Shubow, Joseph Shalom

Joseph Shalom Shubow, Chaplain, leader of the Boston Congregation B’nai Moshe, prominent community and American Zionist leader, was born on September 26, 1899 in Olita, Lithuania.

He started his education at the Boston Latin School where his scholarly talents were discovered at the very early age. He received his B.A. and M.A. from Harvard University in 1920 and 1921. While at Harvard, Joseph Shubow became interested in the Zionist movement and co-founded AVUKAH , a Zionist Student Organization.

After graduating from Harvard, Joseph Shubow served as a literary editor for the Jewish Advocate . At the same time he became involved in Jewish communal work in the New England region. Between 1924 and 1930 Joseph Shubow served as correspondent and feature writer for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

In 1930, Joseph Shubow followed in the foot steps of his brother, Leo, and enrolled in the Jewish Institute of Religion in New York. At the same time he developed a strong relation with Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, a prominent leader of the American Zionist Movement. After his graduation, he became the Executive Director of the American Jewish Congress of New England.

In 1934, Joseph Shubow began his life-long affiliation with the Temple B’nai Moshe, a small Jewish congregation, which over the years grew into the one of the largest and influential congregations in the New England region. Rabbi Shubow was an eloquent speaker and his speeches and sermons at the Temple B’nai Moshe and throughout the region would gather many listeners. He was one of the first to see the dangers of the rising National Socialism in Germany not only regarding the Jewish people but for humanity as a whole. He spoke against the German regime across the country and even openly confronted a Nazi diplomat at a Testimonial Dinner at Harvard in 1934.

In 1943 Joseph Shubow enlisted in the Chaplains Corps and attended the Harvard Chaplains School. He requested to be sent oversees and joined the 9th Army in 1944. He served under General Lucius Clay and was awarded a Bronze Medal for his service. In April 1944 he conducted a Passover Seder for the G.I.’s at Goebbels castle. After the War ended in May 1945, Joseph Shubow was sent to Berlin to work with the Jewish survivors. He returned to the United States in 1946 with the very first boat of Jewish refugees. For many years after his return Rabbi Shubow continued to assist Jewish survivors in their rehabilitation, continued education, reunion of their families, and other matters.

Upon his return, Joseph Shubow continued his work at the Temple B’nai Moshe. He also continued his communal work, with hospital and veteran visits demanding more and more of his time.

He remained very active with the American Zionist movement and in 1956 became a President of the Zionist Organization of America’s New England Region. During that period Joseph Shubow attended numerous Zionist meetings in the United States and abroad. From 1961 until his death in 1969 he served as a vice-president of the Zionist Organization of America.

In 1959, the Temple celebrated Rabbi Shubow’s 25th Anniversary as its Rabbi. To mark this occasion, Joseph Shubow’s friend, Cardinal Cushing delivered an address praising Rabbi Shubow’s communal work. It was the very first time when a Catholic priest publically praised a Jewish Rabbi.

Later that year Joseph Shubow was awarded a Ph.D. in Political Science from Harvard University after successfully defending his theses The Moral and Spiritual Antecedents of Zionism and the State of Israel, with Special Attention to Peretz Smolenskin and the Problem of Nationalism .

Joseph Shubow continued to be active within the Zionist movement, his community work, and the Temple B’nai Moshe until his premature death in 1969.

From the guide to the Joseph Shubow Collection, early 1900-1979, bulk 1934-1969, (American Jewish Historical Society)