Aaron Landes (October 1, 1929 – April 19, 2014) was an American rabbi in the Conservative movement and a rear admiral in the United States Naval Reserve. He served as rabbi of Beth Sholom Congregation in

Elkins Park, Pennsylvania Elkins Park is an unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It is split between Cheltenham and Abington Townships in the northern suburbs outside of Philadelphia, which it borders along Cheltenham Avenue roughly from Ce ...

for 36 years. With his wife, Sora Eisenberg Landes, he founded the Forman Hebrew Day School, now known as the Forman branch of the Perelman Jewish Day School. He also was instrumental in founding the

Hebrew Free Loan Society of Greater Philadelphia The Hebrew Free Loan Society of Greater Philadelphia (HFLGP) provides interest-free loans to members of the Philadelphia Jewish community in need. Founded in 1984 as the Hebrew Free Loan Society at Beth Sholom and housed at Beth Sholom Congregatio ...

. During his time in Philadelphia, Landes served on the Board of Governors at

Gratz College Gratz College is a private Jewish college in Melrose Park, Pennsylvania. The college traces its origins to 1856 when banker, philanthropist, and communal leader Hyman Gratz and the Hebrew Education Society of Philadelphia (established in 1849 ...

. Born in 1929 in Revere, Massachusetts, Landes served in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

for two years after his ordination and continued in the

United States Navy Reserve The United States Navy Reserve (USNR), known as the United States Naval Reserve from 1915 to 2005, is the Reserve Component (RC) of the United States Navy. Members of the Navy Reserve, called Reservists, are categorized as being in either the Se ...

until 1989, reaching the rank of Rear Admiral and retiring as Director of all reserve chaplains in the U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps. During his naval career, he was instrumental in the building of Jewish chapels at the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...

in Annapolis, Maryland, and at the Naval Base in Norfolk, Virginia.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Landes, Aaron 1929 births 2014 deaths American Conservative rabbis United States Navy admirals People from Revere, Massachusetts Military personnel from Massachusetts 21st-century American rabbis