David Neumark (rabbi)

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Rabbi Dr David Neumark

David Neumark (1866–1924)[1] was a German-American rabbi and professor of Jewish philosophy. He authored several notable works on Jewish philosophy and Jewish law, and served as a professor at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio.[2][3][4]

Biography[edit]

Neumark was born in Shchyrets (Szczerzec), Galicia (present day Ukraine) and was married to Mrs Dora Turnheim Neumark (1878-1959). Their children were Salomea (Sally) Brainin, Martha Neumark Montor, and Immanuel K. Neumark.[5][6]

Neumark's daughter Martha (1904–1981)[7] was a notable early figure in the history of women's ordination as rabbis. Neumark was widely reported to be the first Jewish woman to be accepted into a rabbinical school.[8][9]

Prior to his move to the United States, Neumark served as the rabbi in Rakovník and received his doctorate from the University of Berlin.[3] In 1907, Hebrew Union College President Kaufmann Kohler appointed Neumark to the college faculty where he became chair of philosophy and served until his death in 1924.[6]

In 1919, Neumark served as the founding editor of a scholarly quarterly Journal of Jewish Lore and Philosophy.[10] The journal was later renamed The Hebrew Union College Annual.[6]

Views[edit]

Neumark viewed that elements mythology and irrationalism were always present within Judaism, and considered that Kabbalah emerged in the twelfth and thirteenth century in response to the cultural and religious atmosphere created by Jewish rationalism. Kabbalah then transformed philosophical terminology into mystical symbols.[11]

Neumark supported the ordination of women as rabbis, and supported his daughter Martha Neumark to study for the rabbinate.[12][13]

Family[edit]

David Neumark married Dora Turnheim and had three children: Salomea, Martha, and Immanuel.[14]

In 1920, Martha Neumark, David Neumark's second child, began studying to become a rabbi but ultimately was denied the possibility of ordination, and withdrew from the program after seven years of study.[12][13]

David Neumark's youngest child and only son, Immanuel Kant Neumark, was born in 1914,[15] and in the early 1930s, he reportedly received a master's degree in education with a speciality in the German language.[16] In the 1940s, he served as the executive director of American Crusade Against Lynching, an advocacy group combating lynching in the United States, and campaigned for the impeachment of senator Theodore G. Bilbo.[17][18]

Selected works[edit]

  • Neumark, D. (1907-1910). Geschichte der Judischen Philosophie des Mittelalters, Berlin: G. Reimer. 2 Vols. (later translated to Hebrew as Toledot ha-Filosofyah be-Yisrael).
  • Neumark, D. (1908). Jehuda Hallevi's Philosophy in Its Principles. Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College Press.
  • Neumark, D. (1918). The Philosophy of the Bible. Ark Publishing Company.
  • Neumark, D. (1929). Essays in Jewish Philosophy. New York: Central Conference of American Rabbis.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Neumark, David". Jewish Virtual Library.
  2. ^ The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), 19 Dec 1924, Fri, Page 1.
  3. ^ a b The American Israelite (Cincinnati, Ohio), 23 Jan 1913, Thu. Page 11.
  4. ^ The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts), 16 Dec 1924, Tue. Page 3.
  5. ^ The Cincinnati Enquirer (Cincinnati, Ohio), 16 Jul 1959, Thursday. Page 21.
  6. ^ a b c "A Finding Aid to the David Neumark Papers". American Jewish Archives.
  7. ^ McDannell, Colleen (2001-10-29). Religions of the United States in Practice - Colleen McDannell - Google Books. ISBN 0691010013. Retrieved 2012-04-14.
  8. ^ "This Week in History - Reform rabbis debate women's ordination | Jewish Women's Archive". Jwa.org. 1922-06-30. Retrieved 2012-04-14.
  9. ^ Marcus, Jacob Rader. The American Jewish Woman: A Documentary History, pp. 739-744.
  10. ^ The Jewish Voice (St. Louis, Missouri), 07 Feb 1919, Fri. Page 8.
  11. ^ Dan, J. (1985). Gershom Scholem's Reconstruction of Early Kabbalah. Modern Judaism, 39-66.
  12. ^ a b Neumark, David (16 Feb 1922). "Ordination of women according to Jewish law". The American Israelite. Cincinnati, Ohio: The American Israelite.
  13. ^ a b Nadell, P. S. (2005). " Opening the Blue of Heaven to Us": Reading Anew the Pioneers of Women's Ordination. Nashim: A Journal of Jewish Women's Studies & Gender Issues, (9), 88-100.
  14. ^ Balin, C. B. (2022). "Wives to the rescue: The CCAR's epic decision to ordain female rabbis in 1922. CCAR Journal, Summer 2022. Page 14.
  15. ^ Kohler, G. Y. (2012). "Maimonides and Kant." Reading Maimonides’ Philosophy in 19th Century Germany: The Guide to Religious Reform. Springer. p. 250.
  16. ^ "Behind the make-up." The Jewish Press 08 Jun 1934, Fri, Page 7.
  17. ^ "American Crusade to End Lynching to meet in Washington to demand Biblbo's ouster." The New York Age. 28 Dec 1946, Sat, Page 3.
  18. ^ "30,000,000 American citizens say Bilbo must not be seated January 3rd." The Omaha Guide. 28 Dec 1946, Sat, Page 8.
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