Abraham Kohn

Rabbi Abraham Kohn (born Jan. 1, 1807, Zaluzan, Bohemia; died at Lemberg, Galicia, Sept. 7, 1848) was a Reform Jew was the Chief Rabbi of Lemberg, and who was allegedly poisoned to death. In 1828, he entered the University of Prague, where he applied himself to philosophy, while devoting his spare time to rabbinical studies. In July, 1833, he was appointed rabbi of Hohenems, Vorarlberg, where he remained for eleven years. Besides organizing vario... more

Rabbi Abraham Kohn (born Jan. 1, 1807, Zaluzan, Bohemia; died at Lemberg, Galicia, Sept. 7, 1848) was a Reform Jew was the Chief Rabbi of Lemberg, and who was allegedly poisoned to death. In 1828, he entered the University of Prague, where he applied himself to philosophy, while devoting his spare time to rabbinical studies. In July, 1833, he was appointed rabbi of Hohenems, Vorarlberg, where he remained for eleven years. Besides organizing various charitable societies, he greatly improved the educational facilities for the young, and introduced many reforms into the public service. In May, 1844, he accepted the rabbinate of Lemberg. Here in a comparatively short time he opened a well-equipped "Normalschule" of which he was the superintendent, dedicated a new reform temple, abolished many old abuses, and did not rest until the degrading tax on kosher meat and Sabbath candles, imposed upon the Jewish community by the government, was removed. But while the less traditional element... less