Jonas Bondi (July 9, 1804 – March 11, 1874) was a German-American rabbi and newspaper editor.
Life
editBondi was born on July 9, 1804, in Dresden, Saxony.[1] He was a descendent of Jonathan Eybeschutz.[2]
Bondi received a theological education and attended the University of Prague. He then worked in his father's business for many years.[2] But when his business failed, he immigrated to America with his wife and daughters. Rabbi Nathan Adler, the Chief Rabbi of Great Britain and one of Bondi's former teachers, gave a recommendation on the basis of his Jewish knowledge. The recommendation made its way to the officers of Ansche Chesed in New York City,[3] and in 1858 he was made Preacher and Chief Rabbi of the congregation.[4] He left Ansche Chesed in 1859 after only 14 months there.[5]
Bondi then began holding public divine services at the Cooper Institute.[6] In 1860, he became minister of the newly-organized Amunai Israel, which met at the Cooper Institute.[7] In 1863, he began assisting Isaac Leeser in publishing The Occident and American Jewish Advocate.[8] In 1865, he became editor of The Hebrew Leader, which was previously known as The Jewish Record, and was published in English and German.[9] He owned and edited the paper for the rest of his life. He wrote a series of articles in The Hebrew Leader called "Jonathi bechagve hasela" (Dove in the Cleft of the Rock), which dealt with permission to erect a monument of a benefactor in a synagogue. He was also prominently connected with various Jewish charitable organizations.[2]
Bondi was a member of the conservative-historical school and a moderate in theology and practice. He balked at radical changes advocated by Reform leaders. His wife conducted a private school for girls. His daughter Selma was Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise's second wife.[3]
Bondi died on March 11, 1874. He was buried in Cypress Hills Cemetery.[10]
References
edit- ^ Adler, Cyrus. "BONDI, JONAS". The Jewish Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
- ^ a b c Landman, Isaac, ed. (1940). The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia. Vol. 2. New York, N.Y.: The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, Inc. p. 451 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b "Bondi, Jonas". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
- ^ "New York". The Occident and American Jewish Advocate. Vol. XVI, no. 7. October 1858. pp. 354–355 – via Historical Jewish Press.
- ^ "New York". The Occident and American Jewish Advocate. Vol. XVII, no. 35. Philadelphia, P.A. 24 November 1859. pp. 205–206 – via Historical Jewish Press.
- ^ "REV. DR. BONDI OF NEW YORK". The Occident and American Jewish Advocate. Vol. XVII, no. 44. Philadelphia, P.A. 26 January 1860. p. 263 – via Historical Jewish Press.
- ^ "NEW CONGREGATION, N.Y." The Occident and American Jewish Advocate. Vol. XVIII, no. 25. Philadelphia, P.A. 13 September 1860. p. 154 – via Historical Jewish Press.
- ^ "The Occident and American Jewish Advocate". Vol. XX, no. 10. Philadelphia, P.A. January 1863. p. 1 – via Historical Jewish Press.
- ^ "THE HEBREW LEADER". The Occident and American Jewish Advocate. Vol. XXIII, no. 6. September 1865. p. 283 – via Historical Jewish Press.
- ^ "D-M-1874-0171492". The NYC Historical Vital Records Project. 11 March 1874.