ר׳ משה גסטר

ר׳ משה גסטר (1856–1939) was a Romanian-born rabbi, linguist, folklorist, manuscript collector and Zionist leader who served as Haham of London's Spanish and Portuguese Jews. Born in Bucharest, he studied at Leipzig and the Jewish Theological Seminary of Breslau, receiving rabbinic ordination in 1881. He then taught Romanian literature at the University of Bucharest and pioneered the scholarly study of Romanian folklore. His public advocacy against discrimination toward Romanian Jews led the government to expel him in 1885. Settling in England, he lectured on Slavonic literature at Oxford and in 1887 became Haham at Bevis Marks. He also directed the Judith Lady Montefiore College at Ramsgate from 1890 until institutional disputes prompted his resignation in 1896. Gaster was active in חובבי ציון and became a founder and president of the English Zionist Federation; discussions connected with the future Balfour Declaration took place at his London home. His scholarship ranged across Romanian literature, Jewish and comparative folklore, Samaritan texts, liturgy, Bible, Anglo-Jewish history and Hebrew manuscripts. Retiring from the Hahamship in 1918/19 as his eyesight weakened, he remained an influential scholar and collector until his death near Abingdon in 1939.