Isserman, Ferdinand

Ferdinand Myron Isserman

Born in Belgium, Isserman immigrated to the United States with his family in 1906 and settled in Newark, New Jersey. He graduated from Central High School in Newark and then enrolled at Cincinnati's Hebrew Union College in 1914. While a rabbinic student at HUC, Isserman also attended the University of Cincinnati. He played on the varsity basketball team and was a founding member of the University of Cincinnati chapter of Sigma Alpha Mu.

In 1922, Isserman was ordained as a rabbi and became an assistant rabbi in Philadelphia. He then moved to Toronto in 1925 to become the rabbi at Toronto Hebrew Congregation. While in Toronto, Isserman arranged Canada�s first pulpit exchange between a rabbi and a Christian minister. In 1929, he became the rabbi of Temple Israel in St. Louis and retained the position until 1963. The auditorium at Temple Israel was named in honor of Isserman.

During his tenure at Temple Israel, Isserman was one of the most prominent rabbis in the United States. In 1932, Isserman gave the opening prayer at the Republican National Convention, which nominated incumbent President Herbert Hoover. Prior to World War II, Isserman took three fact-finding missions to Nazi Germany (in 1933, 1935, and 1937), and learned of the existence of concentration camps. Upon his return to the United States, Ferdinand warned Americans of the evils of Hitler, but few people believed that the camps indeed existed.

During Rabbi Isserman's illustrious career, he conducted a weekly Jewish program on a St. Louis radio station for 31 years (1932-63), served on various committees, and encouraged interfaith understanding and Jewish involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. In 1944, he wrote a book titled This is Judaism. After his death in 1972, Isserman was honored by many institutions, such as Washington University in St. Louis. This university awards the annual Ferdinand Isserman Prize to students in recognition of "significant contribution in leadership and service to ecumenical or interfaith activities on campus."

Birth and Death Dates:
b. March 4, 1898 - d. March 1972

Career Highlights:
While studying for the rabbinate at HUC, Ferdinand also attended the University of Cincinnati and played basketball at both schools. For three seasons Isserman played center for the Bearcats. In 1919, Ferdinand's senior year, Cincinnati played Kentucky twice, winning the first game at home, 28-18 (Isserman scored two points). One month later, the two teams clashed again and although Isserman was the game�s high-scorer with 14 points, Cincinnati lost the match, 34-21.

Origin:
Antwerp, Belgium

Career Dates:
Isserman played center at the University of Cincinnati from 1916-1919.

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