Hermann Kohlmeyer (1814 – 1883) 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 ...

in charge of Congregation Shangarai Chasset in New Orleans, Louisiana. On January 17, 1847, the synagogue board unanimously elected Kohlmeyer to serve as its leader. In the edition of

The Occident and American Jewish Advocate ''The Occident and American Jewish Advocate'' or simply ''The Occident'' (1843-1869), was the first general Jewish periodical published in the United States. (The only earlier periodical, Solomon Henry Jackson's '' The Jew'', was published as an ...

that noted the appointment, Isaac Leeser praised Kohlmeyer as a worthy individual for the position, and expressed hope that Kohlmeyer would be successful. Noted as a brilliant scholar and linguist, Rabbi

Isaac Meyer Wise Isaac Mayer Wise (29 March 1819, Lomnička – 26 March 1900, Cincinnati) was an American Reform rabbi, editor, and author. At his death he was called "the foremost rabbi in America". Early life Wise was born on 29 March 1819 in Steingrub in ...

recommended Kohlmeyer to serve on the rabbinical committee that was to examine Wise's '' Minhag America'' Reform prayer book. But Kohlmeyer gave up his ministry for a career in education, becoming professor of Hebrew and

Oriental The Orient is a term for the East in relation to Europe, traditionally comprising anything belonging to the Eastern world. It is the antonym of ''Occident'', the Western World. In English, it is largely a metonym for, and coterminous with, the ...

Literature at the University of Louisiana (now Tulane University). Although his service to the Jewish community seems to have been relatively short in length, it appears that his descendants remained in New Orleans, and have been prominent members of the New Orleans community since then.

References

* Kahn, Catherine C. and Lachoff, Irwin. ''The Jewish Community of New Orleans''. (Arcadia Publishing 2005) . * Adams, Herbert Baxter ''Contributions to American Educational History'' (Government Printing Office 1898) *

American Orthodox rabbis Clergy from New Orleans 1814 births 1883 deaths Place of birth missing Place of death missing 19th-century American rabbis {{US-rabbi-stub