Isaac Leeser and the Making of American Judaism

by Lance J. Sussman

Book Overview

This illuminating biography of Isaac Leeser reconstructs his personal struggles, pioneer efforts on behalf of American Judaism, and visions of a viable American-Jewish synthesis.

More than any other person of his time, Isaac Leeser 0806-1868) envisioned the development of a major center of Jewish culture and religious activity in the United States. He single-handedly provided American Jews with many of the basic religious texts, institutions, and conceptual tools they needed to construct the cultural foundation of what would later emerge as the largest Jewish community in the history of the Jewish people.

Born in Germany, Leeser arrived in the United States in 1824. At that time, the American Jewish community was still a relatively unimportant outpost of Jewish life. No sustained or coordinated effort was being made to protect and expand Jewish political
rights in America. The community was small, weak, and seemingly not interested in evolving into a cohesive, dynamic center of Jewish life. Leeser settled in Philadelphia where he sought to unite American Jews and the growing immigrant community under the banner of modern Sephardic Orthodoxy.

Thoroughly Americanized prior to the first period of mass Jewish immigration to the United States between 1830 and 1854, Leeser served as a bridge between the old native-born and new immigrant American Jews. Among the former, he inspired a handful to work for the revitalization of Judaism in America. To the latter, he was a spiritual leader, a champion of tradition, and a guide to life in a new land.

Leeser had a decisive impact on American Judaism during a career that spanned nearly forty years. The outstanding Jewish religious leader in America prior to the Civil War, he shaped both the American Jewish community and American Judaism. He sought to professionalize the American rabbinate, introduced vernacular preaching into the North American synagogue, and produced the first English language translation of the entire Hebrew Bible. As editor and publisher of The Occident, Leeser also laid the groundwork for the now vigorous and thriving American Jewish press.

Leeser's influence extended well beyond the American Jewish community An outspoken advocate of religious liberty, he defended Jewish civil rights, sought to improve Jewish-Christian relations, and was an early advocate of modern Zionism. At the international level, Leeser helped mobilize Jewish opinion during the Damascus Affair and corresponded with a number of important Jewish leaders in Great Britain and western Europe.

In the first biography of Isaac Leeser, Lance Sussman makes extensive use of archival and primary sources to provide a thorough study of a man who has been largely ignored by traditional histories. Isaac Leeser and the Making of American Judaism also tells an important part of the story of Judaism's response to the challenge of political freedom and social acceptance in a new, modern society Judaism itself was transformed as it came to terms with America, and the key figure in this process was Isaac Leeser.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0814319963
• ISBN13: 9780814319963
• Release Date: October 1995
• Publisher: Wayne State University Press
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.3" x 9.3"
• Grade Range: Grades 9 to 12

Customer Reviews

Happy Camper

I received the book in very good condition and in a timely manner and would use this vender again.

better than I expected

I got this book after moving to Philadelphia (where Leeser spent 21 years), and figured I'd learn a bit about local shul history but otherwise be a bit bored. I need not have worried- this book was livelier than I expected, mainly because it is not just a biography but also to some extent a guide to the early years of American Judaism. I learned not only how primitive and weak early American Judaism was (for example, until the 1840s congregations were led by prayer leaders rather than ordained rabbis) but also how in other ways there truly is nothing new under the sun. For example:1. Concerns over "the Vanishing American Jew"- In 1836 (!) Leeser wrote that "in less than the age of one man the name of Israelite will hardly be known in this land, save as an object of memory"2. Day school vs. Sunday school- In the 1830s Leeser tried to start a Jewish day school, but the lack of interest was so overwhelming that he closed it down. So he held his nose and started the first Sunday school.3. Church/state battles- In 1864, a group of Presbyterian ministers endorsed a "Christian nation" amendment to the Constitution because "a Christian nation with an atheistical Constitution is an anomaly." Leeser took a strong stand against such nonsense.4. Intracongregational warfare- In contract renewal negotiations, Leeser retained an attorney (something that raises eyebrows even today in synagogues).5. Reconciling Orthodoxy with America- Readers need only look to the illustrations of the clean-shaven Leeser and his congregants to notice that his Orthodox congregation was "modern" at least a century before modern was cool.

An excellent look at American Jewish history

Well written biography of one of the most important figures in American Jewish history. Sussman takes a scholarly approach to the life of Isaac Leeser and gives the reader an intimate portrait of his life. This is a must read for students of both American history and the American Jewish experience!