Albert Friedlander

Albert Hoschander Friedlander OBE (10 May 1927 – 8 July 2004) was a German-American rabbi and professor who became the Rabbi Emeritus of the Westminster Synagogue in London.

Friedlander was born in Berlin. He and his family escaped Germany after Kristallnacht sailing to Cuba on the last boat to land before the MS ''St. Louis''. He graduated from the University of Chicago and entered the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. He was ordained as a rabbi in 1952. From 1956 to 1961, he served as Rabbi for Temple B'nai B'rith, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He also taught part-time at Wilkes College. Friedlander then earned his Ph.D. in theology from Columbia University and became involved in the civil rights movement. In 1966, he moved to London, and became the rabbi of Wembley Liberal Synagogue while also lecturing at Leo Baeck College. In 1971, he became the rabbi for Westminster Synagogue. He became the Director of Studies at Leo Baeck from 1971 to 1982 and then served as Dean from 1982 to 2004. From 1975 to 1995, he was the Vice President for the World Union for Progressive Judaism.

Friedlander returned to Germany as a guest lecturer and speaker. In 1993, he was awarded the German Bundesverdienstkreuz First Class (Order of Merit) and, in 2001, he became the first overseas-born Rabbi to be appointed by the Queen to the Order of the British Empire (OBE). Provided by Wikipedia