ISRAEL ABRAHAMS

BY HERBERT Loewe

The purpose of these lines is to set before the readers of the American Jewish Year Book a brief character sketch of the late Dr. Israel Abrahams: to trace here the full story of his life would be both impossible and undesirable. This is not the place for a detailed biography. But the American Jewish Year Book would indeed be incomplete if the issue for 5687 lacked a tribute to the memory of one who was so staunch a friend of American Judaism in general and of the Jewish Publication Society in particular. The year book for 5686 was graced and joyously graced by Abraham's appreciation of the work of the Publication Society: the year book for 5687 is graced but mournfully graced— by the Society's appreciation of the work of Israel Abrahams. His loss is still so recent that to measure his worth in due perspective is a matter of difficulty. In general, when a great man dies there is at first a danger of exaggerating his importance: a short interval, however, tends to clarify the vision and restore a more accurate sense of proportion. But in the case of Israel Abrahams- -as in the similar instance of Joseph Jacobs-time has elapsed and yet our verdict remains as it was. Our estimate of Israel Abrahams is not modified as the poignance of grief becomes assuaged. Why is this? Because his sudden death has meant the cessation of so many noble enterprises in which his initiative and driving force were but dimly suspected. With sorrow must it be confessed that his place knows him no more. "The King is dead"--but we cannot say "Long live the King", for no successor has yet become manifest. Though well

nigh twelve months have elapsed since he went to his rest, the gap is visible but too plainly; we re-echo the plaintive words, "thou shalt be missed, for thy seat will be empty."

The essential facts of his life may be briefly summarized. The first of these is that he was born in London; more than that, he was a true cockney, for it was within the liberties of the City proper that, from the day of his birth onward, his early years were passed. This fact seems but trivial: in reality it was important. Abrahams was ever noteworthy for his practical common-sense: he knew how to set about things quickly, and how to get them done efficiently. He never lost time through setting to work in the wrong way. Surely this was natural to him because he had grown up in the bustle and rush of the Metropolis, because he had picked his way to school amid the busiest traffic in the whole world, because day by day he had rubbed shoulders with the most varied types that humanity can produce, because he had learnt at the unrelenting hand of bitter experience how to fend for himself in the struggle for existence. So it was that he developed certain characteristics for which he was ever remarkable punctuality, exactitude, a master eye for visualizing essential points and a master-brain for selecting instinctively the best method for any and every task. The day of his birth was the Friday before Parashat Vayyesheb, 19 Kislev, 5619, or November 26th, 1858. His father, the Rev. Barnett Abrahams, was a Dayyan of the Spanish and Portuguese Congregation and the Principal of Jews' College. His untimely death occurred on November 13th, 1863, and of his father, Israel Abrahams had not preserved even the faintest memory. This circumstance is due to the indefatigable diligence of Barnett Abrahams. He left his

house for early service before the children were dressed; he returned late at night after a day at the College and an evening at the Beth Din. This capacity for hard work was a trait which Barnett Abrahams bequeathed to his son. But robbed as he was of a father's care, Israel Abrahams owed an immense debt to his mother's fostering love. Mrs. Abrahams was a Rodrigues-Brandon and a worthy descendant of this famous family. Adversity served but to bring out her latent strength and, as if in compensation for not having known his father, Israel Abrahams was never weary of recalling her memory. His mother's personality was constantly before him. It was this maternal influence which implanted in him that intense love for Judaism which burned in every word he uttered, that appreciation for Judaism in the home and family which he never ceased to praise. To this environment in his impressionable years may confidently be attributed the well-nigh unique position that Abrahams occupied as a religious teacher. He combined the most precious elements in the old and the new. His aim was ever to make the old a living reality. He was conservative without being reactionary and progressive without being iconoclastic. He came not to destroy, but to fulfil the Law.

His school and academic career at Jews' and University Colleges must be passed over with the remark that he was the first student of Jews' College to proceed to the M.A. degree at London University. This was in 1881. It is typical of the man that he gained the first prize for Logic and Philosophy of mind. At an early age he gave evidence of that versatility which characterized his later life. Although his career was destined to be spent in the sphere of Rabbinics, he attended many lectures in other subjects. But