Adas Israel (Nuremberg)

In Nuremberg, the Orthodox Jewish association Adas Israel ("Adaß Yisroel", "Israelite Religious Society") existed in the 19th/20th century (from 1874 to 1943) under the umbrella of the liberal main congregation.
  
The emergence of the association can be traced back to the strong liberal attitude of the majority of Nuremberg Jewish families in the 1860s. German prayers, the introduction of a three-year cycle of Torah readings in the synagogue instead of the traditional one-year cycle, the organ planned in the new synagogue and others led to the decision of a part of the Jewish families in the summer of 1874 to introduce a separate service in which the prayers were performed according to the old rite, the traditional customs were observed and the one-year cycle of Torah readings was maintained. The initiative to establish Adas Israel came essentially from teacher Salomon Ansbacher who had been a resident of Nuremberg since 1874 (1843 - 1911). At his side stood above all Berthold Horwitz, who became the leader of the association in the following almost 25 years (see below report on his death in 1919). Official recognition as an association was granted on March 17, 1876 . Rabbi Dr. Levin of the Kultusgemeinde largely supported the efforts of the Adas Israel Association.         
    
An facilities of the association existed a prayer hall, since 1902 a synagogue, a school (since 1875 religious school, since 1920 due to the efforts of Rabbi Dr. Klein Israelite elementary school - for the whole community) and a ritual bath (due to a demand of the Orthodox community members 1865 in the Wildbad - Hintere Insel Schütt 15 - also established for the whole community). A separate Orthodox cemetery was not established. To take care of religious duties, a teacher (religious teacher) was initially employed, who also acted as a prayer leader. In addition, a shochet recommended by orthodox rabbis was employed: since 1875 this was Mr. Schatt, who had previously worked in Bad Kissingen and was recommended by the Würzburg rabbinate. Teacher Salomon Ansbacher remained active for the association until 1909 and until his death in 1911. Since he had at the same time performed rabbinical functions for the association as a "rabbinate candidate", Adas Israel endeavored to employ his own rabbi after his retirement. On the basis of an agreement concluded between the Kultusgemeinde and Adas israel on January 12, 1908, the association was permitted to do so (in contrast to the rabbi of the Kultusgemeinde, the rabbi of Adas israel was also called the "association rabbi"). In 1909 it was possible to fill the position of rabbi of Adas Israel with Rabbi Dr. Arnold Klein . In addition, the association hired a cantor : already since 1902 or a few years later - until 1919 or his death in 1923 - in this function was the from Nikolsburg (today Mikulov, South Moravia) cantor Adolf Neufeld worked at Adas Israel. From 1919 until his death in 1931 was head cantor of Adas Israel Jakob Steinfeld.   
 
After 1920 due to the efforts of Rabbi Dr. Klein, an Israelite Elementary School could be established on the premises of Adas Israel (for Jewish pupils from the entire Nuremberg community), Dr. Isaak Bamberger (born 1874 in Lengnau, died 1950 in Jerusalem) took over the management of this school.
 
Around 1924, when Adas Israel (respectively Israelite Religious Society) included almost 400 people, the principals were Nathan Goldberger (d. 1935), Prof. Dr. Josef Tachauer, Baruch Marx, Maier Stern, Hirsch Weißmann, Bermann Adler, Alfred Klugmann, Benjamin Wolff and Moritz Uhlmann. Various commissions worked for the board, in particular a finance commission, a kashrut commission (chaired by Rabbi Dr. Klein) and a school commission (chaired by Prof. Dr. J. Tachauer). The elementary school of the Jewish Religious Society was attended by 150 children in 1924 (from the entire Jewish community of Nuremberg), who, in addition to Dr. Isaak Bamberger, were taught primarily by teacher Emanuel Heß (since 1921 head teacher and chairman at the Adass school, died 1933). 
  
At own Jewish associations Adas Israel had the charity association Gemilus chesed (1924 under the direction of Bermann Adler), the men's association Agudas Yisroel (administered by Dr. Lazarus Eisemann and Mr. Sichel; purpose and field of work: among others. interest-free loans for small business start-ups), the Jewish Women's Association Esras Noschim (founded in 1915; headed by Mathilde Goldberger in 1924; among its purposes and fields of work), the Jünglingsverein ("Bachurim"; headed by Jakob Kohn in 1924). As foundation existed the "Hospital Foundation" of Nathan Goldberger.  
  
In the November pogrom of 1938 the community center of Adas Israel with the synagogue was destroyed. 
 
Among those murdered during the Nazi era was long-time community leader Lehmann (Leo) Katzenberger (born 1873 in Massbach), who was guiltlessly convicted and executed on June 3, 1942, as a victim of Nazi racial justice after a show trial by the Special Court of Nuremberg.