Jewish Trivia: Rabbi Samuel Freuder

By Mark D. Zimmerman

MELVILLE, New York — (With a shout-out to our new followers in the San Diego Jewish World) In San Diego in 1888, Congregation Beth Israel hired its first rabbi, Samuel Freuder. What career move did Rabbi Freuder subsequently make that he later considered a mistake?

A.  In 1889, Rabbi Freuder converted to Christianity and became a missionary. Twenty years later, having failed in that calling, he returned to Judaism and wrote, “If ever I preach in any Christian pulpit again, may my right hand forget its cunning and may my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth.”
B. At the start of World War I, Rabbi Freuder joined the military as a chaplain, originally serving at Naval Base San Diego. However, he found that anti-Semitism was so rife in the Navy that even the Christian chaplains would have nothing to do with him. As a result, he resigned his commission and left the Navy after only one year of service.

C.In 1901, Rabbi Freuder left the rabbinate and opened a kosher fish restaurant, the first kosher establishment in southern California. However, he regretted this decision when the Lox and Sable Conservation Society launched a campaign against his restaurant, claiming that his smoking of these species was cruel, inhumane, and too salty.

D.Rabbi Freuder was a friend of Samuel Goldwyn, the movie producer, both having been born in Nemet Keresztur in Hungary. Rabbi Freuder moved to Los Angeles from San Diego and partnered with Goldwyn to create Goldwyn Pictures. Freuder, however, could not adjust to Hollywood culture and sold his partnership back to Goldwyn. Goldwyn Pictures eventually became Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and Rabbi Freuder, who returned to the rabbinate, stated that “I don’t regret leaving Hollywood. I’m just sorry I didn’t hold onto my stock for a few more years.”

E. The Panama-California Exposition, a World’s Fair, was hosted by San Diego in 1915-1916. Rabbi Freuder was hired by the Los Angeles Jewish Community Council to coordinate an exhibit on Jewish life in southern California. However, when Exposition organizers learned that this “Goldeneh Medinah California” exhibit would not be open on Friday nights and Saturdays, they canceled the exhibit despite Rabbi Freuder’s efforts to explain to them the importance of Sabbath observance in the Jewish community.

 

Link to answer:

 

http://rrrjewishtrivia.com/answers/san-diego-answer.html

 

Mark D. Zimmerman is the author of Rashi, Rambam and Ramalamadingdong series of Jewish trivia e-books. Learn more at rrrjewishtrivia.com.
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