The Stolen Son: A Contemporary Tale
Salomon Formstecher
1859
VI. The Confession
The Israelites spent the rest of the day celebrating this festival of thanksgiving in their homes as a second Purim, with tears of sadness and joy, and by the time the sun set, the Jewish quarter was permeated by this mood of bliss. That evening the rabbi and his wife were entertaining several friends in their home, and here too…
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Creator Bio
Salomon Formstecher
Salomon Formstecher was among the first generation of university-trained rabbis in Germany. In his influential reformist work Religion des Geistes (Religion of the Spirit, 1841), he attempted a systematized, modern explanation of Jewish thought. His efforts to harmonize Jewish religious and social life with modern society included his work as editor of Der Freitagabend: Eine Familienschrift, which published popular literature on Jewish themes. Formstecher served his native community of Offenbach am Main as chief rabbi for nearly fifty years.