author
David de Sola Pool
1885–1970
A leading Sephardic rabbi in 20th-century America, he spent more than six decades guiding New York’s historic Congregation Shearith Israel. His work joined scholarship, religious leadership, and public service in a way that reached far beyond his own congregation.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Born in London in 1885, David de Sola Pool trained in both Jewish and secular studies in Britain and Germany before moving to New York in 1907. He became a central figure at Congregation Shearith Israel, the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, the oldest Jewish congregation in the United States, and remained there for much of his life.
He was known not only as a rabbi, but also as a scholar, writer, and civic leader. His work helped preserve and interpret Sephardic Jewish history and tradition in America, and he became widely recognized as one of the most important Sephardic religious leaders in the United States.
De Sola Pool died in 1970, leaving behind a legacy shaped by learning, community leadership, and a deep commitment to Jewish life. For listeners interested in Jewish history, American religious life, or Sephardic tradition, his story offers both historical depth and a strong sense of purpose.