Friedman, Avraham

Aaron Tzevi Friedman was born in Stavisk, Poland on March 22, 1822. When he was seventeen he became the shochet (a licensed and trained ritual slaughterer) for the city of Stavisk. He later moved to Bernkastel-on-the-Moselle in Germany where in 1844, he became a rabbi and shochet for the city. He married Rebecca Lieberman of Frankfort. In 1848, he moved to New York where he was chosen as shochet of one of the largest abattoirs (slaughterhouse) in the city. In response to attacks made against the practice of shechita, Friedman wrote a defense of shechita entitled “Tuv Ta’am” in 1874. He became known as the “Ba’al Shem” of America because of his strict Orthodoxy. He remained a shochet of New York City until his death on May 17, 1876.

Abraham Isaac Friedman was one of Aaron’s twelve children. He was born in Trier-on-Moselle in Germany in 1843. He married Rachel Isaacs.

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