author
Simon Wolf
1836–1923
A German-born American lawyer and diplomat, he became one of the best-known Jewish communal leaders in Washington and spent decades speaking up for civil and religious rights. He also wrote about Jewish service in American history, helping preserve stories that might otherwise have been forgotten.
1 Audiobook
The American Jew as Patriot, Soldier and Citizen
by Simon Wolf
About the author
Born in Hinzweiler, Bavaria, in 1836, he came to the United States as a child and grew up in Ohio. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1861, and soon moved to Washington, D.C., where he built a long career as a lawyer and public figure.
Over the years, he became known not only for his legal work but also for his public service and political connections. He served as U.S. consul at Cairo and was active in national Jewish organizations, including B'nai B'rith and the Board of Delegates on Civil and Religious Rights, where he pushed for the protection of Jewish interests in the United States and abroad.
He was also a writer and historian of public life. His best-known book, The American Jew as Patriot, Soldier and Citizen, reflected his deep interest in the place of Jewish Americans in the nation's story. He died in 1923, remembered as a tireless advocate, organizer, and spokesman for his community.