Salomon Ulmann (February 25, 1806 at

Saverne Saverne (french: Saverne, ; Alsatian: ; german: Zabern ) is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. It is situated on the Rhine-Marne canal at the foot of a pass over the Vosges Mountains, and 45 km (27& ...

, Bas-Rhin – May 5, 1865 in Paris), was a French

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 of ...

. He commenced his rabbinical studies at Strasburg under Moïse Bloch (better known as Rabbi Mosche Utenheim), and was the first pupil enrolled at the initial competitive examination of candidates for the École Centrale Rabbinique ( Séminaire israélite de France or SIF), inaugurated in July, 1830. He was also the first in his class at this institution to receive the diploma of chief rabbi. In 1834 he was appointed rabbi of

Lauterbourg Lauterbourg ( or ; ) (historically in English: Lauterburgh) is a Communes of France, commune and Bas-Rhin Departments of France, department in the Grand Est administrative region in north-eastern France. Situated on the Germany, German border a ...

, Alsace; in 1844 he became chief rabbi of Nancy, in

Lorraine Lorraine , also , , ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; german: Lothringen ; lb, Loutrengen; nl, Lotharingen is a cultural and historical region in Northeastern France, now located in the administrative region of Gr ...

; and in 1853 he succeeded Marchand Ennery as chief rabbi of the

Central Consistory The Israelite Central Consistory of France (french: link=no, Consistoire central israélite de France) is an institution set up by Napoleon I by the Imperial Decree of 17 March 1808 to administer Jewish worship and congregations in France. He also d ...

of the Israelites of France. Ulmann published a limited number of sermons and pastoral letters, and was the author also of ''Catéchisme, ou Éléments d'Instruction Religieuse et Morale à l'Usage des Jeunes Israélites'' (Strasburg, 1845; 3rd ed., Paris, 1871), which is considered a classic. The most important act in Ulmann's rabbinical career was the organization of the Central Conference of the Chief Rabbis of France, over whose deliberations he presided at Paris in May, 1856. In that year Ulmann addressed a "Pastoral Letter to the Faithful of the Jewish Religion," in which he set forth the result of the deliberations of the conference, which were as follows: # revision and abbreviation of the piyyutim; # the introduction of a regular system of preaching; # the introduction of the organ into synagogues; # the organization of religious instruction; # the institution of the rite of confirmation for the Jewish youth of both sexes; # a resolution for the transfer of the École Centrale Rabbinique from Metz to Paris.

References

* 1806 births 1865 deaths People from Saverne Chief rabbis of France 19th-century French rabbis Alsatian Jews {{France-rabbi-stub