קהילת יהודי פרשוב

Rose Pauly (1895-1975), dramatic soprano, born in Eperjes, Hungary (then part of Austria-Hungary, today Prešov, in Slovakia). She studied voice training in Vienna, Austria, following which she made her opera debut as Aida in Hamburg, Germany. At the Koln Opera, she was discovered by Otto Klemperer who brought her to the Kroll Opera in Berlin (1927) where, for the next few years, she was given important roles in most of their productions. She built an extraordinary repertoire including more than sixty roles and was invited to appear with most of the leading opera houses of Europe. At the Vienna Opera, she appeared successfully in most the Wagnerian and Richard Strauss soprano roles, scoring a notable triumph in Strauss's Elektra. In Vienna she was given the highest appointment to which a prima Donna could aspire, that of Kammersaangerin. In Italy, where she sang in every major opera house, she was also honored: In the hall of fame at the Verdi Opera House of Trieste her portrait was hung between Duse's and Moissi's.
In 1937, she made her American debut in a concert performance of Elektra with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. She was a sensation. A few months later, she was engaged by the Metropolitan Opera House, making her debut there in Elektra. She also scored triumphs as Elektra in Covent Garden, London, and Salzburg, Austria. Among her other great roles was Leonora in Beethoven's Fidelio.
However, though Elektra has been her most successful role, she proved her talent in a great variety of standard and modern operas through appearances in leading opera houses of the United States and South America. She appeared extensively in song recitals.

Pauly survived the Holocaust, and in 1946, leaving behind her meteoric career, she settled in Tel Aviv, Israel, and worked as a teacher.

Mor Janos Revai (1860-1926), publisher and author, born in Eperjes, Hungary (then part of the Austrian Empire, now Presov, Slovakia). His father Samuel Revai, had started as a bookbinder's apprentice, become a bookseller, and founded the firm of Revai Testverek (Revai Brothers), which published the best of contemporary Hungarian literature. He studied at the Universities of Budapest and Leipzig, Germany, and worked in several Leipzig publishing houses.

From 1880 on he worked for the firm of Revai Testverek, becoming its director general in 1895. From 1880 to 1885 he edited the "Regenyvilag", a literary periodical, and cooperated in the productiion of the volume "Az Osztrak-Magyar Monarchia irasban es kepekben" ("The Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in Writings and Pictures"). In 1893 he published the works of the novelist Mor Jokai on the fiftieth jubilee of his authorship in a hundred de luxe volumes.

Mor Janos Revai published and edited the Hungarian Encyclopedia, "Revai Nagy Lexikona" (21 vols.), several editions of classical fiction and of the best books of modern thought. He wrote a number of works, some of them in German and French, including: "La doctrine de Monroe appliquee a Europe" (1916); "Le militarisme allemande" (1916); "La voix de la paix" (1917); "L'ideal democratique de l'Entente et la Hongrie" (1918). In Hungarian he wrote, among others, "A vilaghaboru vegcelja" ("The Final Destination of World War"); "Anglia kivalasa Europabol" ("England's Separation from Europe", 1915); "Egy Magyar ember nyilt levele Wilsonhoz" ("Open Letter of a Hungarian to President Wilson", 1918) and "Magyarorszag integritasa es a wilsoni elvek" ("Hungary's Integrity and the Wilsonian Principles"' 1920).
Mor Janos Revai converted to Christianity.

Emil Reich (1854-1910), author and historian, born in Eperjes, Hungary (then part of the Austrian Empire, now Presov in Slovakia). He studied at the Universities of Prague, Budapest and Vienna, receiving a LL.D. degree from the latter. Up to the age of thirty he studied in various libraries. He spent five years in the United States, four years in France and several years in England (where he finally settled), studying in the institutions of those countries.

He lectured on philosophy and history at the Universities of London, Cambridge and Oxford. He was employed by the British government in the preparation of the British case in the Venezuela boundary affair.

Reich's numerous published books include: "History of Civilizations; Graeco-Roman Institutions" (Oxford lectures); "Hungarian Literature"; "Atlas of English History"; "Foundations of Modern Europe"; "Select Documents Illustrating Mediaeval and Modern History"; "Imperialism"; "The Failure of the Higher Criticism of the Bible"; "General History of Western Nations" (part 1, 3 vols., Antiquity); "Nights with the Gods" (1909). He was among the first to popularize the works of Henrik Ibsen in England.

E. Reich died in London where he had settled.

Solomon Mayer Schiller-Szinessy (1820-1890), rabbi and scholar, born in Obuda (Althofen, in German) now part of Budapest, Hungary (then part of the Austrian Empire). He received a traditional rabbinic education, attending Hungarian and other institutions, notably the Lutheran College at Eperjes (then Hungary, now Presov, Slovakia). He graduated from the University of Jena, Germany, in 1845.

At Eperjes (now Presov, Slovakia), Schiller was given a faculty appointment for Hebrew and also became local rabbi. The atmosphere of tolerance in the college influenced him permanently. Through his eloquence in the pulpit, he fostered Hungarian patriotism. His rabbinical teachers were moderates, but in 1845 he vigorously attacked in print the Reform resolutions of the Frankfurt Rabbinical Conference. During the Hungarian revolution (1848-1849), Schiller added the Magyar "Szinessy" to his name and enlisted in the army; he was wounded and captured by the Austrians. On the eve of his intended execution he managed to escape from Temesvar (now Timisoara, Romania) via Trieste and reached Ireland. From there he went to Manchester, England, where in 1851 he became rabbi.

While endeavoring to keep traditionalists and would-be reformers together, he became embroiled with the chief rabbi Nathan Adler by attempting to extend his ecclesiastical jurisdiction over northern England; he was then persuaded by the reformers to join their new dissident synagogue, although his personal practice and outlook remained strongly traditional throughout his life.

Schiller resigned his rabbinical post in 1860 and moved in 1863 to Cambridge, England. His bibliographical erudition earned him the appointment in 1866 as teacher (later reader) of Talmudic and rabbinic literature at Cambridge University. He was the first professing Jew formally entrusted by Cambridge with the subject, and he taught and inspired a distinguished list of gentile rabbinical scholars, which included C. Taylor and W. H. Lowe. Schiller's principal scholarly achievement was his prolix Catalogue of Hebrew Manuscripts Preserved in the Cambridge University Library, a portion of which was published in 1876. He edited Book One of David Kimhi's commentary on the Psalms (1883) and Romanelli's account of his Moroccan travels (Massa ba-Arav, 1885). Books published while Schiller was still in Hungary include: Tendenz u. Geist der zweiten Rabbiner versammlung zu Frankfurt a. Main (1845); Die Befreiung durch unseren Glauben (1845), and Kanzelreden (1845).

David Lefkowitz (1875-1955), rabbi, born in Presov, Slovakia (then part of the Austria-Hungary). In 1881, after his father's death, he immigrated to the United States. At the age of seven, he was placed in the Hebrew Orphan Asylum of New York. He studied at the College of the City of New York (B.S., 1894), supporting himself by teaching at the orphan asylum. After graduation, he continued his teaching for two years. He thought of becoming an artist and was admitted to the Art Students League of New York, but finally studied for the rabbinate (University of Cincinnati, B.L., 1899; Hebrew Union College, Rabbi 1900).

In 1900 he became a rabbi of Congregation B'nai Yeshurun (afterwards Temple Israel) of Dayton, Ohio. He served in that capacity for twenty years. In Dayton, he participated in many communal activities; he was president of the Humane Society and of the Playgrounds and Gardens Association; he was active in inaugurating the city manager form of government; and, during World War I, he was chairman of the American Red Cross of Montgomery County (which includes Dayton). He held this post until 1920.

Lefkowitz was chosen rabbi Temple Emanu-El, Dallas, Texas, in 1920. In 1935 he was elected rabbi for life. He organized the Southwestern Jewish Chautauqua (afterwards, the Southwestern Conference of Jewish Religious Schools), and was its first president (1923-25); later, he was elected honorary president.

Lefkowitz was also editor of the Dallas Jewish American. In Dallas, as in Dayton, he participated in many communal activities of general interest, including the Dallas Community Chest, of which he was vice-president; and he was chairman of the American Red Cross (1925-26). He was the first chairman of the Committee of Church and State of the central Conference of American Rabbis, and held the office many years. From 1929 to 1931 he was president of the Conference.

Lefkowitz was on the advisory board of Southern Methodist University as well as a member of the board of governors of the Hebrew Union College, and was awarded honorary degrees by both (LL.D., Southern Methodist University, 1927; D.D., Hebrew Union College, 1939).