Leon Lang

Leon S. Lang (c. 1899-1956) was an American rabbi and former president of the Rabbinical Assembly in 1941.[1][2] Ordained as a rabbi by the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1927,[3] Lang served as the inaugural editor of the quarterly journal of the Rabbinical Assembly, Conservative Judaism.[4] He was "internationally known as chairman of the Chaplaincy Availability board of the Rabbinical Assembly of America" as he collaborated with the U.S. Defense department in recruiting military chaplains and also represented the Jewish Welfare Board to the American armed forces.[1]

Lang began serving as the full-time rabbi of Congregation Sons of Israel in (Nyack, New York) in 1925, two years prior to the recorded date of his ordination. He declared the congregation as committed to "Traditional Judaism," somewhere between Reform and Orthodoxy—a stance that would change later as the congregation joined the United Synagogue of America (later renamed the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism).[5]

Lang began to serve Oheb Shalom Congregation in Newark, NJ (now in South Orange, NJ) as its Assistant Rabbi in 1927 (serving alongside the Senior Rabbi, Charles I. Hoffman) and continued in his position for 12 years. During this tenure, Lang is credited with founding Kadimah (perhaps the very same organization now known today as Kadima, the subsidiary of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism) and developing youth programming and reinvigorating the community's Men's Club.[6]

Lang served as a President of National Young Judea and,[7] in 1950, as the Chairman of the Rabbinical Assembly Fund for the Seminary.[8]

References
  1. "Rabbi Leon S. Lang, 57, Former Head of Rabbis". Indianapolis, Marion County. The National Jewish Post. 4 May 1956.
  2. "Rabbinical Assembly Hears Call For Dynamic Judaism" (XVI: 20, p. 1). Atlanta, GA. The Southern Israelite Weekly Newspaper For Southern Jewry. May 16, 1941.
  3. "JEWISH THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY OF AMERICA New York -- Faculty and Alumni List 1894-1933". Jewish Seminary Pre 1934. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  4. "Table of Contents". Conservative Judaism. I (1): 2nd page, not numbered. January 1945.
  5. Dembrow, Myra. "Deep Roots in Nyack: A Brief History of CSI "Generation to Generation"". History - Congregation Sons of Israel Nyack. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  6. Schechner, David; Gordon, Mark; Sender, Barabara; Willner, Linda. "History | Oheb Shalom Congregation". ohebshalom.org. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  7. "Rabbi Leon Lang to Be Honored Tonight". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. October 30, 1932.
  8. Golinkin, David, ed. (1997). Proceedings of the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Conservative Movement 1927-1970, Volume One: Reports of the Committee. Jerusalem, Israel: The Rabbinical Assembly and The Institute of Applied Halakhah. p. 321.


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