Gunther Plaut
Encyclopedia
Wolf Gunther Plaut, CC
, O.Ont
(born November 1, 1912) is a Reform
rabbi
and author. Plaut was the rabbi of Holy Blossom Temple
in Toronto
for several decades and since 1978 is its Senior Scholar.
He was born in Münster
, Germany
. His father's name was Jonas and his mother's name was Selma. Gunther had a younger brother, Walter who was the Rabbi of Temple Emanuel of Great Neck, NY at the time of his death in 1964 at the age of 43. Gunther received his Doctor of Laws degree and in 1935 fled the Nazis
and went to the United States
. In 1939, he received his ordination as a Rabbi from Hebrew Union College
. After receiving his U.S. citizenship on March 31, 1943, he enlisted as a chaplain
in the U.S. Army. He was eventually assigned to the 104th Infantry "Timberwolf" Division and served as a frontline chaplain
with the 104th in Belgium and Germany. He held pulpits in Chicago, Illinois (1939–1948) and at Mount Zion Temple in St. Paul, Minnesota (1948–1961). He moved to Holy Blossom Temple in 1961.
He published a volume of commentary on the Torah
and Haftarah
, which has become the standard Humash
used by the Reform movement. He was a long-time columnist for the Canadian Jewish News
as well as a contributor of opinion pieces to various Canadian newspapers such as the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star
. He was the first recipient of the W. Gunther Plaut Humanitarian Award. In 1978, he was the honoree of the Toronto Jewish National Fund Negev Dinner.
He is a former president of the Canadian Jewish Congress
and was also vice-chair of the Ontario Human Rights Commission
.
In 1978 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
and was promoted to Companion in 1999. In 1993, he was awarded the Order of Ontario
. In 1999, he received the Commander's Cross (Komturkreuz) of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
.
All of Rabbi Plaut's papers are housed at http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/lac-bac/result/all-tout.php?FormName=Fed+Simple+Search&SourceQuery=&ResultCount=5&PageNum=1&MaxDocs=-1&SortSpec=score+desc&Language=eng&SearchIn_1=&Operator_1=AND&SearchIn_2=&SearchInText_2=&Operator_2=AND&SearchIn_3=&SearchInText_3=&Sources_1=amicus&Sources_2=mikan&Sources_3=genapp&Sources_4=web&soundex=on&cainInd=&SearchInText_1=plautLibrary and Archives Canada in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada]. Rabbi Plaut's entire library was donated to York University and is housed at York's Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections.
A number of years ago, Plaut was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease
, and has withdrawn from all public activities.
His son, Jonathan V. Plaut, is also a Reform rabbi who currently serves as rabbi of Temple Beth Israel
in Jackson, Michigan
.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, O.Ont
Order of Ontario
The Order of Ontario is the most prestigious official honour in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier David Peterson, the civilian order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to...
(born November 1, 1912) is a Reform
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
and author. Plaut was the rabbi of Holy Blossom Temple
Holy Blossom Temple
The Holy Blossom Temple is a Reform synagogue located at 1950 Bathurst Street in Toronto, Canada. It is the oldest Jewish congregation in Toronto. Founded in 1856, it has more than 7,000 members. W. Gunther Plaut, now retired, was a long time Senior Rabbi for this synagogue...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
for several decades and since 1978 is its Senior Scholar.
He was born in Münster
Münster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. His father's name was Jonas and his mother's name was Selma. Gunther had a younger brother, Walter who was the Rabbi of Temple Emanuel of Great Neck, NY at the time of his death in 1964 at the age of 43. Gunther received his Doctor of Laws degree and in 1935 fled the Nazis
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
and went to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 1939, he received his ordination as a Rabbi from Hebrew Union College
Hebrew Union College
The Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion is the oldest extant Jewish seminary in the Americas and the main seminary for training rabbis, cantors, educators and communal workers in Reform Judaism.HUC-JIR has campuses in Cincinnati, New York, Los Angeles and Jerusalem.The Jerusalem...
. After receiving his U.S. citizenship on March 31, 1943, he enlisted as a chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
in the U.S. Army. He was eventually assigned to the 104th Infantry "Timberwolf" Division and served as a frontline chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
with the 104th in Belgium and Germany. He held pulpits in Chicago, Illinois (1939–1948) and at Mount Zion Temple in St. Paul, Minnesota (1948–1961). He moved to Holy Blossom Temple in 1961.
He published a volume of commentary on the Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
and Haftarah
Haftarah
The haftarah or haftoroh is a series of selections from the books of Nevi'im of the Hebrew Bible that is publicly read in synagogue as part of Jewish religious practice...
, which has become the standard Humash
Humash
The Hebrew term Chumash is one of the Hebrew names for the Five Books of Moses, also known by the Latinised Greek term Pentateuch or as one of the uses of the Hebrew term Torah, "Law." The word comes from the Hebrew word for five, ḥamesh...
used by the Reform movement. He was a long-time columnist for the Canadian Jewish News
Canadian Jewish News
The Canadian Jewish News is a weekly, English-language tabloid-sized newspaper serving Canada's Jewish community. Though independent, the newspaper has been, since 1971, owned by a group of Jewish leaders involved with Canadian Jewish Congress...
as well as a contributor of opinion pieces to various Canadian newspapers such as the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
. He was the first recipient of the W. Gunther Plaut Humanitarian Award. In 1978, he was the honoree of the Toronto Jewish National Fund Negev Dinner.
He is a former president of the Canadian Jewish Congress
Canadian Jewish Congress
The Canadian Jewish Congress was one of the main lobby groups for the Jewish community in the country, although it often competed with the more conservative B'nai Brith Canada in that regard. At its dissolution, the president of the CJC was Mark Freiman. Its past co-presidents were Sylvain Abitbol...
and was also vice-chair of the Ontario Human Rights Commission
Ontario Human Rights Commission
The Ontario Human Rights Commission was established in the Canadian province of Ontario on March 29, 1961 to administer the Ontario Human Rights Code...
.
In 1978 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
and was promoted to Companion in 1999. In 1993, he was awarded the Order of Ontario
Order of Ontario
The Order of Ontario is the most prestigious official honour in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier David Peterson, the civilian order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to...
. In 1999, he received the Commander's Cross (Komturkreuz) of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Bundesverdienstkreuz
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany is the only general state decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has existed since 7 September 1951, and between 3,000 and 5,200 awards are given every year across all classes...
.
All of Rabbi Plaut's papers are housed at http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/lac-bac/result/all-tout.php?FormName=Fed+Simple+Search&SourceQuery=&ResultCount=5&PageNum=1&MaxDocs=-1&SortSpec=score+desc&Language=eng&SearchIn_1=&Operator_1=AND&SearchIn_2=&SearchInText_2=&Operator_2=AND&SearchIn_3=&SearchInText_3=&Sources_1=amicus&Sources_2=mikan&Sources_3=genapp&Sources_4=web&soundex=on&cainInd=&SearchInText_1=plautLibrary and Archives Canada in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada]. Rabbi Plaut's entire library was donated to York University and is housed at York's Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections.
A number of years ago, Plaut was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
, and has withdrawn from all public activities.
His son, Jonathan V. Plaut, is also a Reform rabbi who currently serves as rabbi of Temple Beth Israel
Temple Beth Israel (Jackson, Michigan)
Temple Beth Israel is a Reform synagogue located at 801 West Michigan Avenue in Jackson, Michigan. Formed in 1862 by Jews of German background, it grew out of the Hebrew Benevolent Society, which had been organized in 1858, and was the second Reform congregation in Michigan.Dr. Jonathan V. Plaut,...
in Jackson, Michigan
Jackson, Michigan
Jackson is a city located along Interstate 94 in the south central area of the U.S. state of Michigan, about west of Ann Arbor and south of Lansing. It is the county seat of Jackson County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 33,534...
.
Selected works
- Die materielle Eheungultigkeit (doctoral dissertation, 1934)
- High Holiday Services for Children (1952)
- Mount Zion – The First Hundred Years (1956)
- The Jews in Minnesota; the first seventy-five years (1959) 59-14710
- The Book of Proverbs – A Commentary (1961) 61-9760
- Judaism and the Scientific Spirit (1962) 61-17139
- The Rise of Reform Judaism: A Sourcebook of Its European Origins (1963) 63-13568
- The Case for the Chosen People – The Role of the Jewish People Yesterday and Today (1965) 65-19869
- The Growth of Reform Judaism (1965) 65-18555
- Your Neighbour is a Jew (1967)
- The Sabbath as Protest: Thoughts on Work and Leisure in the Automated Society (1970)
- Page Two – Ten Years of “News and Views.” (1971)
- A Shabbat Manual (1972) 72-10299
- Genesis. The Torah, A Modern Commentary, Vol. I (1974)
- Exodus. The Torah, A Modern Commentary, Vol. II
- Time to Think (1977)
- Hanging Threads: Stories Real and Surreal (1978) ISBN 0-919630-99-5. Published in U.S. as The Man in the Blue Vest and Other Stories (1978) ISBN 0-8008-5093-9
- Numbers. The Torah, A Modern Commentary, Vol. IV (1979) ISBN 0-8074-0039-4
- Unfinished business: an Autobiography (1981), ISBN 0-919630-41-3
- The Torah: A Modern Commentary (1981), ISBN 0-8074-0055-6
- Deuteronomy. The Torah, A Modern Commentary, Vol. V (1983)
- Refugee Determination in Canada (1985)
- The Letter (1986) ISBN 0-7710-7164-7
- A Modern Commentary – Genesis. (1988) (In Hebrew)
- The Man Who Would Be Messiah: A Biographical Novel (1990), ISBN 0-88962-400-3
- The Magen David – How the Six-Pointed Star Became an Emblem for The Jewish People (1991) ISBN 0-910250-16-2
- German-Jewish Bible Translations: linguistic theology as a political phenonomen (1992)
- The Torah: a Modern Commentary ISBN 0-8074-0055-6
- Asylum: A Moral Dilemma (1995), ISBN 0-275-95196-0
- The Haftarah Commentary (1996) ISBN 0-8074-0551-5
- More Unfinished Business (1997), ISBN 0-8020-0888-7
- Teshuvot for the Nineties: Reform Judaism’s Answers to Today’s Dilemmas (1997) ISBN 0-88123-071-5
- The Price and Privilege of Growing Old (2000) ISBN 0-88123-081-2
- The Reform Judaism Reader (2001) ISBN 0-8074-0732-1
- Die Torah in Judischer Auslegung (in German) (1999–2004)
- The Torah: A Modern Commentary, Revised Edition (ISBN 0-8074-0883-2)
- One Voice: The Selected Sermons of W. Gunther Plaut (2007) ISBN 978-1-55002-739-6
- Eight Decades: The Selected Writings of W. Gunther Plaut (2008) ISBN 978-1-55002-861-4
External links
- Gunther Plaut at The Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian Encyclopedia is a source of information on Canada. It is available online, at no cost. The Canadian Encyclopedia is available in both English and French and includes some 14,000 articles in each language on a wide variety of subjects including history, popular culture, events, people,...