James Koppel Gutheim

Who was James Koppel Gutheim?

James Koppel Gutheim was the rabbi of Congregation Shangarai Chasset of New Orleans.

He was born near Münster in Westphalia, Germany. In 1843, Gutheim arrived in the United States and immediately thrust himself upon the Jewish scene. Gutheim was a strong proponent of education, both religious and in his latter days secular education as well. During the 1840s, while serving the Jewish community in Cincinnati, Ohio, he attempted to start a Jewish school, which was unable to sustain itself. Later in his career, he was the president of the New Orleans Board of Education.

Although generally referred to favorably in era literature, in The Occident and American Jewish Advocate, Isaac Leeser appeared to offer Gutheim especially favorable coverage through the 1860s. Gutheim’s move from Cincinnati, Ohio to New Orleans was given flowery coverage, saying that “The Crescent City has robbed the Queen of the West of one of the brightest jewels in her diadem.” There was also the printing of an exchange of pleasantries in the form of correspondence between Gutheim, then serving as congregational rabbi of Shangarai Chasset and the congregation’s president, Isaac Hart, when the congregation presented Gutheim with a gift marking the anniversary of his service to the congregation. His first term as rabbi of the synagogue was from 1850–1853.