Isaac Mayer Wise (March 29, 1819, Steingrub (now Lomnička), Bohemia, Austrian Empire - March 26, 1900, Cincinnati), was an American Reform rabbi, editor, and author.
The son of Rabbi Leo Wise, a school-teacher, Isaac received his early Hebrew education from his father and grandfather, later continuing his Hebrew and secular studies in Prague. He received the hattarat hora'ah from the Prague bet din, composed of Rabbis Rapoport, Samuel Freund, and...
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Isaac Mayer Wise (March 29, 1819, Steingrub (now Lomnička), Bohemia, Austrian Empire - March 26, 1900, Cincinnati), was an American Reform rabbi, editor, and author.
The son of Rabbi Leo Wise, a school-teacher, Isaac received his early Hebrew education from his father and grandfather, later continuing his Hebrew and secular studies in Prague. He received the hattarat hora'ah from the Prague bet din, composed of Rabbis Rapoport, Samuel Freund, and E. L. Teweles. In 1843 he was appointed rabbi at Radnitz (now Radnice, by Pilsen), Bohemia, where he remained for about two years.
Wise emigrated to the United States in 1846. He arrived in New York on July 23, and in October was appointed rabbi of the Congregation Beth-El of Albany, New York. He soon began agitating for reforms in the service, and his was the first Jewish congregation in the United States to introduce family pews in the synagogue. A mixed choir, and confirmation were also among the innovations introduced by Wise, who even...
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