# Alexander Lyons > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Alexander_Lyons > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Alexander_Lyons.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Lyons > Source revision: 1270733512 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|American rabbi}} {{about|the American rabbi|the DC Comics character|Battalion (DC Comics)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Alexander Lyons | image = Alexander Lyons (1867–1939).png | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1867|6|19}} | birth_place = [Mobile](/source/Mobile%2C_Alabama), Alabama, US | death_date = {{Death date and age|1939|6|5|1867|6|19}} | death_place = [Brooklyn](/source/Brooklyn), New York, US | burial_place = | occupation = Rabbi | awards = | spouse = {{Marriage|Ida Eisendrath|1892}} | children = 3 | education = {{Plainlist| * [University of Cincinnati](/source/University_of_Cincinnati) * [Hebrew Union College](/source/Hebrew_Union_College_%E2%80%93_Jewish_Institute_of_Religion) }} | signature = | party = }} '''Alexander Lyons''' (June 19, 1867 – June 5, 1939) was an American rabbi who ministered in New York City for nearly 40 years. == Life == Lyons was born on June 19, 1867, in [Mobile, Alabama](/source/Mobile%2C_Alabama), the son of Samuel Lyons and Fanny Wolf.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uWrXAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Lyons,%20Alexander%22 |title=Who's Who in American Jewry, 1926 |date=January 1927 |publisher=The Jewish Biographical Bureau, Inc. |location=New York, N.Y. |pages=406 |language=en |via=[Google Books](/source/Google_Books)}} Lyons attended public schools in Mobile.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lKFKAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Lyons,%20Alexander%22 |title=The American Jewish Year Book, 5664 |publisher=[The Jewish Publication Society of America](/source/The_Jewish_Publication_Society_of_America) |year=1903 |editor-last=Adler |editor-first=Cyrus |editor-link=Cyrus Adler |location=Philadelphia, P.A. |pages=77 |language=en |via=[Google Books](/source/Google_Books)}} In 1891, he received a B.L. from the [University of Cincinnati](/source/University_of_Cincinnati) and was ordained a rabbi at [Hebrew Union College](/source/Hebrew_Union_College_%E2%80%93_Jewish_Institute_of_Religion). He served as rabbi of Temple Israel in [Terre Haute, Indiana](/source/Terre_Haute%2C_Indiana), from 1891 to 1895, followed by [Congregation Beth Emeth](/source/Congregation_Beth_Emeth) in [Albany, New York](/source/Albany%2C_New_York), from 1895 to 1902. In 1902, he became rabbi of [Congregation Beth Elohim](/source/Congregation_Beth_Elohim) in [Brooklyn, New York](/source/Brooklyn). He was a founder of the Consumptives Jewish Aid Society of Brooklyn in 1907. He wrote ''At Sinai'', ''Home and School'', ''Heart to Heart'', and ''Delinquent Parents''.{{Cite book |url=https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/111231/?offset=0#page=748&viewer=picture&o=info&n=0&q= |title=Who's Who in American Jewry, 1938-1939 |publisher=National News Association, Inc. |year=1939 |editor-last=Simons |editor-first=John |volume=3 |location=New York, N.Y. |pages=689 |language=en |via=[FamilySearch](/source/FamilySearch)}} He received an M.A. from [Columbia University](/source/Columbia_University) in 1906 and a Ph.D. from [New York University](/source/New_York_University) in 1909.{{Cite journal |date=January 1910 |title=Degrees Conferred, 1909 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=95VBAQAAMAAJ&q=%22Alexander%20Lyons%22 |journal=New York University Bulletin |volume=X |issue=1 |page=187 |via=[Google Books](/source/Google_Books)}} Lyons served as rabbi of Beth Elohim until he died. Interested in promoting good will between Jews and Christians, he founded and edited the monthly magazine ''The Supplement'' in 1920 to promote interfaith understandings. He published a collection of his essays on the topic in the 1937 volume ''Jew and Christian''. Active in general and Jewish social work, he was an executive board member of the Society for the Prevention of Crime, a member of the Brooklyn Library Board, and an honorary member of the Young Men's Christian Association.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9pwYAAAAIAAJ&q=%22Lyons,%20Alexander%22 |title=The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia |publisher=The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, Inc. |year=1942 |editor-last=Landman |editor-first=Isaac |editor-link=Isaac Landman |volume=7 |location=New York, N.Y. |pages=255 |language=en |via=[Google Books](/source/Google_Books)}} In 1919, the French government named him a ''Chevalier'' of the [Legion of Honour](/source/Legion_of_Honour) for his service on the pulpit and platform on behalf of France and the [Allies](/source/Allies_of_World_War_I) even before America joined [World War I](/source/World_War_I).{{Cite news |date=8 November 1919 |title=Legion of Honor for Rev. Dr. Lyons |url=https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/686949218/ |newspaper=[The Brooklyn Daily Eagle](/source/The_Brooklyn_Daily_Eagle) |location=New York City, N.Y. |page=24 |edition=Last |via=[Brooklyn Public Library](/source/Brooklyn_Public_Library) Archive |volume=79 |issue=310}} Lyons was a founder of the Sheepskin Club of Brooklyn and a member of [B'nai B'rith](/source/B'nai_B'rith), the [Freemasons](/source/Freemasonry), the Judaeans, the Clergy Club, the Unity Club, and the [Montauk Club](/source/Montauk_Club). He was also an honorary member of the [Knights of Columbus](/source/Knights_of_Columbus). In 1892, he married Ida Eisendrath. Their children were Samuel, Albert, and Irene. Lyons died at home from a heart attack while recovering from pneumonia on June 5, 1939. He was cremated at Fresh Pond Crematory.{{Cite news |date=6 June 1939 |title=Dr. Alexander Lyons Dies at 71, Noted as Dean of Boro Rabbis |url=https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/52609501/ |work=[Brooklyn Eagle](/source/Brooklyn_Eagle) |location=Brooklyn, N.Y. |pages=1, 11 |via=[Brooklyn Public Library](/source/Brooklyn_Public_Library) Archive |volume=98 |issue=156}} His funeral at Beth Elohim was conducted by Rabbi [Isaac Landman](/source/Isaac_Landman), his successor as rabbi of Beth Elohim, and Rabbi Sidney S. Tedesche of [Union Temple](/source/Union_Temple_of_Brooklyn). [New York Supreme Court](/source/New_York_Supreme_Court) Justice [Meier Steinbrink](/source/Meier_Steinbrink) delivered the eulogy. The funeral was attended by 800 people, including Rabbi Samuel J. Levinson of Temple Beth Emeth, Rabbi Max Reichler of Temple Beth Sholom, Rabbi Harry Weiss of [Shaari Zedek Temple](/source/Shaari_Zedek_Synagogue), Association of Reform Rabbis of New York president Rabbi [Joshua L. Goldberg](/source/Joshua_L._Goldberg), Rabbi Benjamin A. Tintner of the Association of Reform Rabbis, rabbis Joseph Miller, [Jacob Bosniak](/source/Jacob_Bosniak), and A. Allen Steinbach of the Brooklyn Jewish Ministers Association, Rabbi Solomon Foster of [Newark](/source/Newark%2C_New_Jersey), and scores of jurists, public officials, and business leaders.{{Cite news |date=8 June 1939 |title=Dr. Lyons Lauded At Funeral Rites |url=https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/52610611/ |work=[Brooklyn Eagle](/source/Brooklyn_Eagle) |location=Brooklyn, N.Y. |page=15 |via=[Brooklyn Public Library](/source/Brooklyn_Public_Library) Archive |volume=98 |issue=158}} == References == {{Reflist}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Lyons, Alexander}} Category:1867 births Category:1939 deaths Category:People from Mobile, Alabama Category:University of Cincinnati alumni Category:Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion alumni Category:19th-century American rabbis Category:20th-century American rabbis Category:American Reform rabbis Category:Rabbis from New York City Category:Jews from Indiana Category:People from Terre Haute, Indiana Category:Religious leaders from Albany, New York Category:Religious leaders from Brooklyn Category:American Freemasons Category:American recipients of the Legion of Honour Category:Knights of the Legion of Honour --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Alexander Lyons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Lyons) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Lyons?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.