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Leo Trepp - Life
Leo Trepp was born on March 4, 1913 at Mainz, Germany. He was the son of Maier Trepp und Selma Hirschberger, both of Germany. From early childhood he was educated as a deeply religious person and equally exposed to general culture (literature, art, music, life) by his parents. Upon attending Jewish elementary school for three years, he was educated for nine years at high school and in 1931 obtained his certificate allowing him to attend university. He studied philosophy and humanities at the Universities of Frankfurt, Berlin and Würzburg, and in 1935, obtained his Doctor of Philosophy from the latter. At the same time he studied at the Talmud Academy of Frankfurt and the Rabbinical Seminary of Berlin, where he was ordained in 1936. In 1936, by his free choice he accepted a call as Rabbi of the State of Oldenburg in Northern Germany, Landesrabbiner. (He could have accepted one to a congregation at Berlin), because the Jews of this state were in dire distress on account of their Nazi government. His experiences were brutal, but he could help the Jews. At this writing he, most likely, is the last still living rabbi, who was in office during the Nazi time. In 1938 he married Miriam de Haas, daughter of his departed predecessor. She died at San Rafael CA in December 1999. In 1938, during the Pogrom Night, he was arrested, his synagogues throughout the land were burnt down and he was transported to the Concentration Camp of Sachsenhausen, where conditions were inhuman. Through the services the Chief of Rabbi of Great Britain, who knew him, he was granted a one year immigration visa to England, and therefore released from the Concentration Camp with the provision that he would leave Germany within two weeks which he did. During this time he was also able to save the life of his brother by bringing him to England. When his immigration visa to the United States was granted him, he was happy to be admitted to the land of his hopes and days through the Ocean infested by German submarines. In January 1940 he arrived at Boston and soon became a member of the clergy association. Soon he also spoke regularly on the radio. On the Sunday after the outbreak of war a community service was held in the Anglican Church and he was chosen to give the sermon and lead the community in prayer for America. His first rabbinical position was at Greenfield, Mass., a typical New England town, whose citizens gave him the best possible education in American Democracy. After a brief stay as rabbi at Newport News, (where he could not stand the whites' racist attitude against African Americans) he accepted a position as rabbi of a congregation at Somerville, MA., which gave him the opportunity of enrolling at Harvard University. During the summer of 1945, he and his wife were sworn in as citizens of the United States. It was one of the happiest moments of his life. In 1946 he accepted a call to Tacoma WA, and in 1947 his daughter Susan was born. Following his idea, the Jews of Tacoma organized a gigantic brotherhood rally at which Orson Welles spoke. One of his projects was an effort of finding cooperation between religion and scientific psychology (with professors at the University of Washington at Seattle) a subject his friend Rabbi Joshua Loth Liebman of Boston had popularized in his national bestseller "Peace of Mind". In 1948, he accepted a call to the newly created Jewish congregation at Berkeley, CA, as its first full-time rabbi. In 1951 he consecrated the congregation's first synagogue. He studied at UC and on recommendation of its Placement Office, received a call from Napa College to teach Philosophy and Humanities. In 1951 he accepted the call, and remained on the active faculty of the college until 1983. He made time available to develop new Jewish congregations, all of them then very poor. Two examples may suffice: Santa Rosa, CA, where he served for 10 years as its founding rabbi, leading the congregation to high success. When he left he was awarded honorary membership in the congregation. He also gave evening courses at Santa Rosa Jr. College. Eureka, CA may serve as another example. He was called by 14 people, engaged in building up a congregation. Under his guidance the synagogue was built and consecrated by him. When he left he was elected "Rabbi emeritus". Both congregations are flourishing under full time rabbis. Subsequently, he served as the Jewish chaplain of the Veterans Home of California at Yountville, CA, first as volunteer then as employee. There he served all the veterans, not only Jews. His great achievement however was the establishment of a synagogue within the Home. He prevailed on the Administration to provide the room and on his own efforts got collections from wide circles for the precious, handmade furnishings, the Torah scrolls, etc. When he dedicated it, he was informed that the chapel was to bear his name. "Leo Trepp Chapel". The dedication was attended by representatives of State and communities. When he retired and moved to the Bay Area, he received a certificate of gratitude from the Legislature. December 15th, 1999 his wife, Miriam, died. Her very good friend, the young widow Gunda Wöbken-Ekert, first became a strong source of psychological support for him, and then, in 2000, she became his new life partner. They were married in September 2008. One of the functions he considered important, was lecturing widely in cities and communities of the country, and this work continues. In 1981, he was invited by German leaders to spend some annual time there to teach Judaism in Universities and communities, they needed to learn and there was no German Jew who could do it. He accepted, and has since taught one semester yearly in Germany. He became a professor of Judaism at the University of Mainz, and was elevated to Honorary Senator of the University, a very rare honor. Since then he has additionally been on the faculties of the Universities of Frankfurt, of Berlin, of Oldenburg. He has lectured at the Universities of Hamburg, Freiburg, Heidelberg, Greifswald and others, and has lectured widely. He regarded it as an essential function to teach Judaism through the written word.
Among his book publications are:
His work has resulted in a number of honors: D.D. - Doctor of Divinity - by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Dr. phil.h.c - Hon Ph.D. - University of Oldenburg Dr. phil h.c. -Hon. Ph.D. - University of Wuerzburg -with renewal of original document American Heritage foundation: George Washington Certificate of Honor Gutenberg Plakette - City of Mainz City Ring of Honor - City of Mainz Honorary Citizen - City of Oldenburg Cross of Honor First Class - Federal Republic of Germany Price of Oldenburger Landschaft Society Certificates of Appreciation - California legislature
Special Honor: Addressing the Parliament of the German State of Rheinland-Pfalz assembled in plenary session with introduction by Prime Minister Kurt Beck. Memberships: Rabbinical Assembly Central Conference of American Rabbis San Francisco Board of Rabbis American Academy of Religion American Philosophical Association
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