[Avodah] Isaac Leeser

[Jonathan Baker]

From: "Stephen R. Simons" <Shimjim2 at comcast.net>
 
> The Rev. Dr. Isaac Leeser, colonial era Philadelphia rabbi, translit-
> erated the Shema as "Shmang Yisrael."

Nitpick: not Colonial, but antebellum.  Born in 1808, raised in Germany,
he came to the US in 1824.  Bemoaning the state of Jewish education and
publishing, he set about doing something about it, publishing his own
translations of "Instruction in the Mosaic Religion", the Chumash,
the Tanach, his own writings in Jewish education, and other English-
language Judaica, as well as both German and Portuguese-rite siddurim,
etc.  He started a well-regarded magazine that is still quoted today
(by R' Yosef Wikler in his Yoreh Deah classes), the Jewish Publication
Society, and Maimonides College, the first attempt at a rabbinical 
seminary in the US (1867-73).

He was the rabbi at Cong. Mikveh Israel in Philadelphia, their Spanish
& Portuguese synagogue, for over 20 years, so it's not too surprising
that he transliterated Shema as Shema/nj/.

--
        name: jon baker              web: http://www.panix.com/~jjbaker
     address: jjbaker at panix.com     blog: http://thanbook.blogspot.com