Jacob Rader Marcus
Encyclopedia
Jacob Rader Marcus was a scholar of Jewish history
and a Reform
rabbi. Born in New Haven, Pennsylvania
, United States
, into a traditional Jewish family, Marcus became interested in Reform Judaism at the age of 15. At that time, he travelled to Hebrew Union College
(HUC), in Cincinnati, Ohio
, to begin his rabbinical training. After a two-year interim during World War I
, when he served in the American military, Marcus returned to graduate studies in Cincinnati. After receiving rabbinical ordination in 1920, Marcus was appointed to the faculy of HUC, where he began teaching biblical history. In 1922, Marcus travelled to Berlin
to study Jewish history with Ismar Elbogen
, who awarded Marcus a Ph.D.
in 1925. In that year, Marcus married Antoinette Brody in Paris
. After briefly studying at Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1926, Marcus returned to Cincinnati, where he lectured at HUC consistently until 1995. In 1959, he was named the Adolph S. Ochs Professor of American Jewish History. In 1965, he was appointed to HUC's Milton and Hattie Kutz Distinguished Service Chair in American Jewish History. Marcus devoted most of his post-World War II
historical career to American Jewish history and founded the American Jewish Archives in Cincinnati in 1947 on the campus of HUC. He is, perhaps, best known for his work on Medieval European Jewish history, The Jew in the Medieval World: A Source Book: 315-1791, first published in 1938.
Jewish history
Jewish history is the history of the Jews, their religion and culture, as it developed and interacted with other peoples, religions and cultures. Since Jewish history is over 4000 years long and includes hundreds of different populations, any treatment can only be provided in broad strokes...
and a Reform
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
rabbi. Born in New Haven, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, into a traditional Jewish family, Marcus became interested in Reform Judaism at the age of 15. At that time, he travelled to Hebrew Union College
Hebrew Union College
The Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion is the oldest extant Jewish seminary in the Americas and the main seminary for training rabbis, cantors, educators and communal workers in Reform Judaism.HUC-JIR has campuses in Cincinnati, New York, Los Angeles and Jerusalem.The Jerusalem...
(HUC), in Cincinnati, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, to begin his rabbinical training. After a two-year interim during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, when he served in the American military, Marcus returned to graduate studies in Cincinnati. After receiving rabbinical ordination in 1920, Marcus was appointed to the faculy of HUC, where he began teaching biblical history. In 1922, Marcus travelled to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
to study Jewish history with Ismar Elbogen
Ismar Elbogen
Ismar Elbogen was a Jewish-German rabbi, scholar and historian....
, who awarded Marcus a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in 1925. In that year, Marcus married Antoinette Brody in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. After briefly studying at Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1926, Marcus returned to Cincinnati, where he lectured at HUC consistently until 1995. In 1959, he was named the Adolph S. Ochs Professor of American Jewish History. In 1965, he was appointed to HUC's Milton and Hattie Kutz Distinguished Service Chair in American Jewish History. Marcus devoted most of his post-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
historical career to American Jewish history and founded the American Jewish Archives in Cincinnati in 1947 on the campus of HUC. He is, perhaps, best known for his work on Medieval European Jewish history, The Jew in the Medieval World: A Source Book: 315-1791, first published in 1938.