About Louis Werfel
Lived 1916 – 1943 (aged 26–27). Louis Werfel was a rabbi.
Louis (Eliezar) Werfel's memorial plaque at Knesseth Israel Congregation, Birmingham, AL.
Chaplain Louis (Eliezer) Werfel (1916 – 25 December 1943) was an American Orthodox Rabbi and Jewish chaplain who was one of only six Jewish Chaplains and the only Orthodox Rabbi killed in action during World War II. Werfel's fellow soldiers gave him the nickname "The Flying Rabbi" because he traveled to remote locations throughout North Africa by plane.
He died on December 25, 1943, when the plane he was travelling on crashed into a mountain in Algeria.
He was initially buried in North Africa, but army regulations in 1950 required that his body be sent back to the United States. After the return of Werfel's body to the United States, his wife arranged for his burial in the cemetery of the religious kibbutz Tirat Zvi in northern Israel.
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Louis Werfel's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Louis Werfel?
American orthodox rabbi
When was Louis Werfel born?
Louis Werfel was born in 1916.
When did Louis Werfel die?
Louis Werfel died in 1943.
What was Louis Werfel's occupation?
Louis Werfel was a rabbi.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Louis Werfel. https://biography.guide/louis-werfel/
MLA: "Louis Werfel." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/louis-werfel/.
Chicago: "Louis Werfel." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/louis-werfel/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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