WISE, Isaac Mayer, American rabbi and educator: b. Steingrub, Bohemia, 29 March 1819; d. Cincinnati, Ohio, 26 March 1900. He studied at Prague and Vienna, became rabbi at Racinitz, and, desirous of a broader field, emigrated to New York in 1846. He was elected rabbi of a synagogue at Albany, N. Y.. but the ritual changes that he favored led to a division in the congregation, and a new temple was organized by his friends. In 1854 he was elected rabbi of the Congregation Irnai Tes hurun, of Cincinnati, Ohio. In the same year he wrote a 'History of the Iraclitish Nation' and began to publish The Israelite, followed in 1833 by Die Deborah. Throughout his long sears of activity he sought in pulpit, press and on platform to advance the cause of progressive Judaism and became its practical and popular leader, to whose efforts were due the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, the Hebrew Union College and the Central Rabbinical Con ference. In the formative period between 1856 and 1873 Rabbi Wise was enabled by means of his publications to reach the Jews of the United SLAMS. even in the remote places, without inter ruption, bringing not only the news, foreign as well as domestic, hut Industriously making propaganda for a union of congregations for the purpose of establishing a seminary to edu cate and train the rabbis who, in turn, were to preach the liberalization of Judaism and dem onstrate that the ancient faith could be adopted to changed conditions without the sacrifice of even the least of its tenets. Wise was active
in so directions, and was so great a power in the history of Judaism in the United States, that it is necessary to treat under dis tinct headings the various achievements of his long and successful career. He was above all an organizer, and the numerous institutions that he called into being attest to the great influ ence he wielded during his life. In his later years Rabbi Wise was regarded as the most prominent Jew of his time in the United States. !store than any of his contemporaries, it may be said of him that he left the impress of his personality upon the development of Judaism in the United States. Among his published works are 'Essence of Judaism' (1860); 'Judaism, Its Doctrines and Duties' (1852) ; 'Prayer Book' and 'Hymnal' (1863), which were quickly followed by his 'Origin of Chris tianity' The Cosmic God,' 'The History of the Hebrews,' Second Commonwealth,"A Defense of Judaism versus Proselytizing Chris tianity' and 'Pronaoc to Holy Writ.' He was president of the Hebrew Union College from its foundation in 1875 until his death. In 1919 the centenary of his birth was celebrated with great iefot throughout the United States.