Gustavus Poznanski

Gustavus Poznanski (1804–1879) was cantor and religious leader in Congregation Beth Elohim, Charleston, a pioneer of Reform Judaism in the Antebellum South.

Biography

Early life Poznanski was born in 1804 in Storchnest, South Prussia, now a part of Poland. He was one of seven children born to Joseph and Sarah Poznanski, members of the Hebrew Congregation of Storchnest. Being from an Orthodox Jewish family, he received a traditional education as a ritual slaughterer and a cantor. He left Poland in 1824 to go to Hamburg, which was a major center of the Jewish Reform Movement at the time. He spent time in Hamburg and later in Bremen learning about Reform Judaism before emigrating to the United States in 1831. Some progressive members of the congregation, backed by Poznanski, submitted a petition for the creation of an organ to the Board of Trustees. The idea was rejected by the traditionalist leaders as conflicting with the congregation's constitution, but a close, hotly contested congregational vote decided in favor of the petition and the organ was built. He added, "America is our Zion and Washington our Jerusalem."

After gaining control, Poznanski and the Reformers began to suggest more reforms such as the removal of the twelfth principle regarding the belief in the coming of the Messiah from Maimonides' Thirteen Principles of Faith as well as the removal of some traditional prayers and hymns from service. Joseph Poznanski (1841–1916).