Sándor Scheiber
Encyclopedia
Sándor Scheiber (July 9, 1913 – March 3, 1985) was a Hungarian rabbi and an eminent Jewish scholar. From 1950 until his death he was director of the Rabbinical Seminary in Budapest
.
fragments while analyzing medieval Hebrew manuscripts, he served as rabbi in Dunaföldvár
from 1941 to 1944. In 1945, he became a professor at the rabbinical seminary and was its director from 1950 until his death. This institution retained its international fame throughout the Communist era, when it was the only place in the Eastern bloc
where rabbis would be graduated for serving in Hungary and abroad. Furthermore, Scheiber joined the faculty of the University of Szeged
in 1949, teaching oriental folklore.
He considered it his mission to explore the Hungarian Jewish past and perpetuate its memory, as well as to publish the contributions of great Hungarian-Jewish scholars, including the works of Wilhelm Bacher
, Fauna und Mineralien der Juden by Immanuel Löw
(1969) and the diary (Tagebuch) of Ignác Goldziher (1978). In 1957, he published a facsimile of the so-called Kaufmann Haggadah, called after David Kaufmann
, known today as Sarajevo Haggadah
.
He died on March 3, 1985, in Budapest. Each year, the Sándor Scheiber Prize is awarded by the Hungarian Ministry of Culture on 3 March, the anniversary of his death. Among the laureates is the biochemist Máté Hidvégi
.
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
.
Biography
Scheiber was born in Budapest into a rabbinical family from both paternal and maternal sides. He was ordained at the Landesrabbinerschule in 1938 as a student of Bernát Heller. After studies in London, Oxford and Cambridge, where he discovered many genizahGenizah
A genizah is the store-room or depository in a Jewish synagogue , usually specifically for worn-out Hebrew-language books and papers on religious topics that were stored there before they could receive a proper cemetery burial, it being forbidden to throw away writings...
fragments while analyzing medieval Hebrew manuscripts, he served as rabbi in Dunaföldvár
Dunaföldvár
Dunaföldvár is a town in Tolna County, Hungary.- External links :*...
from 1941 to 1944. In 1945, he became a professor at the rabbinical seminary and was its director from 1950 until his death. This institution retained its international fame throughout the Communist era, when it was the only place in the Eastern bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
where rabbis would be graduated for serving in Hungary and abroad. Furthermore, Scheiber joined the faculty of the University of Szeged
University of Szeged
The University of Szeged is one of Hungary's most distinguished universities, and is among the most prominent higher education institutions in Central Europe...
in 1949, teaching oriental folklore.
He considered it his mission to explore the Hungarian Jewish past and perpetuate its memory, as well as to publish the contributions of great Hungarian-Jewish scholars, including the works of Wilhelm Bacher
Wilhelm Bacher
Wilhelm Bacher was a Jewish Hungarian scholar, rabbi, Orientalist and linguist, born in Liptó-Szent-Miklós, Hungary to the Hebrew writer Simon Bacher. Wilhelm was himself an incredibly prolific writer, authoring or co-authoring approximately 750 works in an unfortunately short life...
, Fauna und Mineralien der Juden by Immanuel Löw
Immanuel Löw
Immanuel Löw , was a Hungarian rabbi, scholar and politician.-Early life:Löw was born in Szeged, Hungary, 20 January 1854, the son of Hungarian rabbi Leopold Löw. He was educated in his native town and in Berlin, where he studied at the Hochschule für die Wissenschaft des Judentums, graduating as...
(1969) and the diary (Tagebuch) of Ignác Goldziher (1978). In 1957, he published a facsimile of the so-called Kaufmann Haggadah, called after David Kaufmann
David Kaufmann
David Kaufmann was a Jewish-Austrian scholar born at Kojetín, Moravia...
, known today as Sarajevo Haggadah
Sarajevo Haggadah
The Sarajevo Haggadah is an illuminated manuscript that contains the illustrated traditional text of the Passover Haggadah which accompanies the Passover Seder. It is one of the oldest Sephardic Haggadahs in the world, originating in Barcelona around 1350. The Haggadah is presently owned by the...
.
He died on March 3, 1985, in Budapest. Each year, the Sándor Scheiber Prize is awarded by the Hungarian Ministry of Culture on 3 March, the anniversary of his death. Among the laureates is the biochemist Máté Hidvégi
Máté Hidvégi
Mate Hidvegi is a Hungarian biochemist and co-inventor of Avemar, a fermented wheat germ extract based nutraceutical.-Life :...
.