The Jews in Our Time

Born in Galicia, Bonaventura Mayer converted to Christianity to become a professor of languages at the University of Vienna. He subsequently proselytized, traveling throughout Eastern Europe in 1825 and 1826. During that trip, he encountered the Hasidic rebbe Israel Friedman of Ruzhin, whom he discusses in his work Die Juden unserer Zeit, which also describes the conditions of the Jews whom he met. He actively opposed Reform Judaism, and was attacked in the Jewish periodical press.