restore or to correct....
rabbi, posek
Posek
Posek is the term in Jewish law for "decider"—a legal scholar who decides the Halakha in cases of law where previous authorities are inconclusive or in those situations where no halakhic precedent exists....
, and scholar. Rabbi Freehof served as president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis
Central Conference of American Rabbis
The Central Conference of American Rabbis , founded in 1889 by Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, is the principal organization of Reform rabbis in the United States and Canada, the CCAR is the largest and oldest rabbinical organization in the world....
and the World Union for Progressive Judaism
World Union for Progressive Judaism
The World Union for Progressive Judaism describes itself as the "international umbrella organization for the Reform, Liberal, Progressive and Reconstructionist movements." This overall Jewish religious movement is based in about 40 countries with more than 1,000 affiliated synagogues...
. Beginning in 1955, he led the CCAR's work on Jewish law through its responsa committee. He also spearheaded changes to Reform liturgy
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
with revisions to the Union Prayer Book
Union Prayer Book
The Union Prayer Book was a siddur published by the Central Conference of American Rabbis to serve the needs of the Reform Judaism movement in the United States.-History:...
(siddur
Siddur
A siddur is a Jewish prayer book, containing a set order of daily prayers. This article discusses how some of these prayers evolved, and how the siddur, as it is known today has developed...
). For many years, he served as the pulpit rabbi at Rodef Shalom
Rodef Shalom Temple
Rodef Shalom Temple is a National Register of Historic Places landmark in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania designed by architect Henry Hornbostel.Located on Fifth Avenue on the border of the Oakland and Shadyside neighborhoods, it houses Congregation Rodef Shalom, the oldest Jewish congregation in Western...
in Pittsburgh, PA ). According to the congregation, "For more than 35 years, Dr. Freehof's weekly book review series attracted audiences of more than 1,500 Christians and Jews."
Personal life
Freehof was born in London, moved to the U.S. in 1903, received a degree from the University of CincinnatiUniversity of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
(1914) and ordained from Hebrew Union College
Hebrew Union College
The Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion is the oldest extant Jewish seminary in the Americas and the main seminary for training rabbis, cantors, educators and communal workers in Reform Judaism.HUC-JIR has campuses in Cincinnati, New York, Los Angeles and Jerusalem.The Jerusalem...
(1915). He was a World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
army chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
, a liturgy professor at HUC, and a rabbi at Chicago's Congregation Kehillath Anshe Maarav
K.A.M. Isaiah Israel Temple
KAM Isaiah Israel is the oldest Jewish congregation in Chicago, with its oldest core founded in 1847 as Kehilath Anshe Ma'arav ....
before moving to Pittsburgh. He retired in 1966. He is descended from the Alter Rebbe, the founder of Lubavitcher Hasidism
Chabad
Chabad or Chabad-Lubavitch is a major branch of Hasidic Judaism.Chabad may also refer to:*Chabad-Strashelye, a defunct branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism*Chabad-Kapust or Kapust, a defunct branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism...
.
He studied halakhah with various Orthodox
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
rabbis, including Rabbi Wolf Leiter of Pittsburgh and Rabbi Yekutiel Yehuda (Leopold) Greenwald.
Lillian (née Simon) Freehof, his wife, wrote plays, novels and children's books. They married in 1934.
Freehof was followed at Rodef Shalom, and in work on Reform responsa, by his protege, Rabbi Dr. Walter Jacob
Walter Jacob
Walter Jacob is a leading Reform rabbi and an expert in the Reform movement's approach to Jewish law . A protege of Solomon Freehof, Jacob served at Rodef Shalom in Pittsburgh as an assistant rabbi and as successor to Freehof as congregational rabbi...
, who later established the Freehof Institute of Progressive Halakhah.
Sources
- Cohn-Sherbok, Dan “Law in Reform Judaism : a study of Solomon Freehof” in Jewish Law Annual
- Encyclopaedia Judaica, Vol.7 p. 121
- Friedman, Rabbi Dr. Joan. Solomon B. Freehof, the 'Reform Responsa', and the Shaping of American Reform Judaism doctoral dissertation, Columbia University, 2003
- ___________. "The writing of 'Reform Jewish Practice and Its Rabbinic Background'" in CCAR Journal 51,
- ___________. "A critique of Solomon B. Freehof’s concept of "minhag" and Reform Jewish practice" in Re-Examining Progressive Halakhah
- Inventory of the Freehof papers, including a biography http://www.americanjewisharchives.org/aja/FindingAids/SolomonFreehof.htm
- Jacob,Walter et al., Eds. Essays in Honor of Solomon B. Freehof 1964 (A collection of 19 essays about Freehof, including a bibliography.)
- Weiss, Kenneth J. “Freehof’s methodology as a Reform Jewish halachist” in Journal of Reform Judaism 32,
Selected works
- Contemporary Reform Responsa, 1974.
- Current Reform Responsa, 1969.
- Modern Reform Responsa, 1971.
- New Reform Responsa, 1980.
- Reform Responsa, 1960.
- Recent Reform Responsa, 1963.
- Reform Responsa for our Time, 1977.
- The Responsa Literature Hebrew Union College Press, 1955
- Today's Reform Responsa, 1990.
- "The Natural Law in the Jewish Tradition", University of Notre Dame Natural Law Institute Proceedings, v.15, p. 15
- Commentaries on EzekielEzekielEzekiel , "God will strengthen" , is the central protagonist of the Book of Ezekiel in the Hebrew Bible. In Judaism, Christianity and Islam, Ezekiel is acknowledged as a Hebrew prophet...
, IsaiahIsaiahIsaiah ; Greek: ', Ēsaïās ; "Yahu is salvation") was a prophet in the 8th-century BC Kingdom of Judah.Jews and Christians consider the Book of Isaiah a part of their Biblical canon; he is the first listed of the neviim akharonim, the later prophets. Many of the New Testament teachings of Jesus...
, JeremiahJeremiahJeremiah Hebrew：יִרְמְיָה , Modern Hebrew:Yirməyāhū, IPA: jirməˈjaːhu, Tiberian:Yirmĭyahu, Greek:Ἰερεμίας), meaning "Yahweh exalts", or called the "Weeping prophet" was one of the main prophets of the Hebrew Bible...
, Job, PsalmsPsalmsThe Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
, e.g., Book of Job, A Commentary. UAHC, 1958 - Preaching the Bible: Sermons for Sabbaths and high holy days , 1974
- Reform Jewish practice and its rabbinic background, 1952
- The small sanctuary: Judaism in the prayerbook, 1942
- Stormers of heaven, 1931