Benjamin Szold

Benjamin Szold (15 November 1829 in Nemes-Kürt Kingdom of Hungary, (now Zemianske Sady, Slovakia) – 31 July 1902 in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia) was an American rabbi and scholar.

Before Szold's arrival the congregation had adopted for use in its Shabbat service the Minhag America (which was the new prayer-book written by Isaac Mayer Wise, a Reform rabbi); on the great fall holy days it reverted to the Minhag Ashkenaz; after much discussion with his congregation Szold introduced a new prayer-book, Abodat Yisrael, which closely followed traditional lines.

He took a prominent part in communal life, and besides aiding in establishing the charitable institutions of Baltimore, he devoted himself to helping Russian refugees who had emigrated to America on account of the iniquitous May Laws.

His "Commentary on Job" (Baltimore, 1886), written in classical Hebrew and conceived in an original and deeply Jewish spirit, attests to the accuracy of his scholarship.

He wrote also a commentary on the eleventh chapter of Daniel (Kohut Memorial Volume), edited "Bibelkritische Notizen" by Michael Heilprin, and published a sketch of Moses Mendelssohn on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of his birth.