 Dr. Emil G. Hirsch was Rabbi of Chicago Sinai Congregation for forty-three years. In 1880 when he became their rabbi,their membership was 35 families. At his death, the congregation consisted of 6,000 worshipers.
World-renown Rabbi, University of Chicago Professor of Rabbinic Literature and Philosophy, Bible Editor of the Jewish Encyclopedia, Emil G. Hirsch was the master preacher of the Synagogue of the twentieth century. His tongue could lash mercilessly whenever a deed of unrighteousness, or disloyalty to man or God was committed. His lips were unsparing when the word of denunciation had to be phrased. Yet how caressing his tongue could be, how consoling his lips could be for the poor, the afflicted, the bruised, the crushed, what hope he could give those to whom the ways of life had become dark.
From page 288.
… The main purpose and the main province of a public library is to become the people’s college and the people’s university. And under no form of government is the establishment of a people’s university, free to all regardless of condition, sex, color, erudition or, the want thereof, so essential as it is in a land which founds its system of government on the suffrage of its free citizens. For in this country every question of public interest, whatever its nature, whether political, financial, economic or social, is submitted to the arbitrament of the ballot; and it is indeed essential that those who deposit their vote to shape the future of their land shall have within easy reach the sources of information whereby to confirm or to confound the statements made to them on the hustings, and even in the Public prints. …
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