Gunther Plaut

Wolf Gunther Plaut , CC , O.Ont (born November 1, 1912) is a Reform rabbi and author. Plaut was the rabbi of Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto for several decades and since 1978 is its Senior Scholar. He was born in Münster , Germany . His father's name was Jonas and his mother's name was Selma. Gunther had a younger brother, Walter who was the Rabbi of Temple Emanuel of Great Neck, NY at the time of his death in 1964 at the age of 43. Gunther received his Doctor of Laws degree and in 1935 fled the Nazis and went to the United States . In 1939, he received his ordination as a Rabbi from Hebrew Union College . After receiving his U.S. citizenship on March 31, 1943, he enlisted as a chaplain in the U.S. He was eventually assigned to the 104th Infantry "Timberwolf" Division and served as a frontline chaplain with the 104th in Belgium and Germany. He held pulpits in Chicago, Illinois (1939–1948) and at Mount Zion Temple in St. He moved to Holy Blossom Temple in 1961. He published a volume of commentary on the Torah and Haftarah , which has become the standard Humash used by the Reform movement. He was a long-time columnist for the Canadian Jewish News as well as a contributor of opinion pieces to various Canadian newspapers such as the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star . He was the first recipient of the W. In 1978, he was the honoree of the Toronto Jewish National Fund Negev Dinner. He is a former president of the Canadian Jewish Congress and was also vice-chair of the Ontario Human Rights Commission . In 1978 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and was promoted to Companion in 1999. In 1993, he was awarded the Order of Ontario . In 1999, he received the Commander's Cross (Komturkreuz) of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany . All of Rabbi Plaut's papers are housed at Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada . Rabbi Plaut's entire library was donated to York University and is housed at York's Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections. A number of years ago, Plaut was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease , and has withdrawn from all public activities. Plaut, is also a celebrated Reform rabbi, who currently serves as rabbi of Temple Beth Israel in Jackson, Michigan .

Wolf Gunther Plaut , CC , O.Ont (November 1, 1912 – February 8, 2012) was a Reform rabbi and author. Plaut was the rabbi of Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto for several decades and since 1978 was its Senior Scholar.

Plaut was the rabbi of Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto for several decades and since 1978 was its senior scholar.

German-born Canadian rabbi (1912–2012) Wolf Gunther Plaut , CC OOnt (November 1, 1912 – February 8, 2012) was an American Reform rabbi and writer who was based in Canada. Plaut was the rabbi of Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto for several decades and since 1978 was its senior scholar.