Isaac Mayer Wise Papers

Manuscript Collection No. 436

1847- 1931. 1.2 Linear ft.

ACCESS AND PROVENANCE
The Isaac Mayer Wise Papers were donated to the American Jewish Archives by a variety of sources including Mrs. Gilbert Bettman. By the act of donating the Isaac Mayer Wise Papers Papers to the American Jewish Archives, the property rights have been assigned to the American Jewish Archives. All literary rights to material authored by Isaac Mayer Wise are held by the Wise heirs. All literary rights to material authored by others are retained by the individuals and their heirs. Questions concerning rights should be addressed to the Executive Director of the American Jewish Archives. The papers are available to researchers in the reading room of the Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH top
Isaac Mayer Wise was born in Steingrub, Bohemia in 1819. After studying in various yeshivot in Prague, Czechoslovakia and Vienna, Austria he became a rabbi in Radnitz, Bohemia. Because of the poor prospects in Europe at the time, Wise immigrated in 1846 to New York.   He shortly thereafter became the rabbi at Congregation Beth El in Albany. There he became an advocate for reforms such as confirmation, choral singing and mixed pews.
Wise's reforms were not popular with his Albany congregation. He broke off in the early 1850s to form Anshe Emeth Congregation in Albany. Wise considered taking a pulpit in Charleston, South Carolina but in 1854 moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. He remained at Congregation B'nai Jeshurun in that city for the remainder of his life.
Wise remained actively involved in the creation of an "American Judaism." Shortly after his arrival in Cincinnati, he created the weekly paper known as The Israelite and a German supplement entitled Die Deborah. He also started the Zion College- a school for Hebrew and secular studies. It folded a short time later. In 1855, Wise was a leader at a conference in Cleveland, Ohio that drew fire from both Orthodox communities and the reform radicals. They were discussing a possible union of American Jewish congregations.
Isaac Mayer Wise is known as the founder of the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1875. This was one part of his larger goal of establishing a union of congregations.   Wise was president of HUC until his death- ordaining more than 60 rabbis and outgrowing their first campus. He was involved in the formation of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations.
Wise died in 1900. He was married to Therese Bloch by whom he had 10 children. She died in 1874. He then married Selma Bondi, by whom he had four children, among them Rabbi Jonah B. Wise.
Related AJA Collections
Cincinnati, Ohio- Congregation Bene Jeshurun. MSS Collection No. 62.
Microfilm Edition of the Writings of Isaac Meyer Wise. AJA MFM #2827-2841
Hebrew Union College Records. MSS. Collection No. 5.
Union of American Hebrew Congregations Records. MSS. Collection No. 72.
Central Conference of American Rabbis. MSS. Collection 34.
Wise, Isaac Mayer Wise. Nearprint File.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE top
The ISAAC MAYER WISE PAPERS (1828-1931) describe the rabbinic and professional activities of Isaac Mayer Wise, organizer of Reform Judaism and founder of the Hebrew Union College. He also served as a rabbi in both Albany, New York and Cincinnati, Ohio. The papers are divided into three (3) series:

    A. CORRESPONDENCE

    B. SERMONS AND WRITINGS

    C. NEARPRINT.

SERIES A. CORRESPONDENCE consists of one box, arranged alphabetically by name (1847-1900). Most of the correspondence is with family members, although 3 folders concern pulpits in Albany, New York.
SERIES B. SERMONS AND WRITINGS consists of a 3/4 Hollinger box of sermons and articles (1854-1928). Writings are arranged alphabetically by topic. This series also contains Wise's last will and testament.
SERIES C. NEARPRINT consists of 1/4 Hollinger box (1855-1955). It contains Wise's naturalization certificate, a folder of unidentified items and a book with notices about his death pasted in.
SERIES D. PHOTOGRAPHS consists of 24 folders (ca. 1840- 1933). It is organized into two subseries: photographs of Isaac Mayer Wise and family photographs. It includes photographs of children and grandchildren. Of special interest are photographs of Adolph Ochs, who married Iphigenia Wise.

BOX AND FOLDER LISTING top
Box  Folder    Contents
SERIES A. CORRESPONDENCE. 1847-1900. 
 
1       1                       A-K, General.
        2                       Albany, New York- Congregation Anshe Emeth. 1850.
        3                       Albany, New York- Congregation Beth El. 1850-1851.
        4                       Albany, New York- Congregation Beth Jacob. 1847; 1853.
        5                       Allegemeine Zeiting des Judentums. Letters. 1847-1877.
        6                       Bondi, Selma. 1876-1878.  
        7                       Heller, Maximilian. 1879-1896.
        8                       Huebsch, Adolph. 1866-1873.
        9                       L-W, General.
        10                      Philipson, David. 1886-1888.
        11                      Wise, Pauline. 1888-1894.
        12                      Zirndorf, Heinrich. 1876- 1890.
        13                      Wise Family and Misc. Correspondence. Foreign Language.
                                        1848-1900.


SERIES B. SERMONS AND WRITINGS. 1854-1928.

2       1                       Bible Commentaries. n.d.
        2                       The Catastrophe at Eger. 1854.
        3                       Cincinnati, Ohio- Congregation B'nai Jeshurun. n.d.
        4                       Defense of Judaism and Essence of Judaism; 1889; 1868.
        5                       Judaism: Its Doctrines and Duties. 1872.
        6                       Shall Jesus of Nazareth be taught in the Sabbath School? n.d.
        7                       Miscellaneous Speeches and Addresses. 1848-1876.
        8                       Miscellaneous Books.
        9                       Writings [re: Arts, Messianism, Sin, Theology]
        10                      Writings [re: Jewish Theology; Christianity; Jewish values]
        11                      Last Will and Testament. 1894-1928.


SERIES C. NEARPRINT 1855-1925.

2       12                      Naturalization Certificate. 1851.
        13                      Unidentified and Miscellenous. 1855-1900; n.d.
        14                      Death Notices; memorials. 1900-1910.


SERIES D. PHOTOGRAPHS
(Photographs are filed in the photo collection)

Subseries I. Photographs.       
Folder 1                Wise, Isaac Mayer. Pre-1865.
Folder 2                Wise, Isaac Mayer. 1865-1880.
Folder 3                Wise, Isaac Mayer. 1880-1900. 
Folder 4                Wise, Isaac Mayer. Busts, plaques, etc.
Folder 5                Farm located at College Hill, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Folder 6                Photos of Czechoslovokia, birthplace of Isaac Mayer Wise.
Folder 7                Isaac Mayer Wise. Boat docked at South Padre Island. San Antonio, Texas.                        
                
Subseries II. Family Photographs
Folder 8                Wise, Isaac Mayer, with first wife Theresa Bloch.       
Folder 9                Wise, Isaac Mayer, with first wife Theresa Bloch and Children.
Folder 10               Parents and Relatives of Theresa Bloch Wise.
Folder 11               May, Emily Wise and family.  Daughter of Isaac and Theresa Wise.
Folder 12               Wise, Leo and wife. Son of Isaac and Theresa Wise.
Folder 13               Wise, Dr. Julius. Son of Isaac and Theresa Wise.
Folder 14               Bernheim, Ida Wise and family. Daughter of Isaac and Theresa Wise.
Folder 15               Wise, Isadore. Son of Isaac and Theresa Wise.
Folder 16               Ochs, Iphigenia Wise and family. Daughter of Isaac and Theresa Wise.
Folder 17               Wise, Harry  and family. Son of Isaac and Theresa Wise.
Folder 18               Wise, Selma Bondi - 2nd Wife of Isaac. 
Folder 19               Wise, Elsa. Daughter of Isaac and Selma Wise. 
Folder 20               Wise, Jean and Jonah. Twin daughter and son of Isaac and Selma Wise.
Folder 21               Wise, Isaac Jr. Son of Isaac and Selma Wise.  
Folder 22               Isaac Mayer Wise's Grandchildren.
Folder 23               Isaac Mayer Wise's Grandchildren. Albums. 1918; 1931.
Folder 24               Miscellaneous Relatives of Isaac Mayer Wise.
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Copyright © 2001 Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives