James G. Heller

Who was James G. Heller?

James G. Heller was an American composer and rabbi. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, he studied music with Edgar Stillman Kelley after moving to Cincinnati to study theology. He also wrote program notes for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and continued to compose in his free time, although little of his music was published. He died in 1971.

Heller was a supporter of Zionism and in 1930, following the peace between the two great factions of American Zionism, split since 1921 and led by Louis Lipsky and Louis Brandeis. Heller was appointed as one of six "Lipskyites" with 12 "Brandeisites" to the Administrative Committee of 18, which was agreed to govern the Zionist Organization of America; he was in charge of 'cultural activities'.