Isidore Singer | |
|---|---|
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| Born | (1859-11-10)10 November 1859 |
| Died | 20 February 1939(1939-02-20) (aged 79) New York City, New York, United States |
| Spouse | |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | University of Vienna |
| Academic work | |
| Notable works | The Jewish Encyclopedia |
Isidore Singer (German:Isidor Singer,Yiddish:ישראל זינגער; 10 November 1859 – 20 February 1939) was anAustrian-born American encyclopedist, editor, and activist. He is best known as the managing editor ofThe Jewish Encyclopedia.
Isidore Singer was born to Charlotte (née Eisler) and Joseph Singer in 1859 inWeisskirchen,Moravia, in theAustrian Empire (now Hranice, Czech Republic). He was raised in an observantJewish household with seven children, whereYiddish was the primary language. At the time of Singer's birth, the Jewish community in Weisskirchen comprised approximately 800 individuals, making up about 13% of the town's total population.[1] He attended thegymnasia ofUngarisch-Hradisch,Kremsier, andTroppau.[2]
Singer was later educated at theUniversities of Berlin andVienna, receiving his Ph.D. from the latter in 1884. Alongside his university studies, Singer pursued Jewish religious and textual studies at theHochschule für die Wissenschaft des Judentums in Berlin and theRabbinical Seminary [de] in Vienna, where he came under the influence ofAdolf Jellinek.[3][4]: 19 During this period, Singer also metTheodor Herzl, who was at the time studying law at the University of Vienna.[1]
In 1884, Singer established theAllgemeine Österreichische Literaturzeitung, which he edited and published inVienna.[5] Singer discontinued the publication after being appointed secretary and librarian to CountAlexandre Foucher de Careil [fr], the French ambassador to Vienna, in 1887.[5]
After relocating toParis with Count Foucher de Careil, Singer joined theFrench Foreign Office's press bureau.[6] While in France, he was active inthe campaign on behalf ofAlfred Dreyfus.[7] In 1893–1894, Singer founded and served as editor-in-chief ofLa Vraie Parole, a biweekly journal created to counter the antisemitic narratives promoted byÉdouard Drumont'sLa Libre Parole.[1][8]
Singer moved toNew York City in 1895 where he aimed to publish a comprehensive "Encyclopedia of the History and Mental Evolution of the Jewish Race".[5] Despite facing numerous challenges in securing support, he eventually succeeded in launching the project.The Jewish Encyclopedia was published in 12 volumes between 1901 and 1909 byFunk & Wagnalls, with Singer serving as managing editor.[7]
Singer later served as managing editor of the 7-volumeInternational Insurance Encyclopedia (1910) and co-editor of the 20-volumeGerman Classics of the 19th and 20th Centuries.[7]
Over the course of his career, Singer proposed a large number of projects which never won backing. These included an Encyclopedia of the Holy Land, a Young People's Encyclopedia of Jewish Knowledge, an Encyclopedia of Prayers, and a 25-volume series of Hebrew classics. He corresponded withW. E. B. Du Bois about creating an encyclopedia of theAfrican diaspora.[9] Singer also proposed creating a unified Jewish university in the United States by merging existing seminaries.[6][4]: 21–22
Singer became disillusioned in his later years with what he saw as insufficient support for scholars within the American Jewish community.[6] His "confrontational personality and wild ideas", including his vision for the future of Judaism, often put him at odds with American Jewish leadership.[4]: 23
Singer called for discarding traditional Jewish ceremonial practices and envisioned aliberal, universalist Judaism. Singer believed this approach could form the basis for a global religion rooted inhumanism and scientific scholarship, fostering international peace.[6] To advance these ideas, he founded the Amos Society in 1922, an interfaith, monotheistic organization aimed at promoting global understanding.[4]: 23 Through messages sent under the banner of the Society, Singer promoted the idea that Jews andProtestant Christians—who both faced rising religious indifference and materialism as common threats—should focus on their core similarities rather than theological divisions, and embrace the ethical teachings of theProphets as a shared foundation.[10]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Adler, Cyrus; Vizetelly, Frank H. (1905)."Singer, Isidore". InSinger, Isidore; et al. (eds.).The Jewish Encyclopedia. Vol. 11. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. p. 384.