Aaron J. Messing
Aaron J. Messing (June 18, 1840 – September 23, 1916) was a German-American rabbi who ministered primarily in San Francisco and Chicago.
Life
Messing was born on June 18, 1840, in Gniewkowo, Prussia. His father Joseph Messing was a Talmudist, exegete, and rabbi who wrote a number of Jewish books. His brothers Mayer and Henry were also rabbis.{{Cite web |last=Adler |first=Cyrus |author-link=Cyrus Adler |last2=Singer |first2=Isidore |author-link2=Isidore Singer |title=MESSING |url=https://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/10734-messing |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=The Jewish Encyclopedia}}
Messing was educated in Breslau and Graetz. He received a Ph.D. from the University of Rostock in Mecklenburg. He was ordained a rabbi by Rabbi E. Gutmacher, Rabbi M. Feilchenfeld, Rabbi N. Caro. He then served as rabbi in Militsch, Silesia as well as in Mecklenburg-Schwerin.{{Cite book |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/American_Jewish_Year_Book/lKFKAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%22Messing,%20Aaron%22 |title=The American Jewish Year Book, 5664 |publisher=The Jewish Publication Society of America |year=1903 |editor-last=Adler |editor-first=Cyrus |editor-link=Cyrus Adler |location=Philadelphia, P.A. |pages=81 |language=en |via=Google Books}} He later immigrated to America, and in 1866 he was named rabbi of Beth Israel Bikur Cholim in New York City, New York.{{Cite news |date=17 August 1866 |title=RELIGIOUS NOTICES |url=https://www.nli.org.il/en/newspapers/hebleader/1866/08/17/01/article/22.1/?e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN%7ctxTI--------------1 |work=The Hebrew Leader |location=New York, N.Y. |page=5 |via=Historical Jewish Press |volume=VIII |issue=19}} In 1868, he became rabbi of the B'nai Shalom Congregation in Chicago, Illinois.{{Cite news |date=19 June 1868 |title=CHICAGO, IL |url=https://www.nli.org.il/en/newspapers/hebleader/1868/06/19/01/article/13/?e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN%7ctxTI--------------1 |work=The Hebrew Leader |location=New York, N.Y. |page=4 |via=Historical Jewish Press |volume=XII |issue=11}} In 1870, he became rabbi of Congregation Sherith Israel in San Francisco, California.{{Cite news |date=8 July 1870 |title=SAN FRANCISCO |url=https://www.nli.org.il/en/newspapers/theisraelite/1870/07/08/01/article/33/?e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN%7ctxTI--------------1 |work=The Israelite |location=Cincinnati, O.H. |page=11 |via=Historical Jewish Press |volume=XVII |issue=2}} Over the course of the next two decades, he founded at least twelve congregations and twenty three Sunday schools in Nevada, Oregon, and California. He also wrote several popular Sunday school textbooks, namely "A Hebrew Primer" and "The Jewish Catechism." In 1890,{{Cite news |date=16 May 1890 |title=Congregation Beth Israel |url=https://www.nli.org.il/en/newspapers/americanhebrew/1890/05/16/01/article/38.3/?e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN%7ctxTI--------------1 |work=The American Hebrew |location=New York, N.Y. |page=38 |via=Historical Jewish Press |volume=43 |issue=2}} he went back to Chicago and again served as rabbi of B'nai Shalom. He served as rabbi there until his death.{{Cite book |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Universal_Jewish_Encyclopedia/9pwYAAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=Messing |title=The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia |publisher=The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, Inc. |year=1942 |editor-last=Landman |editor-first=Isaac |editor-link=Isaac Landman |volume=7 |location=New York, N.Y. |pages=506 |language=en |via=Google Books}}
In 1870, Messing married Fannie Livingston.{{Cite book |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Book_of_Chicagoans/xlQDAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=Messing |title=The Book of Chicagoans |publisher=A.N. Marquis Company |year=1911 |location=Chicago, I.L. |pages=474 |language=en |via=Google Books}} Their children were Mrs. Minna Levy of San Francisco, Mrs. H. H. Mitchell of Chicago, Mrs. David Livingstone of Kankakee, Illinois, Mrs. Hebert Ullman of New York, Mrs. Theodore Loberman of Montgomery, Alabama, Herman J. Messing of New York, Sigmund Messing of Los Angeles, and Rabbi Abraham J. Messing. Abraham was also a rabbi who ministered in Alabama and Illinois.
Messing died at his daughter's home on September 23, 1916. He was buried in the Jewish Graceland Cemetery.{{Cite news |date=27 September 1916 |title=RABBI AARON J. MESSING DEAD |url=https://www.nli.org.il/en/newspapers/cgs/1916/09/27/01/article/29/?e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN%7ctxTI--------------1 |work=The Sentinel |location=Chicago, I.L. |page=9 |via=Historical Jewish Press |volume=23 |issue=13}}
References
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Category:19th-century German rabbis
Category:American people of German-Jewish descent
Category:University of Rostock alumni
Category:Prussian emigrants to the United States
Category:American Reform rabbis
Category:19th-century American rabbis
Category:20th-century American rabbis
Category:Rabbis from New York City