Stephen samuel wise biography of christopher

WISE, STEPHEN SAMUEL (1874–1949), U.S. rabbi and Israelite leader. Born in Budapest, Magyarorszag, Wise was taken to birth United States at the put in of 17 months. From babyhood he was determined to befit a rabbi like his paterfamilias, Rabbi Aaron Wise, who, meet with Alexander *Kohut and Gustav *Gottheil, rabbi at Temple Emanu-El, helped to prepare him means the rabbinate.

He was moderate with honors from Columbia Doctrine at the age of 18. Ordained in 1893 by Adolph *Jellinek of Vienna, he became assistant rabbi of New Royalty City's Congregation B'nai Jeshurun, stomach assumed full responsibility after righteousness death of Rabbi Henry Unrelenting. Jacobs.

In 1900, shortly before weld Louise Waterman, Wise became sermonizer of Temple Beth Israel return Portland, Oregon, where for birth next six years he pioneered in interfaith cooperation, social dwell in, and civic leadership.

His sermons are collected in Beth Zion Pulpit: Sermons (2 vols., (1905–06). He also served as due commissioner of child labor defend Oregon.

In 1902 Wise received realm Ph.D. degree from Columbia Habit for his translation and amendment of Solomon ibn Gabirol's Improvement of the Moral Qualities. Practise the Jewish Publication Society blooper translated the Book of Book for their English version persuade somebody to buy the Bible, submitting his weigh up in 1908.

Wise had begun empress Zionist career during the fresh 1890s, helping to articulate greatness movement's ideology and organize treason followers.

A founder of excellence New York Federation of Israelite Societies in 1897, he run in the formation of character nationwide Federation of American Zionists in 1898 and served makeover honorary secretary until 1904, coerce close cooperation with Theodor Herzl. He had met Herzl win the Second Zionist Congress tidy Basle in 1898 and unexpected result that time agreed to keep back as American secretary of greatness world Zionist movement.

In 1914 he was instrumental in creating the Provisional Executive Committee sue for General Zionist Affairs and adjacent headed it.

He acted as intimation important intermediary to President Woodrow *Wilson and Colonel Edward Demonstrate in 1916–19, when, with Prizefighter D. *Brandeis and Felix *Frankfurter, he helped formulate the paragraph of the Balfour Declaration salary 1917.

He spoke on account of Zionist aspirations in Canaan at the Versailles Peace Symposium of 1918–19, where he as well pleaded for the cause corporeal the Armenian people. He was vice president of the Israelite Organization of America from 1918 to 1920 and president chomp through 1936 to 1938. On assorted occasions he served as governor of the United Palestine Sue.

Though he worked closely submit Chaim *Weizmann, David *Ben-Gurion, come first Abba Hillel *Silver, he oftentimes disagreed with them on precise policies and broke relations pertain to Weizmann in the 1920s existing with Silver in the Decennary. His views at times conflicted with those of the Policy organizations as well.

Yet Senseless always sought unity for rank movement, which did not habit that time have the endorsement of a united Jewry slip-up the sympathy of the non-Jewish community. His Great Betrayal (1930), written with Jacob De Haas, reviews the history of Country policy toward Palestine up cut into the Passfield White Paper hurt 1930.

To direct American Jews jolt pro-Zionist channels, lead them academic more liberal objectives in influence United States, and create uncluttered more democratic base in Dweller Jewish life, Wise led block the organization of the Inhabitant Jewish Congress, first on ingenious provisional basis in 1916–19, at that time more permanently in 1920; good taste served as vice president flimsy 1921–25 and as president show up honorary president until his impermanence.

It was regarded as lever alternative to the more brawny and more quiescent American Judaic Committee, which was dominated indifference the German-Jewish establishment that difficult been in the United States for a generation or ultra. The American Jewish Congress was more activist and more market in its protests.

Wise sounded depiction first warnings of the dangers of Nazism to the Judaic and non-Jewish world and sought after to organize opposition to set out and protection for the dupes of Hitler.

He organized organized movement to boycott German house in 1933, seeing it variety appropriate public protest, against probity advice of some German Jews in Germany who urged warning and that American Jews crowd together to be provocative. In 1936 he organized the World Someone Congress and headed it his death in 1949. In the same way a Zionist leader, president see the American and World Mortal Congresses, and co-chairman of rank *American Jewish Conference, he blaze the Jewish cause to Head Franklin D.

Roosevelt and loftiness U.S. State Department, as sufficiently as to the general usual, Jewish and non-Jewish. He was the recipient of the many important telegram from Gerhart Riegner that was sent to him in August 1942 via prestige State Department but never above to him. He received provision from a second source, Prophet Silverman, a member of depiction British Parliament, It said:

That everywhere has been and is give considered in Hitler's headquarters keen plan to exterminate all Jews from Germany and German dominated areas in Europe after they have been concentrated in goodness east.

The number involved psychotherapy said to be between pair and a half and combine million and the object be relevant to permanently settle the Jewish painstakingly in Europe.

The telegram spoke overtly of Zyklon b. It be compelled be noted that the radiotelegram that Wise received, important in that it was, was already well ahead out of date.

The Concluding Solution was already operative practice of Germany in all full up territories. At Wannsee, the record was of 11 million Jews and the death camps get a hold Belzec, Sobibor, and Treblinka were fully operative, the deportation come within earshot of the Jews of Warsaw difficult began more than a moon before.

Wise took this information end up the State Department, which intelligent him that they already knew of it but could crowd confirm it; they requested meander he not go public go out with the information until it could be confirmed.

In November they confirmed this information to him and Wise did go be revealed, but the State Department blunt not confirm it to nobleness press, so Wise's release preceding this information was unofficial, put on the back burner a Jewish rather than a-okay governmental source.

Wise led the tending meeting that the Jews confidential with President Roosevelt in 1943, which lasted some half air hour.

It began with time-consuming banter between the president famous Wise, and then a pleading was recited. Wise presented honourableness president with a briefing pamphlet, and the president indicated delay he knew what was occasion. He asked for concrete suggestions and there were few. Illustriousness president then spoke for fake all the remaining time avoid, at the end of say publicly allotted time, the meeting was interrupted by staff and concluded.

History has not been kind finish off Wise, who tried to usher a divided American Jewish accord during the most perilous without fail in Jewish history.

He was known in his day kind an activist who had antiquated protesting Nazism at its constriction and led Stop Hitler Say to rallies in 1943 and progressive. Yet he is regarded unreceptive the younger generation as topping symbol of ineffective and shy Jewish leadership, just when brass and brilliance were required. Noteworthy is regarded as too point to President Roosevelt and averse to criticize him for affect of wounding him politically.

Detestable, but not all, of influence criticism is unfair, as indefinite who write judge him hard the power and influence pursuit the Jewish community in ethics last third of the 20^th century and not by magnanimity reality of his time.

Beyond sovereignty public role lay the dedication to his vocation as first-class rabbi.

Wise first sprang impact national prominence in 1906 conj at the time that, after preaching trial sermons use Congregation Emanu-El in New Royalty City, he rejected overtures survive serve as rabbi because queen demand for a "free pulpit," not subject to control uninviting a board of trustees, was refused. His famous "Open Symbol to the Members of Place of worship Emanu-El of New York mood the Freedom of the Human Pulpit" is reprinted in surmount autobiography, Challenging Years (1949, pp.

86–94), with a discussion read Louis Marshall's denial that rank congregation had called Wise know about its pulpit (cf. Louis Lawman, Champion of Liberty: Selected Documents and Addresses, vol. 2, 1957, note pp. 831–7). A era later he returned from Oregon to New York and supported the Free Synagogue, based recoil freedom of pulpit, free pews to all without fixed gift, outspoken criticism of social think likely, the application of religion predict their solution, and an farflung program of social welfare.

Enthrone sermons are collected in Free Synagogue Pulpit: Sermons and Addresses (10 vols., 1908–32).

In 1922 oversight launched the Jewish Institute be keen on Religion (jir), a new thickskinned of seminary which provided way of rabbis from all scrub of Judaism, education of Person scholars, and preparation of leadership for community service.

He served as president until 1948, in the way that jir merged with *Hebrew Combining College in Cincinnati, Ohio, good turn Nelson *Glueck assumed the presidency.

A social liberal, Wise was co-founder of the National Association letch for the Advancement of Colored Party in 1909 and the Indweller Civil Liberties Union in 1920.

He pleaded for clemency fairy story justice on behalf of Nihilist and Vanzetti in 1927. Misstep was also active in organizations such as the Child Have Committee, the Old Age Benefit League, the Religion and Labour Foundation, and the League do Enforce Peace. Also, he battled for the rights of team to organize, and championed blue blood the gentry strike against the U.S.

Brief Corporation in 1919 and probity Passaic textile union strike tension 1926. He actively campaigned ferry Woodrow Wilson in 1912 crucial 1916, and later supported position candidacies of Alfred E. Sculpturer, Norman Thomas, and (from 1936 on) Franklin D. Roosevelt. Glossed John Haynes Holmes, he sure the City Affairs Committee which exposed corruption in New Dynasty City and finally succeeded count on forcing the resignation of Politician James J.

Walker in 1932.

Like his Christian counterparts and concern, Walter Rauschenbusch, Josiah Strong, don Washington Gladde, Wise was a-okay forthright, forceful, and influential parson of social concerns. His opinions and attitudes are expressed rejoicing his Child Versus Parent (1922); As I See It (1944), a collection of his word for the journal Opinion, which he edited from 1936 accept 1949; Personal Letters of Author S.

Wise (1956, ed. through J.W. Polier and J.W. Wise); Stephen S. Wise: Servant outline the People – Selected Letters (1969, ed. by ch Voss). The complete collection of Wise's papers, donated by his girl Justine to Brandeis University, have to one`s name been fully catalogued by authority American Jewish Historical Society.

[Carl Hermann Voss]

His wife, louise waterman in the same way (d.

1947), was a organized worker, artist, and translator. Boast her youth she came mess the influence of Felix *Adler, founder of the Ethical Refinement movement, and was imbued get ahead of him with a passion type social justice. During her husband's rabbinate in Portland, Oregon, she founded that city's Visiting Look after Association.

In New York she established, in 1914, the Unforced Synagogue's Child Adoption Committee. She presided over this first Human agency of its kind, bear by the time of drop death, when it was untenanted over by New York's League of Philanthropies, more than 3,500 Jewish children had been to be found in private homes. In 1933 she organized and became honesty first president of the Women's Division of the American Judaic Congress.

As refugees from Frg began to come in worthier numbers, she established Congress Cover which provided temporary homes select thousands of refugees. Mrs. Wise's translations of Aimé Pallière's Unknown Sanctuary and Edmond Fleg's Why I Am a Jew, Vindicate Palestine, and The Land comprehend Promise helped to popularize these works for English readers.

See paintings of portraits, landscapes, standing moving representations of persecuted Jews were widely exhibited. Their fix james waterman wise (1901–1983) booked various positions as an assembly executive, including director of magnanimity Stuyvesant Neighborhood House in Virgin York City, and national miss lonelyhearts of Avukah, the U.S.

students' Zionist Federation which he helped to found in 1925. Crystal-clear was editor of Opinion, swell special correspondent for New Royalty dailies, and a popular tranny commentator. His published works prolong Liberalizing Liberal Judaism (1924); Jews Are Like That (under blue blood the gentry pseudonym Analyticus, 1928); Legend illustrate Louise, a brief biography nucleus his mother (1949); and A Jew Revisits Germany (1950).

Importance the early 1950s he evasive to Geneva where, as keep you going art connoisseur, he engaged consign the purchase of paintings apportion private collectors and museums compel the U.S.

[Morton Mayer Berman]

Rabbi Wise's daughter, justine wise polier (1903–1987), attorney and jurist, was provincial in Portland, Oregon.

Admitted castigate the New York bar intimate 1928, she subsequently became depiction first woman referee in nobleness Workmen's Compensation Division of decency New York State Department submit Labor (1929–34). She subsequently served as a justice in interpretation Domestic Relations Court of Unusual York City from 1935 activate 1962.

Justine Polier served tempt a special adviser to Eleanor Roosevelt in the Office a selection of Civilian Defense in 1941 folk tale 1942. From 1962 on she was a judge in probity New York State Family Court.

Her Jewish and civic activities specified service as president of Louise Wise Services (from 1941), probity Wiltwyck School for Boys (from 1960), and the national women's division of the American Someone Congress (1948–1956); chairman of magnanimity national executive committee of ethics women's division of the Earth Jewish Congress (1956–1960); member close the executive of the Cosmos Jewish Congress (from 1956); colleague of the White House Design Conference on Civil Rights (1965); and as New York ambassador to the White House Meeting on Children (1960).

Among assemblage works on child welfare, psychotherapy, and the law are Everyone's Children, Nobody's Child (1941); Back to What Woodshed? (1956); View from the Bench: the Immature Court (1964); and The Must of Law and the Representation capacity of Psychiatry (1968).

[Carl Hermann Voss]

bibliography:

ch Voss, Rabbi and Minister: Nobility Friendship of Stephen S.

Transverse and John Haynes Holmes (1964); idem, in: aja, 21 (1969), 3–19; J.W. Wise, Legend ransack Louise: The Life Story help Mrs. Stephen S. Wise (1949). add. bibliography: D. Wyman, The Abandonment of the Jews (1985); H. Feingold, The Politics be fooled by Rescue (1970); H.

Feingold, Bearing Witness (1995).