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We mourn the loss of Rabbi W. Gunther Plaut, Senator of the Abraham Geiger College. Rabbi Plaut was an unparalleled scholar, leader, and liberal rabbi. Born in Germany in 1912, he studied at the Universities of Heidelberg and Berlin and received his doctorate in law from the University of Berlin in 1934. In 1935, he left Germany for the United States and studied at the Hebrew Union College Cincinnati where he was ordained in 1939.  He served as a chaplain with the U.S. forces during World War II, was present at the liberation of Nordhausen-Dora concentration camp in Germany in April 1945 and was decorated with the Bronze Star.

Rabbi Plaut served as a Rabbi in Chicago, St. Paul, and from 1961 on at Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto. He retired from his post as Senior Rabbi of Holy Blossom Temple in 1978 and was appointed its Senior Scholar.

He published over two dozen books on theology, philosophy and history, as well as works of fiction. His best known work is The Torah -- A Modern Commentary, of which he was editor and chief author. The work was also published in a German and Russian version.

A leader in the Jewish and wider community, he served as the President of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.

In 1964, Rabbi Plaut was honored by HUC-JIR with Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa and in 2003, Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa. In 1999, the Abraham Geiger College appointed him Senator of the College.

He also received honorary doctorates from the University of Toronto, York University, and McMaster University. He was a Companion of the Order of Canada and received the Order of Canada Award, the highest award given by the Canadian government.

Baruch dayan emet.

Vortrag von Rabbiner Prof. W. Gunther Plaut