2026-02-09 12:37:PM <br/> Tags: #AmericanJewry #people #ReligiousJudaism ![[image-230.png]] # Rabbi Maurice Eisendrath (1902-1973) - Rabbi Maurice Eisendrath was the leader of American Reform Judaism.[^1] - Eisendrath was deeply involved in organized American Jewry and social activism. #### Reform Judaism - Eisendrath received rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College in 1926.[^2] - Eisendrath spent time at a number of congregations before establishing himself at Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto, Canada in 1929. - Eisendrath spent the next 14 years in Toronto where he became a well known radio figure. - During this time, Eisendrath was largely indifferent to Zionism. This changed after he visited Nazi Germany and Palestine in 1935. When Eisendrath returned he reported catastrophic conditions for Jews in Germany which he contrasted to "exuberant and joyful" German Jews who he met in [[Yishuv|Jewish Palestine]]. From this point, Eisendrath warmed to Zionism and became an advocate for militant opposition to Germany.[^3] - In 1943, Eisendrath was brought to Cincinnati and made interim director of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (UAHC)-now known as the [[Union for Reform Judaism (URJ)]]. - Eisendrath was formally elected to lead the UAHC as its president in 1946.[^1] - In 1951, Eisendrath moved the UAHC from Cincinnati to New York.[^4] - Under Eisendrath's leadership, the [[Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC)]] was formed out of the UAHC in 1961.[^5] - The RAC is the political lobbying arm of the [[Union for Reform Judaism (URJ)]]. *Reminder: the UAHC was renamed to the URJ in 2003.* - Eisendrath maintained the UAHC's caution towards Zionism in his first years as president. - This changed in 1948 after the state of Israel was created. Eisendrath embraced the Jewish state and reoriented American Reform Judaism towards Zionism.[^6] - In 1972, Eisendrath was elected president of the [[World Union for Progressive Judaism]].[^6] - Eisendrath died in 1973 and was succeeded at the UAHC by rabbi [[Alexander Schindler]].[^2] #### Eisendrath as Activist ![[image-231.png|605x335]] *Montgomery AL, 1965. Eisendrath, center right, holds a Torah scroll as he marches with MLK. Rabbi [[Abraham Joshua Heschel]] can be seen on the far left.*[^9] - Eisendrath spent his rabbinical career as a noted "outspoken liberal rabbi."[^7] - Eisendrath was particularly active in anti Vietnam War and Civil Rights activism. - During a 1965 meeting of Reform Rabbis to organize opposition to the Vietnam War and support for the Civil Rights Movement, Eisendrath "called upon members of Reform Judaism for renewed involvement and action to make real the integration of the Negro into the mainstream of American life. He urged them to ‘picket, boycott, attend rallies… watch at the polls, solicit contributions and if necessary, limit our own spending in order to help aid the cause of the American Negro."[^8] - In 1965, Eisendrath marched alongside Martin Luther King Jr. during the Selma-Montgomery March.[^9] #RedPill *Jewish organizations, Jewish religious figures, Jewish communal leaders, Jewish financiers, and Jewish lawyers played an absolutely crucial role in the Civil Rights era. These organized Jews were behind almost all legal action surrounding matters of civil rights, anti-segregation, immigration, removal of Christianity in schools and public settings, etc. The phenomenon of left wing Jewish social activism is covered in this project through the people and organizations that have propagated it.* - Eisendrath marched with MLK again in 1968 at Arlington National Cemetery.[^1] - The [[Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC)]] formed in 1961 (mentioned above), was a crucial arm of the Civil Rights Movement. - The RAC was founded under Eisendrath's auspices and he worked closely with it. - Eisendrath oversaw the creation of a 'social justice board' within the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (now the [[Union for Reform Judaism (URJ)]]).[^10] - The board included the Jewish leader of the [[NAACP]] [[Kivie Kaplan]], Arthur Goldberg, Rabbi Roland Gittelsohn, and prominent Jewish lawyer [[Joseph Rauh]]. - These figures among others, drafted the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in the conference room of the [[Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC)]]'s office in Washington, D.C.[^11] *More info is contained on the RAC's page.* - Eisendrath was a vocal proponent of absolute separation of Church and state, at a time when the United States was overwhelmingly Christian. - Eisendrath is quoted in his *JTA* eulogy as saying "Are we still prepared to assert that religion has nothing to do with politics. Unless we Jews, conversant with the moral commands of our faith, resume our responsibilities, we will have forfeited for all time our usefulness and our reason for surviving as a people."[^2] *I find this quote remarkably telling. Eisendrath equates Jewish opposition to religion (Christianity) in government as the "reason for [Jews] surviving as a people." The unchanging truth is that Jews feel disturbed and alienated in Christian countries. Expanding American liberalism in the 20th century proved to be perfect for Jews to organize politically and make permanent changes to the country for their benefit. The removal of Christianity from schools (a key component of separation of Church and state) was accomplished in 1962 by the [[American Jewish Congress]] and the [[American Jewish Committee (AJC)]] in the landmark Supreme Court case Engel v. Vitale.* #### References [^1]: Maurice Eisendrath, _Wikipedia_, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Eisendrath](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Eisendrath). [^2]: “Rabbi Maurice N. Eisendrath, UAHC President, Dies at 71; Leader of Reform Judaism Was to Have Present,” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, November 12, 1973, [https://www.jta.org/archive/rabbi-maurice-n-eisendrath-uahc-president-dies-at-71-leader-of-reform-judaism-was-to-have-present](https://www.jta.org/archive/rabbi-maurice-n-eisendrath-uahc-president-dies-at-71-leader-of-reform-judaism-was-to-have-present). [^3]: Michael Cole and Howard Roger, “Rabbi Eisendrath, Nazi Germany, and Palestine, 1935,” _Holy Blossom Temple_ (January 19, 2024), [https://holyblossom.org/rabbi-eisendrath-nazi-germany-and-palestine-1935](https://holyblossom.org/rabbi-eisendrath-nazi-germany-and-palestine-1935). [^4]: UAHC Headquarters Moved to NYC, _Union for Reform Judaism_, [https://urj.org/who-we-are/history#1950:~:text=of%20Religion.-,1951,-UAHC%20Headquarters%20Moved](https://urj.org/who-we-are/history#1950:~:text=of%20Religion.-,1951,-UAHC%20Headquarters%20Moved). [^5]: Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism Founded, _Union for Reform Judaism_, [https://urj.org/who-we-are/history#1950:~:text=Isaac%20Mayer%20Wise.-,1961,-Religious%20Action%20Center](https://urj.org/who-we-are/history#1950:~:text=Isaac%20Mayer%20Wise.-,1961,-Religious%20Action%20Center). [^6]: “Eisendrath, Maurice Nathan,” _Encyclopedia.com_, [https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/eisendrath-maurice-nathan](https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/eisendrath-maurice-nathan). [^7]: “Religion: Jewish Counterreformation,” _Time_, November 26, 1973, [https://time.com/archive/6842025/religion-jewish-counterreformation/](https://time.com/archive/6842025/religion-jewish-counterreformation/). [^8]: Maya Mirsky, “A Second Look Back at 130 Years of This Publication,” _J. The Jewish News of Northern California_, December 2, 2025, [https://jweekly.com/2025/12/02/a-second-look-back-at-130-years-of-this-publication/](https://jweekly.com/2025/12/02/a-second-look-back-at-130-years-of-this-publication/). [^9]: Rabbi Seth M. Limmer, “America’s Continuing Journey for Justice: I’ll Be There,” _Reform Judaism_, July 30, 2015, [https://reformjudaism.org/blog/americas-continuing-journey-justice-ill-be-there](https://reformjudaism.org/blog/americas-continuing-journey-justice-ill-be-there). [^10]: Al Vorspan, “The Last Resort: A Century of Demagogues,” _Jewish Currents_, July 3, 2016, [https://jewishcurrents.org/the-last-resort-a-century-of-demagogues#:~:text=social%20justice%20program%20for%20the%20UAHC](https://jewishcurrents.org/the-last-resort-a-century-of-demagogues#:~:text=social%20justice%20program%20for%20the%20UAHC). [^11]: The RAC and the Civil Rights Movement, _Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism_, [https://rac.org/about-rac/history-of-the-rac/rac-and-civil-rights](https://rac.org/about-rac/history-of-the-rac/rac-and-civil-rights).