David Paul Drach

David Paul Drach (6 March 1791 in Strasbourg – January 1868 in Rome) was a Catholic convert from Judaism, and librarian of the College of Propaganda in Rome.

Life Drach received his first instruction at the hands of his father, a noted Hebraist and Talmudic scholar and rabbi. At the age of twelve, Drach entered the first division of the Talmudic school in Edendorf near Strasbourg. This course of study, lasting ordinarily for three years, he completed in one year, and entered the second division of the Talmudic school in Bischheim the following year. He graduated in eighteen months and then matriculated in Westhofen to qualify as a teacher of the Talmud. When only sixteen years of age he accepted the position of instructor in Rappoltsweiler, remaining there three years; afterwards he followed the same profession in Colmar.

Here the youth devoted himself to the study of secular sciences to which he had already seriously applied himself during his Talmudic studies. Having obtained the rather unwilling permission of his father, in 1812 he went to Paris, where he received a call to a prominent position in the Central Jewish Consistory and at the same time fulfilled the duties of tutor for the children of Baruch Weil. The results of his method of teaching induced the Catholic families of Louis Mertien and Bernard Mertien to entrust their children to his care. This may have had some influence on his subsequent conversion. and a distinguished Biblical scholar.

After a few years Drach went to Rome, where he was appointed librarian of the Propaganda (1827), which office he held at his death. His conversion apparently inspired others, including the Libermann brothers; Francis Libermann was especially grateful to Drach for his advice and assistance in the establishment of the "Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary" (1842), which soon merged with the older "Holy Ghost Fathers" (1848).

Published works Lettres d'un rabbin converti aux Israélites, ses frères (Paris, 1825) Bible de Vence, with annotations (Paris, 1827–1833) in 27 volumes octavo. He remodelled the Hebrew-Latin Dictionary of Gesenius Catholic Hebrew-Chaldaic dictionary of the Old Testament (ed. Migne, Paris, 1848) Du divorce dans la synagogue (Rome, 1840); Harmonie entre l'église et la synagogue (Paris, 1844). There is a Spanish translation La Cabale des Hébreux (Rome, 1864).