Neuman, Abraham Aaron, 1890-1970

NEUMAN, ABRAHAM AARON (1890–1970), U.S. rabbi, historian, and educator. Neuman was born in Brezan, Austria, and immigrated to the United States in 1898. He studied at the Rabbi Isaac Elhanan Yeshivah, Columbia University, and the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he was ordained in 1912. Before his ordination, he taught at the Teachers Institute of the Seminary, but the year after, he joined the faculty of *Dropsie College in Philadelphia, where he taught history until 1940. Neuman held rabbinical posts in Philadelphia at the B'nai Jeshurun congregation (1919–27) and the Sephardi congregation Mikveh Israel (1927–40). After Cyrus Adler's death in 1940 Neuman became president of Dropsie College, a post he held until his retirement in 1966. During his incumbency the college expanded its curriculum, adding departments in Middle Eastern studies, education, and philosophy. Active in the development of the Zionist movement in the United States and renowned as an orator, he was much sought after as a public speaker. He also participated actively in the work of the United Synagogue of America.

Neuman produced a number of works of high scholarly merit, chief among them being The Jews in Spain (2 vols., 1942). Based primarily on the responsa of Solomon ibn *Adret (RaShBA), the work has served as a model of research in this type of Jewish source material. Cyrus Adler, a Biography (1942) is the evaluation of the life of an exemplary public servant during the period when American Jewry was assuming worldwide responsibilities. Neuman contributed to many scholarly periodicals, and a number of these studies appeared in Landmarks and Goals (1953). From 1940 to 1966 he collaborated with Solomon Zeitlin in editing the Jewish Quarterly Review.

The following is a brief sketch of the life of Abraham Neuman, and is intended to highlight the salient facts in his professional and public career. The researcher may wish to consult the Selected Bibliography for a listing of some of the published biographical data.

Dr. Abraham Neuman was born in Brezau, Austria, in September 1890, to Max and Rachel Neuman and was a descendant of an old Rabbinic family. He immigrated to the United States in 1898, at the age of eight. He studied at the Rabbi Isaac Elhanan Yeshiva, Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS). Recognized by the President of JTS, Solomon Schechter, he was appointed as an instructor at the Teachers Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary. He was ordained as a rabbi and received a B.S. from Columbia University in 1912.

In 1913 he joined the faculty of Dropsie College in Philadelphia, where he taught history until 1940. He was appointed associate professor in 1923 and full professor in 1934. Neuman held rabbinical posts at the B'nai Jeshurun congregation from 1919-1927, and the Sephardi congregation Mikveh Israel, the second oldest pulpit in America, from 1927-1940.

Dropsie College President

After Cyrus Adler's death in 1940, Neuman became president of the Dropsie College, which was a post-graduate, non-sectarian and non-professional institution leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. He held this post until his retirement in 1966.

Under Neuman's inspiration as second president of Dropsie College, the college expanded its curriculum, appointing new professors and adding new departments. In 1941, departments of Jewish Philosophy and Hebrew Literature were opened. In 1942, the department of History and Semitic Civilization was opened, followed by the department of Assyriology and Egyptology (1944) and Comparative Religion (1945). Neuman recognized the need for a Jewish graduate school of education on American soil. He perceived the deep need for a school of higher education, irrespective of its adherence to either orthodox, conservative or reform Judaism. The school was organized under the direction of Dr. Leo L. Honor in 1946.

The Institute for Israel and the Middle East was established in 1948 and was the first complete unit of Middle East studies at any American university, embracing history, anthropology, economics, religious, social and political institutions in the countries of the Middle East, with parallel courses relating to Israel. The Institute was well-known for training consular and diplomatic personnel. Under Neuman's administration, the enrollment of Jews, Christians and Moslems greatly increased.

From 1940, Dr. Neuman joined forces with Solomon Zeitlin to continue publishing the Jewish Quarterly Review, which had been published for 30 years under the aegis of Dropsie College and, before that, for 20 years in London under the editorship of Claude J. Montefiore and Israel Abrahams. In 1940 this journal almost ceased to exist because of a drop in the number of subscribers coming mainly from Jewish communities in Europe. The Dropsie College correspondence reflects relentless efforts to reach new subscribers.

Dr. Neuman launched the Dropsie College edition of the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, of which seven books in six volumes were published.

Professional and Public Career

Neuman produced a number of works of high scholarly merit, chief among them being The Jews in Spain (two volumes, 1942). The work was based primarily on the responsa of Solomon Ibn Adret (RashBa), and it attempted to reconstruct the social life of the Jews in Spain. It served as a model of research in this type of Jewish source material. Also of importance was Cyrus Adler, a biography (1942) evaluating the life of an exemplary public servant during the period when American Jewry was assuming worldwide responsibilities. Neuman contributed to many scholarly periodicals and some of his important monographs on historical and religious themes were published in 1952 by the Board of Governors of the Dropsie College in "Landmarks and Goals."

Neuman served as chairman of the College Committee of Gratz College and Vice President of the Board of Overseers. He played a leading part in the reorganization of this institution in 1928.

Neuman was a member of the Publication Committee of the Jewish Publication Society of America and a recording secretary of the American Jewish Historical Society. He was associated with the Universal Jewish Encyclopedia as a collaborating editor in the Department of History.

Under Neuman's leadership, the United Synagogue of America erected the Palestine Synagogue Center in Jerusalem. In the Presidential election of 1940, he served as a Democratic Presidential Elector for the State of Pennsylvania.

Neuman was active in the development of the Zionist movement in the United States. He was recognized as a leader in cultural activities throughout the country. Neuman was renowned as an orator, and was much sought after as a public speaker.

Abraham Neuman died on November 20, 1970.