Scholem, Gershom, 1897-1982

Born as Gerhard Scholem to a secular Jewish family in Berlin in 1897, Scholem was a close associate of Walter Benjamin and through his scholarly efforts and publications arguably the most important figure in spreading awareness of Jewish mysticism and the Kabbala to audiences beyond Orthodox Jewish circles. In 1923, he emigrated to Palestine, whereupon he changed his name to Gershon Scholem. In Palestine and later Israel he was a librarian and professor at Hebrew University, but remained involved in German-Jewish discourse, notably in his debates with Hannah Arendt over the Eichmann trial and over the reception of Benjamin's works. Scholem died in 1982.

From the guide to the Gershom Scholem Collection, 1939-1986, (Leo Baeck Institute)