Congregation Shearith Israel of Baltimore
d. 8 Tishrei, 1933
Rav Schaffer studied in the Berlin Rabbiner Seminar (Rabbinical Seminary), headed by the famous Rav Azriel Hildesheimer. The Rav was ordained by Rav Hildesheimer, Rav Avroham Diamant of Yurburg, Rav Zev Lehrman of Erzvilok, the Kovno Rov, Rav Yitzchok Elchonon Spector and Rav Alexander Moshe Lapidus (Lapidoth) of Rossieny (a friend of Rav Yisroel Salanter).
The Rav arrived in New York in 1892 and was soon installed as the first Moreh Dasrah of Shearith Israel. In 1928, after having served for thirty-five years Rav Schaffer retired to the position of rabbi emeritus. He was to remain responsible for the congregation’s kashrus supervision until the appointment of his successor. However, at the time of Rav’s passing, no successor had been appointed. It was not until four years later, in December 1936, that Rav Shimon Schwab arrived from Europe to fill the vacancy left by Rav Schaffer.
Anyone with information is asked to please send it in. See CONTACT page for details.
Directions to kever:
Baltimore Hebrew Congregation
Belair Road Cemetery
2100 Belair Rd
Baltimore, MD 21213
(Small Footstone, its advisable to call the cemetery in advance 410-764-1587)

Rabbi Abba Schepschel Schaffer
December 17th, 2008 · 2 Comments
Tags: Maryland









2 responses so far ↓
1 Baruch A // Dec 17, 2008 at 9:36 pm
I am grateful to Professor Yitzchok Levine for his extraordinary efforts on research Rav Schaffer and to Gerald Shavrick of Project Ezra for locating the kever.
Thank you,
2 Dr. Yitzchok Levine // Dec 31, 2008 at 11:20 pm
For more about Rabbi Dr. Schaffer please see
Rabbi Schepschel Schaffer: Early Years of an Orthodox Activist at http://www.jewishpress.com/content.cfm?contentid=27803
and
Forty Years as Rav of Baltimore’s Congregation Shearith Israel at
http://www.jewishpress.com/content.cfm?contentid=28189
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