Max Vorspan (1916 – June 2002) was an American

rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as '' semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form o ...

, professor, historian, and administrator at the American Jewish University, and leader in the Los Angeles Jewish community. He was the founder of the Pacific Southwest Region of the United Synagogue for Conservative Judaism, and the co-author of ''The History of the Jews of Los Angeles''. Vorspan attended the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, where he was ordained. After serving as a chaplain in

Saipan Saipan ( ch, Sa’ipan, cal, Seipél, formerly in es, Saipán, and in ja, 彩帆島, Saipan-tō) is the largest island of the Northern Mariana Islands, a Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), commonwealth of the United States in the western Pa ...

during World War II, he began teaching at the University of Judaism, eventually rising to the position of Senior Vice President. For 18 years, he hosted a weekly Sunday-morning public affairs talk show on CBS named ''Commitment''. He also served as the associate director of the Brandeis Bardin Camp Institute.http://articles.latimes.com/2002/jun/16/local/me-vorspan16, ''Los Angeles Times'', "Rabbi Max Vorspan, 86; Scholar and Historian", June 16, 2002, retrieved April 30, 2011. Co-authored by Lloyd P. Gartner, Vorspan wrote ''The History of the Jews of Los Angeles'' in 1970, chronicling the Jewish community's growth from the first establishment of the City of Los Angeles until the present day. Vorspan died at the age of 86 in June 2002.

Family

Several of Vorspan's family members are also active in the Jewish community.

Albert Vorspan Albert Vorspan (February 12, 1924 - February 16, 2019) was an American author and long-time leader of Reform Judaism. He was director emeritus of the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism. and served as senior vice president of the Union of ...

, his brother, was an author and Director Emeritus of the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism until his death in February 2019. His son, David Vorspan, is founding rabbi of Congregation Shir Ami, and Rabbi-in-Residence of

de Toledo High School de Toledo High School, formerly New Community Jewish High School and informally known as "New Jew",Rachel Heller"New Jew to relocate to larger, permanent West Hills campus" ''The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles'', January 27, 2011. is a priv ...

(formerly New Community Jewish High School.)http://www.shirami.com/rabbi.html, Congregation Shir Ami website, "Rabbi Vorspan", retrieved April 30, 2011.

References

External links

Photos of Rabbi Vorspan at the University of JudaismHistory of The Jews of Los Angeles
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vorspan, Max 1916 births 2002 deaths American Conservative rabbis American Jewish University faculty Jewish Theological Seminary of America alumni 20th-century American rabbis 21st-century American Jews American military personnel of World War II American military chaplains