Solomon Freehof

Solomon Bennett Freehof (August 8, 1892 – 1990) 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."1 Contents 1 Personal life 2 Sources 3 Selected works 4 Notes 5 Websites Personal life Freehof was born in London, moved to the U.S. in 1903, received a degree from the University of Cincinnati (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.2 He retired in 1966. He is descended from the Alter Rebbe, the founder of Lubavitcher Hasidism.3 He studied halakhah with various Orthodox rabbis, including Rabbi Wolf Leiter of Pittsburgh4 and Rabbi Yekutiel Yehuda (Leopold) Greenwald.5 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. 1 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 [1] 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 Ezekiel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Job, Psalms, 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 Notes ^ a b Rodef Shalom Congregation, Pittsburgh, PA - More information ^ Encyclopedia Judaica, Vol.7 p. 121 ^ Solomon B. Freehof Papers ^ The Responsa Literature (Hebrew Union College Press, 1955) p.7 ^ AJHistory by Menachem Butler: About Solomon B. Freehof Websites Solomon B. Freehof Institute of Progressive Jewish Law Persondata Name Freehof, Solomon Alternative names Short description Date of birth August 8, 1892 Place of birth Date of death 1990 Place of death