Maurice Eisendrath
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Maurice Nathan Eisendrath (July 10, 1902 – November 9, 1973) was a leader of American
Reform Judaism Reform Judaism, also known as Liberal Judaism or Progressive Judaism, is a major Jewish denomination that emphasizes the evolving nature of Judaism, the superiority of its ethical aspects to its ceremonial ones, and belief in a continuous sear ...
, the head of the
Union of American Hebrew Congregations The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), known as the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (UAHC) until 2003, founded in 1873 by Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, is the congregational arm of Reform Judaism in North America. The other two arms established b ...
from 1943 until his death, an author, and an activist, particularly active in the U.S. Anti-war Movement of the 1960s. The Maurice N. Eisendrath Bearer of Light Award, one of the highest honors bestowed by the American Reform Movement, is named in his honor.


Union of American Hebrew Congregations

In 1943, Eisendrath was called to
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to temporarily serve as the Executive Director of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (UAHC), the congregational arm of Reform Judaism in North America. Three years later, in 1946, Eisendrath was elected as the first President of the UAHC. In 1951, Eisendrath moved the headquarters of the UAHC from Cincinnati to
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
. During Eisendrath's 30-year tenure as the head of the UAHC, the number of Reform congregations within the UAHC grew considerably. In 1956, the UAHC had 536 congregations. By 1970 the number of congregations had grown to 706. Eisendrath's tenure was also characterized by controversy based on his political views and activism. For instance, in 1967, Temple Emanu-El resigned from the UAHC because of "Eisendrath's bombastic public statements." At the time, Temple Emanu-El was not only the largest Reform Synagogue in the North America, it was also located directly next door to the UAHC headquarters.


Opposition to the Vietnam War

In May 1965, Eisendrath included his opposition to the Vietnam War in his report to the UAHC Board of Trustees. He criticized the American government's effort to "stroll the world like 'a star-studded Texas sheriff' to impose our brand of law and order upon the entire world." On April 24, 1967, Eisendrath,
Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...
, and other cultural and religious leaders formed the peace action group, Negotiation Now. On this same day, Eisendrath wrote a letter to Martin Luther King Jr. that is preserved by
The King Center The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, commonly known as The King Center, is a nongovernmental, not-for-profit organization in Atlanta, United States. History The center was founded in 1968 by Coretta Scott King, who sta ...
. In the letter, Eisendrath states that the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...
, the
Civil Rights Movement The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional racial segregation, discrimination, and disenfranchisement throughout the Unite ...
, and the Anti-Poverty Program are "inseparably interwoven in a seamless web." On February 6, 1968, Eisendrath, Martin Luther King Jr., Rabbi
Abraham Heschel Abraham Joshua Heschel (January 11, 1907 – December 23, 1972) was a Polish-born American rabbi and one of the leading Jewish theologians and Jewish philosophers of the 20th century. Heschel, a professor of Jewish mysticism at the Jewish T ...
, Rev.
Ralph Abernathy Ralph David Abernathy Sr. (March 11, 1926 – April 17, 1990) was an American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was ordained in the Baptist tradition in 1948. As a leader of the civil rights movement, he was a close friend and ...
, and Rabbi
Everett Gendler Everett Gendler (August 8, 1928 – April 1, 2022) was an American rabbi, known for his leadership of and involvement in progressive causes, including the civil rights movement, Jewish nonviolence, and the egalitarian Jewish Havurah movement. From ...
led a protest march into
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followed by a prayer vigil at the
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier A Tomb of the Unknown Soldier or Tomb of the Unknown Warrior is a monument dedicated to the services of an unknown soldier and to the common memories of all soldiers killed in war. Such tombs can be found in many nations and are usually high-prof ...
.


Awards and recognition

*Awarded the Gandhi Peace Award in 1961. *The Maurice N. Eisendrath Bearer of Light Award is named in his memory.


Bibliography

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eisendrath, Maurice 1902 births 1973 deaths Jewish American activists People from Chicago