Herxheimer, Salomon

Rabbi of Anhalt-Bernburg

Born: 06.02.1801 in Dotzheim

died: 25.12.1884 in Bernburg

After his bar mitzvah, Herxheimer attended the yeshiva (college) of Rabbi Scheuer in Mainz and took up the position of tutor in Herborn in 1818. He studied history and ancient oriental languages at the high school in Herborn and at the universities in Marburg and Göttingen. In 1827 he passed the state examination for teachers of religion and passed the rabbinical examination. On 16.11.1830 he received his doctorate (Dr. phil.).

He took up his first post as a rabbi in Eschwege. There he already introduced innovations in the community. In 1829, he applied for the position of rabbi in Wiesbaden, but was rejected as the community decided in favor of Abraham Geiger. In 1831, he was appointed rabbi of the Duchy of Anhalt-Bernburg. He worked there for 48 years.

He was one of the rabbis who resolutely advocated a moderate reform of Judaism. He actively participated in the rabbinical meetings initiated by Geiger.

Herxheimer was also active as a scholar. In addition to an annotated edition of the Bible, he published a textbook, "Glaubens- und Pflichtenlehre", which appeared in more than 30 editions and was even published in Sweden and the USA.

He died highly honored in Bernburg.