Bernard L. Levinthal

Rabbi Bernard L. Levinthal
Synagogue Congregation B'nai Abraham
Began 1891
Ended 1952
Predecessor Rabbi Eleazar Kleinberg
Successor Rabbi H. Zvi Gottesman
Personal details
Born May 12, 1864
Kovno
Died September 23, 1952
Philadelphia
Yahrtzeit 4 Tishrei 5713
Spouse Mimie Levinthal (-1929, her death)
Semicha Rabbi Isaac Elchonon Spektor

Rabbi Bernard Louis Levinthal (Hebrew: הרב דוב אריה בן הרב אברהם הכהן לבינטל‎, May 12, 1864 – September 23, 1952) was a prominent leader of Philadelphia's Orthodox Jewish community for over 60 years. He succeeded his father-in-law to become the second rabbi of Congregation B'nai Avrohom at age 27, and served until his death.[1] He is interred at the Congregation Mikveh Israel 55th Street Cemetery.

Early life

Levinthal was born on the festival of Lag BaOmer in Kaunas (Kovno), Lithuania to a prominent, 17-generation rabbinical family. One of his ancestors was the 17th century authors of Beth Hillel and Masse Hashem.[1]

In 1888, he received semicha (ordination) from Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Spektor and from Rabbi Samuel Mohilever.

In September 1891, Rabbi Levinthal succeeded his father-in-law Rabbi Eliezer Kleinberg as rabbi of Congregation B'nai Abraham and served until his passing on September 23, 1952.[2]

Rabbinic career in America

Over the next ten years, the rabbi worked to establish a more complete communal framework for the city. Within about a year, he helped start the Communal Hebrew School, the city's first daily Jewish school, and a decade later, Yeshiva Mishkan Yisroel — both predecessors to the United Hebrew Schools and Yeshivos. Previously, only Rebecca Gratz' Sunday school was available. A year later, the Chevra Kadisha (burial society) formed, which set up the historic Har Hazaitim cemetery in Gladwyne, Lower Merion.[1] The cemetery was abandoned for decades in the mid-20th century, and almost sold off for development. Nearby Reform Congregation Beth David now owns it and is running a restoration project.[3][4][5]

In 1896, he helped found what became Yeshiva University's rabbinical seminary, as America was short on traditionally-trained rabbis, and needed native rabbinical guidance.[1] He would serve as Yeshiva's president, and later, in 1941, joined its board.

In the early 1900s, Rabbi Levinthal helped organize a central kosher supervision committee across 18 Philadelphia synagogues. On a wider scale, he cofounded one of the early rabbinical membership organizations across the United States and Canada, the Agudath Harabbanim.[1] His activity in kashruth also led to the passage of Philadelphia's kosher law.

Seeking a "kosher" social outlet for congregates, Levinthal encouraged the 1905 creation of social club The Independent Order Brith Sholom.[1] Its national headquarters and first lodge were local, and it would ultimately number hundreds of branches and thousands of members.[6][7] In 1918, he helped found the American Jewish Congress at Independence Hall.

His communcal efforts, in Pennsylvania and elsewhere, were well known enough to have 1,000 people attend his 70th birthday celebration. The heads of the American Jewish Committee, the Zionist Organization of America, the Agudath HaRabanim, and America Mizrachi were all on the speakers roster.[8]

In 1932, during the Depression, he successfully lobbied for a 1 cent per head kosher chicken tax, to support the four institutions of the United Schools. They had been in danger of closing, having not paid staff in months.

His wife, Mimie, died in 1929, but he remarried in 1935 to the former Sarah Samson.

Politics and Zionism

The Levinthals were known to President Taft, and attended his 25th wedding anniversary in 1911, while he was in office.

He supported Liberty Bond sales, going so far as to cross religious lines, bringing reform rabbis and Catholic leaders into his home to strategize sales. He acted similarly in 1944 for War Bond sales. He gave encouragement to Jewish soldiers and sailors.[1] In 1919, he was one of only nine Jews sent by the American Jewish Committee to the Peace Conference at Versailles, one of only nine Jewish representatives. While there, he advocated for successful resolutions supporting religious freedom and Jewish civil rights of Jews in Europe.[1]

While he was unable to travel from America to Switzerland for the First World Jewish Congress in 1897, he did write a speech that was read there. He did attend the 1936 Congress, with his second wife. He was a founder of Religious Zionists of America, then known as Mizrachi. His synagogue mourned secularist Zionism founder Theodore Herzl on his death. After the Versailles trip, he publicly expressed support for the British Mandate of Palestine, and a wish to move there and help construct a new Jewish state there should one be established. He was Honorary Vice-Chairman United Palestine Appeal., forerunner of the United Israel Appeal, in 1926.

In 1939, as news began to spread of maltreatment of Jews throughout Europe in the leadup to the Holocaust, Levinthal represented the United Jewish Appeal in a fundraiser throughout the United States to help the European Jews. Some of the funds were used to help resettle them in Mandatory Palestine.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "HISTORY". B'nai Abraham Chabad. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  2. ↑ Sherbock, Dan (March 10, 2006). Dictionary of Jewish Biography. A&C Black.
  3. ↑ "Video: The Gladwyne Jewish Cemetery Project". Bryn Mawr-Gladwyne, PA Patch. 2013-01-07. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  4. ↑ "Lower Merion Conservancy » Gladwyne Jewish Memorial Cemetery". lmconservancy.org. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  5. ↑ "History". Beth David Reform Congregation. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  6. ↑ Jewish Communal Register of New York City, 1917-1918, 2nd Edition. New York: Kehillah (Jewish Community) of New York City, 1918. p. 935. See: google books link
  7. ↑ Janowsky, p. 146
  8. ↑ "Honor Veteran of Philadelphia Pulpit | Jewish Telegraphic Agency". www.jta.org. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
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