Chief Rabbi Abraham Samson Onderwijzer
And the history of the Onderwijzer family of Amsterdam and other Towns in Holland.
Names mentioned in this article in order of their appearance:
Chief Rabbi Abraham Samson Onderwijzer
Naftali Hertz Schamasch Katz
Elias Hijman Onderwijzer (*)
Abraham Joseph Cohen (Chazzan) Onderwijzer
Maurits Onderwijzer (*) Samson Onderwijzer, the small one
Joseph Uri Cohen Onderwijzer
Jitzchak Isac ben Leb – Jehuda van Gelder
Chief Rabbi Duenner
Chief Rabbi Joel Vredenburg
Josef Onderwijzer
Chief Rabbi Simon Dasberg
Prof. Chaim Weizman
Jakob Rosenheim
Rabbi Simon de Vries
Rabbi Israel Meir Hacohen (the"Chofetz Chaim")
Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grudjinski
Prof. M. Gans
Rabbi Leon Wagenaar
Chief Rabbi Aron Schuster
Chief Rabbi Chacham Dr. Ricardo
Biography and Genealogy.
Chief Rabbi Onderwijzer was born on July 24th, 1862 in the small town of Muiden, not far from Amsterdam.
When he was eleven
years old he moved with his family to Amsterdam, as it
was difficult to lead a Jewish life in a small town,
where they were the only Jewish family.
His father also preferred him to start his
studies at the Dutch-Israelite Seminary, at that time
headed by Chief Rabbi J.H. Duenner.
His father had asked him to continue the family
tradition of some two hundred years to become Talmudic
scholars and Rabbis, but at that time there was great
prosperity in the diamond industry and pressure was put
on him to enter this trade, as he himself used to tell.
Since the
establishment of the Ashkenazi congregation in Amsterdam
he was the first Chief Rabbi of a native Dutch-Jewish
family holding this post, who had not come from a
foreign European congregation as was customary until
then.
In 1884 he
graduated with highest honors and received his degree in
classic literature from the University of Amsterdam and
in September 1886 at the age of twenty-four he also
received with highest honors the title of Rabbi and was
called "Moreh".
From 1882 to 1888 he taught at one of the schools for Jewish Religion belonging to the Jewish Community in Amsterdam.
On August 1st,
1888 he started his duties as Rabbi of the Main
Ashkenazi Synagogue in Amsterdam.
On March 11th,
1917 he was chosen Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Ashkenazi
Community of Amsterdam and North Holland, to which also
belonged important congregations such as Bussum,
Hilversum, Haarlem and Den Helder.
About the
Onderwijzer family details are known to us from 1699 and
onwards. The earliest source of information about this
family known is the Municipal Register of Amsterdam. It
starts with Naftalie Hertz Schamasch Katz who died on
September 1st, 1699.
It is assumed that
the family originates from North Germany, district
Schleswig-Holstein.
The double family
name Schamasch-Katz shows that during the first
generations of this family, they held the function of
schamasch (caretaker) in the synagogue. In those days
that was an honorable and prominent function as is also
apparent from several records of the Ashkenazi Community
in Amsterdam.
The last part of
the above list of family names shows that members of
this family were Cohanim (priests). This had special
meaning with respect to Abraham Samson Onderwijzer, the
Chief Rabbi, when he together with his five sons (one of
whom, Elias Hijman was the father of the author of this
piece) stepped onto the podium during the Holidays in
order to give the Priests' Blessing. In Holland it was
well-known that from the third generation onwards a long
line of scholars, wise men, rabbis as well as rabbinical
judges (dayanim) came from this family. This was
documented in a letter written by Abraham ben Josef
Hacohen Onderwijzer, grandfather of Chief Rabbi Abraham
Samson.
He was the first
one who used the family name of Onderwijzer, which was
probably chosen by his father in the beginning of the 19th
century according to the decree by the Napoleonic regime
'to assume a name'. Choosing this name and its meaning
indicates that many members of this family were teachers
and rabbis and that they had chosen their profession and
vocation as their family name. Many other Jews had done
the same.
About members of the Onderwijzer family
Abraham Cohen thus
describes his scholarly ancestors in the above-mentioned
letter:
"They were all "יושבי
על מדין", sitting on a judges' bench like a
commission of wise men, in the Ashkenazi school, here in
the city of Amsterdam "יע"א.
The scholarship of
this family was already known in the community of
Amsterdam in the 18th century.
Abraham Cohen was
also the first pre-eminent and undisputed Chazan in the
family. That is why he added the name Chazan to his name
and thus he became known as Abraham Chazan, teacher and
chazan at the synagogue of Blokzijl, a small town in
Overijssel – before he moved to Amsterdam.
On the 3rd
of Elloel 5587, August 26th, 1827, after
having held a trial service for the position of chazan
at the Main Synagogue and at the "Neije Sjoel" in
Amsterdam, he was chosen by a great majority out of
eight candidates. We find this described in detail in a
publication issued in 1927 on the occasion of the 100th
anniversary of the nomination of Abraham Cohen Chazan as
chazan at the Main Synagogue in Amsterdam. He carried
out this honorable function for forty two years to the
complete satisfaction of his audience, as mentioned in
this document, and his talent was inherited by the
following generations of his family.
Two sons of Chief
Rabbi Onderwijzer served as chazan; Maurits served as
chazan in Utrecht and Eli, Elias Hijman was chazan
during the High Holidays in the synagogue in the Lange
Houtstraat in Amsterdam, as well as on other occasions,
upon request.
Five of his
grandchildren, the sons of two of his daughters who live
in Israel – thus the great grandsons of the Chief Rabb,
also often serve as chazan in their congregations.
Little Abraham
Samson Onderwijzer, the grandson (of his son Izak) of
the Chief Rabbi was known during his short life for his
exceptional musical sense and talent. He was only six
years old when he was taken away and led to his death
together with his parents and all other children at the
orphanage that his father managed.
The scholars of
the family left two books:
"Emoenath Omen" (אמונת
אומן) by Rabbi Uri ben Joseph Cohen Onderwijzer,
in which among others it says: "….Explanations on some
articles of
"our scholars", on the holy script and of the
foundations of the Jewish religion, to which the Jews
are prepared, and our belief in Jacob's house which is
stamped therein' --- explanations of articles of
scholars and of the basis of the religion.
The second book
"Mat'amei Jitzchak" (מטעמי יצחק) written by Isak ben
Leb-Jehuda van Gelder of Muiden, one of the forefathers
on his mother's side, which deals with new insights into
certain questions of the Talmud, Rashi explanations and
complementary comments on these.
The most prominent
of the scholars in the Onderwijzer family was
undoubtedly Chief Rabbi Abraham Samson Onderwijzer
himself who dedicated fifty years to the community in
Amsterdam, from the day in 1882 when he started as a
teacher at Jewish schools (in Amsterdam) until his death
in November 1934 (Kislev 5695).
His period as Chief Rabbi of Amsterdam and its surroundings.
In 1911 after the
demise of Chief Rabbi Duenner z.l. (of blessed memory),
Rabbi Abraham Samson Onderwijzer together with Rabbi
Joel Vredenberg
were appointed Acting Chief Rabbis, and in 1917
Onderwijzer was appointed Chief Rabbi of Amsterdam and
North Holland.
One of the great
problems occupying the Rabbis of that period was the
growth of
Reform movement within Dutch Jewry. Though during
the period of Chief Rabbi Duenner the Reform movement
did not succeed in getting off the ground, but in the
thirties of the previous century the "Liberal Union of
the Jewish Faith" was established, against whom Chief
Rabbi Onderwijzer, heading the "Rabbinical Council"
started a dispute. Although the Reform Community was no
match against the big community, they nevertheless
succeeded in striking root. Josef Onderwijzer, the son
of Chief Rabbi Abraham Samson, wrote that this was at
the time the greatest worry of his father, the Rabbi.
During that period
the problem of how to act concerning those Jews who
married non-Jewish women caused a lot of controversy as
well. In one decision of 1927 the council of Chief
Rabbis tried to prevent the community rabbis to choose a
person not married to a Jewish woman to perform
honorable tasks in the community and/or to be called up
to the Tora.
This statement,
known as the "Rabbis' Letter" caused a big uproar in
Dutch Jewry and was mentioned in the Jewish as well as
in the general press, but was rejected by most circles.
On January 17th,
1928 a discussion took place between the Chief Rabbi and
Council of the Jewish Community during which the Chief
Rabbi pointed out the state of affairs as a result of
the mixed marriages which to his mind was devastating.
He mentioned that during that year in Rotterdam 50% of
the marriages were mixed and in Amsterdam 20%. He
considered this situation a reason to threaten with his
resignation. The matter ended in compromise, namely a
statement in which the Council recognized the Rabbi's
right to express his disapproval, but he did not succeed
in getting their official condemnation of mixed
marriages.
During the years
that Abraham Samson Onderwijzer was Chief Rabbi the city
of Amsterdam expanded and accordingly the Jewish
population grew in those years to 70,000. With his
encouragement and under his leadership Jewish centers
were built in the new areas/quarters, such as "Nachliel"
(נחליאל) in the Eastern
part of the city and "Shalom weree'oeth" (שלום
ורעות) in the North, as well as in the South and
West. New synagogues were established on the Jacob
Obrecht Place and Lek Street. In these quarters a lively
Jewish life developed which also led to the opening of
youth synagogues.
One of the most important events in his career was the royal visit of Queen Wilhelmina, Prince Hendrik and Princess Juliana to the Great Synagogue on April 1st, 1924. Queen Wilhelmina reacted to the speech of the Rabbi as follows: "Your words have touched me to the depth of my heart". Rabbi Simon Dasberg who was present at this festive occasion, said when he came home: "She was not the Queen, he was the King". Several Royal Orders were bestowed upon Chief Rabbi Onderwijzer, among others: "Knight of the Order of the Dutch Lion" and "Officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau".
His attitude towards Zionism.
As from the
twenties in the 20th century, Zionism in the
Netherlands became ever stronger and Chief Rabbi
Onderwijzer, although he belonged to the Aguda – a
movement which in those days was in principle against
Zionism – contributed a conciliatory factor between the
two opposing movements i.e. the Aguda and the Zionists.
On January 15th,
1925 there was a meeting between Chief Rabbi Onderwijzer
and Prof. Chaim Weizman, President of the Zionist World
Organisation. In reply to the questions of the Chief
Rabbi, Weizman stated that while establishing Erets
Israel the Zionist leadership will do nothing that will
be in conflict with the "Halacha", the Jewish religious
laws, as accepted by the Chief Rabbi.
In August 1923 the
Chief Rabbi was named representative in a campaign to
give traditional Chalutsim (pioneers) advance training,
in cooperation with "Agudath Jisrael" and "Mizrachi",
the religious- Zionist movement.
In 1929 the Jewish
Agency הסוכנות היהודית
was established by Prof. Weizman heralding the
development of the Zionist organization, which would
from then on include Zionists as well as non-Zionists.
Chief Rabbi
Onderwijzer was strongly against the intention to
include non Zionist agencies, mainly communities, in the
non Zionist part of this new organization.
Supposedly he saw
in the Jewish Agency a camouflaged form of Zionist rule,
which would be dangerous to Judaism, a tendency that
should be stopped at any cost.
At a discussion
concerning the affiliation of Agudath Israel to the
Jewish Agency the
, the "Knesia Hagedola" "הכנסיה הגדולה"
(the Great Meeting) of Agudath Israel in Vienna, the
point of view of Jakob Rosenheim, chairman of Agudath
Israel was accepted against the affiliation. Therefore,
Rabbi Onderwijzer as Chief Rabbi could not agree to the
affiliation of the Dutch Community to the Jewish Agency.
Although he was
chairman, his proposal to the "Council of Rabbis"
against agreement was not accepted and the general
conference of the Council of Rabbis named its delegates
to the Jewish Agency.
His relation to the "Mizrachi" Movement.
As from the
twenties in the 20th century, Zionism in the
Netherlands became ever stronger and Chief Rabbi
Onderwijzer, although he belonged to the Aguda – a
movement which in those days was in principle against
Zionism – contributed a conciliatory factor between the
two opposing movements i.e. the Aguda and the Zionists.
On January 15th,
1925 there was a meeting between Chief Rabbi Onderwijzer
and Prof. Chaim Weizman, President of the Zionist World
Organisation. In reply to the questions of the Chief
Rabbi, Weizman stated that while establishing Erets
Israel the Zionist leadership will do nothing that will
be in conflict with the "Halacha", the Jewish religious
laws, as accepted by the Chief Rabbi.
In August 1923 the
Chief Rabbi was named representative in a campaign to
give traditional Chalutsim (pioneers) advance training,
in cooperation with "Agudath Jisrael" and "Mizrachi",
the religious- Zionist movement.
In 1929 the Jewish
Agency הסוכנות היהודית
was established by Prof. Weizman heralding the
development of the Zionist organization, which would
from then on include Zionists as well as non-Zionists.
Chief Rabbi
Onderwijzer was strongly against the intention to
include non Zionist agencies, mainly communities, in the
non Zionist part of this new organization.
Supposedly he saw
in the Jewish Agency a camouflaged form of Zionist rule,
which would be dangerous to Judaism, a tendency that
should be stopped at any cost.
At a discussion
concerning the affiliation of Agudath Israel to the
Jewish Agency the
, the "Knesia Hagedola" "הכנסיה הגדולה"
(the Great Meeting) of Agudath Israel in Vienna, the
point of view of Jakob Rosenheim, chairman of Agudath
Israel was accepted against the affiliation. Therefore,
Rabbi Onderwijzer as Chief Rabbi could not agree to the
affiliation of the Dutch Community to the Jewish Agency.
Although he was chairman, his proposal to the "Council of Rabbis" against agreement was not accepted and the general conference of the Council of Rabbis named its delegates to the Jewish Agency.
His relation to the "Mizrachi" Movement
Nevertheless he
was not reckoned among the opponents of the "Mizrachi"
movement.
He was on very
friendly terms with Rabbi Simon de Vries, one of the
leaders of Mizrachi in Holland, who after the death of
Chief Rabbi Onderwijzer wrote the following words of
mourning in the Mizrachi monthly journal: -
"He, the Rabbi,
was not a Mizrachi man and did not belong to our ranks.
Nevertheless he also did not belong to our opponents. He
was able to understand and honor the ideas/concepts of
his fellow men and was able to put himself in their
place. The members of Mizrachi worked with him in full
cooperation with mutual respect and appreciation and in
sincere friendship."
As an "Agudist" and member of the Dutch "Agudath Israel" he took part as the Dutch representative in the first "Knesia Hagedola" of Agudath Israel in Vienna in 1923. There he met great Tora scholars like Rabbi Israel Meir Hacohen, the "Chofetz Chaim" and Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodz'inski of Vilna.
The decision taken
there to support only institutions and Jeshivoth, where
only Jewish studies would be learned, without any
non-religious courses, caused bitterness in the Dutch
Jewry and dampened their sympathy for Agudath Jisrael.
Chief Rabbi
Onderwijzer indeed resigned from the Dutch section of
Agudath Jisrael 'because of serious complaints". He
probably joined them again at a later stage, but no
clear information is available.
His literary work
The work for which
Chief Rabbi Onderwijzer was most known was without a
doubt his Dutch translation of the five books of Mozes
(the Tora) together with the translation of Raschi –
explanations of the Old Testament (Pentateuch).
For this he envisioned an as true as possible –
for the layman understandable - translation of the
bible.
This work was
completed in 1901 with the edition of the last part
(דברים) Deuteronomy.At
the head of the list of subscribers appears the name of
Queen Wilhelmina.
For the
translation of the Raschi-explanations, the Rabbi used
the scholarly publication of Raschi, a work by Dr. A.
Berliner from 1866. He also wrote a comprehensive
article about the life and work of Raschi, which was
added to the last volume, Deuteronomy.
Prof. Gans wrote
about this work in the "Memorbook" "that this is
probably the most important monument which Dutch Jewry
of before the war has left".
After the Second
World War a new edition was published after all books
had been sold.
All five volumes
of this Pentateuch, this חומש can be found in the Hebrew
National Library in Jerusalem.
The Rabbi also
wrote a knowledgeable article about the subject: "A few
remarks on בנין אב " which appeared in the jubilee book
on the occasion of the 70th birthday of
Rector L. Wagenaar.
There also have
been kept several publications of "questions and
answers" (שאלות ותשובות), two of which are kept in the
Rosenthaliana Library at the University of Amsterdam.
In the opinion of
Rabbi Schuster z.l. who wrote an extensive article about
the personality and work of Chief Rabbi Onderwijzer,
these are "questions and answers" of a wise Talmud
scholar, who quotes citations of the "first and last"
scholars, builds his answers systematically and
formulates them in clear Hebrew.
Also found in the
literary inheritance of the Rabbi are observations on
the subject of religious laws such as a Shabath-timer
(שעון שבת), divorce, money and law regulations, fraud
and invalid purchase, the right to strike, etc. The
latter subject shows us his attitude to social care, the
care for the fate of the Jewish laborer.
All these works
are in the library of the Center for Research of Dutch
Jewry in Jerusalem and with the author of this article.
His activities in the domain of instruction and education.
The Rabbi gave on
Saturdays in the Great Synagogue about forty lessons
based on complicated Talmud discourses which required
good preparation by the participants.
Therefore, the
subject of the lesson was announced beforehand in the
Jewish newspaper. During the week at the seminary and
also on courses and at lesson
meetings, as well as individually,
people started to study the material in order to
be properly prepared for the lesson.
Rabbi Onderwijzer was teacher at the Seminary for Rabbis and chairman of the Council of Rabbis who tested the competence of the learning orators and Rabbis. He taught from the מדרש רבה, the 'Great Midrash' and was proficient in legends and tales of the Rabbinical literature.
At the beginning
of his career he also taught small children, he was an
exceptionally good teacher and loved children and they
loved him too.
He had a
heart/feeling for Jewish lessons. He was treasurer of
the society of Jewish schools "Knowledge and Devotion",
an association that has established primary and
secondary schools as well as a school for higher
education named the Herman Elte and the Palache schools
(primary schools), two secondary schools and one Talmud
Tora.
On his initiative
and in order to keep Jewish youth far from the dangers
of the streets, a club was organized for more than a
thousand kids, the "Beth Yisrael", as well as a resort
for recreation and vacation for weak children, the
"Bosch-kolonie".
Also, as a
reaction to the establishment of the socialist General
Dutch Diamond Workers Association in 1894, the Society
of Israelite Laborers and Trade Employees "Betsalel" was
organized about a year later, on his initiative. In this
way the Rabbi tried to organize the Jewish laborers.
Personal Description
The description:
"the minister for peace" and "a conciliatory person" as
he was described by the Jewish reporter of the important
newspaper "Het Algemeen Handelsblad", would suit him
well.
From what was
written about him, appears a picture of an obliging,
peace loving person, striving after harmoniousness, who
could find a bond (amalgamate) between opposing
extremes, fitting a spiritual leader whose motto was
"peace with the people, peace with G'd and to fight with
all might for his Sanctuary, which He gave to me")
Although he was a
Cohen (priest) (for whom it is not allowed to be in
cemeteries) he was offered the honorary membership in
the funereal society "חברה
קדישה", with his appointment to Chief Rabbi.
He had good
relations with the Portuguese-Sephardy Rabbi, Chacham
Dr. Ricardo and also with Rabbi Simon de Vries,
mentioned above, who was one of the Mizrachi Rabbis in
Holland.
Conclusion.
Chief Rabbi
Onderwijzer died on Shabbath, 10 Kislew 5695 – November
17th, 1934, at the age of 72.
Rabbi Sarlouis was
appointed his successor.
He was spared the
tribulations of the Jews in the Shoah which affected his
family very much and which destroyed his beautiful
congregation.
Of his 13
grandchildren only 7 granddaughters were left and they
continued the family dynasty and its religious life.
Almost all his descendants nowadays live in Israel.
On Chanuka 5748 –
December 1984 a street was named after him at the
initiative of the Amsterdam municipality: the A.S.
Onderwijzerhof, next to the Great Synagogue where he
held the function of Rabbi during 46 years.
Sources:-
Library of the Center for Research on Dutch Jewry:-
1336 Bestandnummer
B25.4
Location code
SCHUSTER, Aron
Author
Harab Abraham shimson onderwijzer, chajjav vepeoelo
Titel
Uitgave informatie Jeruzalem 1984, Machon Leheker
Jahadut Holland,
67-97
Artikel in Mehkarim al toldot jahadut Holland IV
Formaat
A.S. Onderwijzer
Trefwoord
1337 Bestandnummer
B25.4
Locatie code
ILLAN
–ONDERWIJZER, Yehudit
Auteur
Toldotav
shel harav abraham shimson onderwijzer
Titel
Uitgave
informatie jeruzalem 1984, mahon leheker jehadut
holland, p. 97-99
Artikel in
mehkarim al toldot jehadut holland IV
Formaat
A.S.
Onderwijzer
Trefwoord
1338
Bestandnummer
B25.4
Locatie code
SONNENSCHEIN-ONDERWIJZER, Lea
Auteur
ILLAN-ONDERWIJZER, Yehudith Medeauteur
Ilan
hajohsin shel mishpahat onderwijzer Titel
Artikel in
mehkarim toldot jehadut holland IV
Formaat
[
genealogie, familie Onderwijzer
Trefwoord
Additional reference (in Dutch):-
J. Hagedoorn, 'Onderwijzer, Abraham [Samson] (1862-1934)', in Biografisch Woordenboek van Nederland. URL:http://www.inghist.nl/Onderzoek/Projecten/BWN/lemmata/bwn4/onderwij [25-06-2008]
(Instituut voor
Nederlandse Geschiedenis)
[Prepared
from extracts in Hebrew and Dutch from above sources by
Yudith Ilan-Onderwijzer, Lea
Sonnenshein-Onderwijzer and Ben Noach.
Translation into English from the Dutch version:-Nina Mayer
Final
editing of the English version:-Trudi Asscher,
Ben Noach]
Chief Rabbi Abraham Samson Onderwijzer
Onderwijzershof - Amsterdam