Hermann Adler

Who was Hermann Adler?

Rabbi Hermann Adler CVO was the Chief Rabbi of the British Empire from 1891 to 1911. The son of Nathan Marcus Adler, the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica writes that he "raised the position [of Chief Rabbi] to one of much dignity and importance."

Born in Hanover, like his father, he had both a rabbinical education and a university education in Germany, and like him he subscribed to a modernised orthodoxy. He attended University College School in London from 1852-54 and rabbinical college in Prague. He graduated from Leipzig in 1862 with a PhD. He later received honorary degrees from Scottish and English universities, including Oxford.

He was head of the congregation of Bayswater Synagogue, Paddington, during his father's lifetime, and his father's assistant from the time his father's health began to deteriorate in 1879, before succeeding him on his death in 1891.

In 1909 he was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.

Once he was having a lunch with British Catholic cardinal Herbert Vaughan. Cardinal asked the rabbi "Now, Dr. Adler, when may I have the pleasure of helping you to some ham?" The rabbi responded: "At Your Eminence's wedding".