Falk Leib (1889-1957)

Falk Leib Isaac (1889, Bauska — 1957, Sydney) — rabbi.

Leib Isaac Falk was born into the family of a traveling salesman. He studied in yeshivas in Kovno (Kaunas) and Telšiai. One of his teachers was Abraham Isaac Kook, who later became the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem.

In 1911, he emigrated to Scotland. From 1912 to 1915, he served as a minister in Dundee, Forfarshire (Angus). From 1918 to 1921, he was a chaplain of the Royal Rifles (one of the first Jewish chaplains) in Egypt and Palestine.

In 1922, he became the second reader at the Great Synagogue in Sydney. He was a fervent Zionist and was a friend of Ze'ev Jabotinsky. He served as president of the Sydney Revisionist movement.

In the 1920s, he was the editor of the Australian Jewish Chronicle. In the 1930s, he was prohibited from making public statements on political topics, including Zionism.

In 1935, he became a chaplain of the Australian Armed Forces, and in 1942 — chaplain of the Eastern Military District. He was well known for his addresses on Anzac Day. He also served as a chaplain in state prisons and worked with Jewish refugees during World War II.

He assembled a large library on Anglo-Judaica, Australian Judaica, and Jewish folklore, which was acquired by the Great Synagogue in 1959.

He was also a skilled cabinetmaker, bookbinder, calligrapher, and silversmith. He served as Vice President of the Australian Jewish Historical Society.

Literature

Suzanne D. Rutland. Falk, Leib Aisack (1889–1957) Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 8. Melbourne University Press, 1981. p. 464.