Kahn (Lippmann), Leo (Eliezer)

Rabbi

Born: 07.09.1842 in Sulzburg (Baden)

died: 28.10.1936 in Wiesbaden

The scion of an old rabbinical family, Kahn studied in Karlsruhe, Würzburg and Berlin under Rabbis Landberger and Hildesheimer. The orthodox rabbi Dr. Israel Hildesheimer recognized Kahn's abilities and encouraged him to found a "religious society" in Wiesbaden in 1869.

Wiesbaden's liberal Jewish community was characterized by the reform rabbi Abraham Geiger and the city and district rabbi Samuel Süßkind. The tradition-oriented Jews not only rejected the organ in the synagogue, but above all fought for traditional religious education. In Kahn, they now had a mentor who taught around 50 pupils against the will of the community council. Finally, he also received official permission to set up a traditional "shul" (with dormitories) and arranged for the establishment of a mikvah, a kosher bakery and a butcher's shop.

Kahn fought for three years for permission to establish an independent Orthodox community, which he received after the Prussian "Leaving Law" was passed in 1876. The newly founded "Old Israelite Community of Wiesbaden" opened a cemetery (Hellkundweg) and a synagogue (Friedrichstraße).

Kahn played a supporting or leading role in the "Association for the Preservation of Shabbos" and the "Free Association for the Interests of Orthodox Judaism". He also became honorary chairman of the "Orthodox Rabbinical Association of Germany". In Wiesbaden, respect and cooperation characterized the relationship between the liberal unified community and Orthodoxy.

Kahn, the oldest serving rabbi in Germany, died after 66 years in office. After the Second World War, his Swiss descendants placed a memorial plaque in what is now the synagogue in Friedrichstrasse.