Leader of the Jewish reform movement in the United States of America, born in Bavaria. He was a supporter of the principles of Abraham Geiger, and while still in Germany advocated the introduction of prayers in the vernacular, the exclusion of nationalistic hopes from the synagogue service, and other ritual modifications. In 1855 he migrated to America, where he became the acknowledged leader of reform, and laid the foundation of the régime under which the mass of American Jews (excepting the newly arrived Russians) now worship. In 1858 he published his revised prayer book, which has formed the model for all subsequent revisions. In 1861 he strongly supported the antislavery party, and was forced to leave Baltimore where he then ministered. He continued his work first in Philadelphia and later in New York.
