Samson Raphael Hirsch - Final Years

Final Years

During the final years of his life, Hirsch put his efforts in the founding of the "Freie Vereinigung für die Interessen des Orthodoxen Judentums", an association of independent Jewish communities. During the 30 years after his death this organization would be used as a model for the formation of the international orthodox Agudas Yisrael movement. Hirsch had a great love for the Land of Israel, which is apparent from his writings, but was opposed to the proto-Zionist activities of Zvi Hirsch Kalischer.

From reports of his family members, it seems likely that Hirsch contracted malaria while in Emden, which continued to plague him during the rest of life with febrile episodes.

Hirsch died in 1888 in Frankfurt am Main and is buried there.

Hirsch's son Mendel Hirsch (German) (1833–1900) was a scholar and writer; his granddaughter Rahel Hirsch (German) (1870–1953) became the first female professor of medicine in Prussia.

Read more about this topic:  Samson Raphael Hirsch

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