Education
He attended the University of Bonn, the University of Berlin, and the University of Leipzig.
He attended the University of Bonn, the University of Berlin, and the University of Leipzig.
Samuel Hirsch, (June 8, 1815 – May 14, 1889) was a major Reform religious philosopher and rabbi. Born in Thalfang (in modern-day Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Formerly part of Prussia), he received his training at Metz.
In 1843 he published his "Die Messias-Lehre der Juden in Kanzelvorträgeneral" and "Religionsphilosophie der Juden."
In 1843 he was appointed chief rabbi of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg by King William II of the Netherlands.
During this period he published his "Die Humanität als Religion." He took an active part in the annual rabbinical conferences held at Brunswick (1844), Frankfurt am Main (1845), and Breslau (1846). In 1844 he published his "Reform im Judenthum."
Having received a call from the Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1866, he resigned his post in Europe and moved to the United States.
There he succeeded Doctor David Einhorn. From his arrival onward he became closely identified with, and an open advocate of, radical Reform.
In that year he engaged also in numerous ritual and doctrinal controversies.
Hirsch remained officiating rabbi of the Philadelphia congregation for 22 years, resigning in 1888, after having spent 50 years of his life in the ministry. From this attitude his Reform principles are derived. He was the first to propose holding Jewish services on Sunday instead of the traditional Jewish Sabbath Shabbat.
He contributed to the early volumes of The Jewish Times (1869–1878).
(1838), a collection of sermons (1841), and Religious Philosophy of the Jews (1843). He published nothing in book form after coming to the United States.
Hirsch died in Chicago, Illinois.