Aubrey Glazer

Rabbi Simon Glazer, also known as Shimon Glazer, was an influential Orthodox rabbi active in the early twentieth century. Born in Lithuania, his exact birth year is uncertain, possibly 1876 or 1878. He played a significant role in organizing American Orthodox rabbis, co-founding the Agudath ha-Rabbanim (Assembly of Hebrew Orthodox Rabbis of America) and serving as president of the Council of Orthodox Rabbis of the United States and Canada.

Glazer's career spanned Montreal and New York City. He was the chief rabbi for the United Synagogues of Montreal and Quebec City before moving to New York. He was a supporter of Zionism and actively campaigned for a Congressional resolution concerning the Jewish Palestine question in the 1920s. He also worked to delay the implementation of quotas on Jewish immigration to the United States, an effort that, while ultimately unsuccessful in preventing the legislation, allowed thousands of Jews to immigrate. Following the passage of immigration laws, he was authorized by President Warren G. Harding to adopt five Romanian orphans, facilitating their entry into the U.S.

His background included a secular education, unusual for rabbis of his training at the time, which aided his work in North America and enabled him to write for an American audience. He authored numerous books on Jewish topics. His papers are housed at Hebrew Union College, the seminary of Reform Judaism.

Simon Glazer was a dynamic leader within the Orthodox Jewish community, particularly in North America. He was instrumental in establishing and leading significant rabbinic organizations, including the Agudath ha-Rabbanim and the Council of Orthodox Rabbis of the United States and Canada. His work extended beyond organizational leadership to active advocacy for Jewish immigrants. Glazer campaigned for a Congressional resolution related to the Jewish Palestine question and spearheaded efforts to delay restrictive immigration quotas, a move that successfully allowed many Jews to enter the United States. His humanitarian efforts included facilitating the entry of orphaned Jewish children.

Glazer's rabbinical career took him from Montreal, where he served as Chief Rabbi, to various congregations in New York City, including Beth Medrash Hagadol of Harlem, Congregation Beth-El of Brooklyn, and the Maimonides Synagogue of Manhattan. His professional life was marked by both success and some controversy, including a notable rivalry in Montreal. Unusually for his background, he possessed a secular education that informed his writing and public engagement. Glazer authored numerous books covering a range of Jewish subjects, from prayer and Jewish law to history and commentary, making his work accessible to a broader audience.