Abrahams, Israel

Abrahams, Israel

▪ British scholar
born Nov. 26, 1858, London, Eng.
died Oct. 6, 1925, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire

      one of the most distinguished Jewish scholars of his time, who wrote a number of enduring works on Judaism, particularly Jewish Life in the Middle Ages (1896).

      In 1902, after teaching for several years at Jews' College, London, Abrahams was appointed reader in Talmudics (rabbinic literature) at the University of Cambridge, a post he retained until his death. From 1888 to 1908 he was editor, jointly with the Anglo-Jewish scholar Claude G. Montefiore, of the Jewish Quarterly Review. Although of strict Orthodox upbringing, Abrahams was among the founders of the Liberal movement, an Anglo-Jewish group that stressed the universality of Jewish ethics, minimized ritual and custom, and originally eschewed Zionism.

      In Jewish Life in the Middle Ages, Abrahams concluded that there was no medieval period in Jewish history but that Christian medievalism had a lasting effect on the Jews, particularly in the sense of having deepened the process of Jewish isolation from the rest of society. Abrahams' book covers every facet of Jewish life of the times, including the functions of the synagogue, social customs and community organization, occupations and amusements, and Jewish-Christian relationships. Studies in Pharisaism and the Gospels, 2 vol. (1917–24), includes a series of essays based on an examination of the New Testament treatment of Judaism. Among his works on Jewish writings is Chapters on Jewish Literature (1899), a survey of the period from the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70 to the death of the Jewish philosopher Moses Mendelssohn in 1786.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • ABRAHAMS, ISRAEL — (1858–1925), English scholar. In 1902 he was appointed reader in rabbinic and talmudic literature at Cambridge, succeeding solomon schechter . He played a considerable role in the university, both personal and scholastic, and had some… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • ABRAHAMS, ISRAEL — (1903–1973), South African rabbi and scholar. Born in Vilna and educated at Jews College and London University, he was rabbi in London and Manchester before going to South Africa in 1937 as chief rabbi of the Cape Town Hebrew Congregation. In… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Abrahams, Israel — (1858–1914)    English Hebrew scholar. In 1901, Abrahams succeeded Professor Solomon SCHECHTER as reader in rabbinic and talmudic literature at Cambridge, and for the next generation was prominent in Jewish studies in Britain. He edited the… …   Who’s Who in Jewish History after the period of the Old Testament

  • Abrahams, Israel — (1858 1924)    English scholar. He was reader in rabbinics at Cambridge University. With Claude Montefiore he founded (1888) and edited the Jewish Quarterly Review. His most important works were Jewish Life in the Middle Ages, Studies in… …   Dictionary of Jewish Biography

  • Israel Abrahams — (b. London, November 26 1858; d. Cambridge, October 6 1925) was one of the most distinguished Jewish scholars of his generation. He wrote a number of classics on Judaism, most notably, Jewish Life in the Middle Ages (1896).He was educated at Jews …   Wikipedia

  • Abrahams — ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Brian Abrahams (* 1947), südafrikanisch britischer Jazzmusiker Elihu Abrahams (* 1927), US amerikanischer Festkörperphysiker Gerald Abrahams (1907–1980), britischer Schachspieler und komponist sowie Autor… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • ABRAHAMS — ABRAHAMS, family of English rabbis and scholars. ABRAHAM SUZMAN (c. 1801–1880) migrated from Poland to England in 1837, becoming principal shoḥet in London in 1839. He spent the end of his life in Palestine. He wrote an autobiography Zekhor le… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • ABRAHAMS, GERALD — (1907–1980), British lawyer, chess master, and writer on chess. Abrahams was born in Liverpool. At 18 he developed the Abrahams Defense adopted by many noted players. He won several championships in Britain and prizes in international master… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • ABRAHAMS, SIR LIONEL — (1869–1919), English civil servant and Anglo Jewish historian, nephew of Israel abrahams . A graduate of Balliol College, Oxford, in 1902 Abrahams became financial secretary for India, in which capacity he successfully reorganized the Indian… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • ABRAHAMS, ISAAC — (1756–1832?), physician. He was the first Jewish graduate of Columbia (Kings) College, receiving an A.B. degree from that institution in 1774. At commencement he delivered a Latin oration On Concord. After 1786 Abrahams took up permanent… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”