Hyman Grinstein

Hyman B. Grinstein ( Nov. 15, 1899 - March 10, 1982) was an American educator and historian specializing in American Jewish history. His affiliation with Yeshiva University and its Teachers Institute, in administrative and teaching roles, spanned more than 50 years, and his historical articles appeared in journals for nearly as long. Grinstein’s magnum opus, The Rise of the Jewish Community of New York 1654-1860 (1945), about the "inner life" of that society, was “in many respects a turning point in the field.”Jonathan D. Sarna, JPS: The Americanization of Jewish Culture 1888-1988 (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1989), 190. It placed the author among “the best of the scholars working specifically in the field of American Jewish history,”Oscar Handlin, “A Twenty Year Retrospect of American Jewish Historiography,” American Historical Quarterly 65 (June 1976), 296. and became “a classic”.Howard B. Rock, Haven of Liberty: New York Jews in the New World, 1654-1865 (New York: New York University Press, 2012), 2. Nearly four decades after its appearance, it was still “the standard starting point for all work on metropolitan area Jewish history”.Jeffrey S. Gurock, “Necrology: Hyman B. Grinstein (1899-1982),” American Jewish History 72 (Sept. 1982), 122.

Personal life Grinstein was born in Dallas, Texas,“Grinstein, Hyman B.,” American Jews: Their Lives and Achievements (New York: Golden Book Foundation, 1947), I, 276. to Henry Grinstein (d. 1908),“Texas and Texans,” Marshall Messenger (Marshall, Texas) (Dec. 1, 1908), 5. a Russian native who served as a Dallas rabbi,“The Jewish New Year,” Fort Worth Record (Sept. 10, 1904), 5. and Rebecca (née Saxia, d. Aug. 15, 1929).“Obituary. Mrs. Rebecca Grinstein, Long of Dallas, Dies,” Meriden Record (Meriden, Connecticut) (Aug. 20, 1929), 8. Hyman Grinstein’s Russian middle name — “Bogomolny” (Russian: богомольный), which was not part of his professional signature — translates as "servant of God".Norman Lamm, “Eulogy for Dr. Hyman B. Grinstein, March 11, 1982”, cited in Yeshiva College Commentator (March 24, 1982), 7.

Grinstein’s early education was in Dallas and then, as a youth, in Petah TikvaRonald Z. Schwartz, “Dr. H. Grinstein Passes Away; Students And Faculty Mourn Loss,” Yeshiva College Commentator (March 24, 1982), 1. in British Mandate Palestine. There he likely joined his brother Samuel B. Grinstein (d. 1968) at the local elementary Talmud Torah.“Dr. Samuel B. Grinstein Named Director of Park Temple Center,” New Brunswick, NJ Daily Home News (Aug. 29, 1950), 9. Back in the United States, he attended the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (1920–23) and the Jewish Theological Seminary (1927-8).“Grinstein, Hyman Bogomolny,” Who’s Who in American Jewry. Volume 3, 1938-1939 (New York: National News Association, 1938), 394. At the former seminary he was a student of Rabbi Abraham N. Perlberg (1889-1934), the Hebrew author and educator.David Golinkin, “Perlberg, Abraham Nathan,” Encyclopaedia Judaica 2ed. (2007), vol. 15, 775. He simultaneously earned degrees at Columbia University (BS, Oct. 1927;“Columbia to Confer Academic Degrees Upon 4,251 Candidates at Commencement To-night,” New York Herald Tribune (June 5, 1928), 16 (under “Teachers College, Bachelor of Science”). MA, 1936;“4,550 Degrees Granted Today By Columbia U.,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle (June 2, 1936), 4; Grinstein, “The American Synagogue and the Laxity of Observance, 1750-1850” (M.A. thesis). PhD, 1944“Grinstein, Hyman B.,” American Jews: Their Lives and Achievements (New York: American Jewish Literary Foundation, 1958), Vol. 2, 230.).

Grinstein was pre-deceased by two brothersDeath notice, “Grinstein, Ben,” New York Times (Nov. 29, 1965), 35; death notice, “Grinstein, Rabbi Samuel B.,” New York Times (Nov. 1, 1968), 47; “Dr. Samuel B. Grinstein Named Director of Park Temple Center,” New Brunswick, NJ Daily Home News (Aug. 29, 1950), 9. and survived by two nephews.Death notice, “Dr. Grinstein, Hyman B.,” New York Times (Mar. 11, 1982), D19; “Dr. Hyman Grinstein; 40 Years at Yeshiva U.,” New York Times (March 12, 1982), D15. He was a life-long bachelor.

Early Teaching and Administrative Career During the first third of the 20th Century, Grinstein held a number of Jewish educational and administrative posts in New York while pursuing degrees at Columbia University. From 1917 to 1919 he was a part-time secretary to Bernard Revel,“Grinstein, Hyman B.,” American Jewish Year Book 1984 (New York: American Jewish Committee, 1983), 334; Aaron E. Rothkoff, “Vision and Realization: Bernard Revel and his Era,” Yeshiva University, DHL dissertation, 1967), 64 fn.53. the founder of Yeshiva College, and for a short time secretary at the Teachers Institute (until 1922).Grinstein, “History of the Teachers Institute of Yeshiva University, 1917-1955,” in Moshe Carmilly and Hayim Leaf (eds.), Samuel Belkin Memorial Volume (New York: Yeshiva University, 1981), 259 and 265fn.11 (Hebrew).

From 1919-22, he was assistant to the principal of the Talmudical Academy High School for Boys,“Grinstein, Hyman B.,” American Jewish Year Book 1984 (New York: American Jewish Committee, 1983), 334. the first U.S. high school in which secular and religious subjects were taught under Jewish auspices.Gilbert Klaperman, The Story of Yeshiva University: The First Jewish University in America (New York: Macmillan Co., 1969), 141. In 1928, he was a teacher,“Talmud Torah School to Observe Chanukah,” Jersey City, New Jersey Jersey Journal (Dec. 5, 1928), 10. and later principal,“Passover Services at Talmud Torah,” Jersey City, New Jersey Jersey Journal (April 24, 1929), 24. at the Talmud Torah Hebrew School of Jersey City Heights, New Jersey. From 1929-44, Grinstein was the principal of the religious school“Hebrew School Closes Its Term At Far Gockaway [sic],” Brooklyn Daily Eagle (June 27, 1932), 23. of Congregation Shaaray Tefilah,“Grinstein, Hyman B.,” Who’s Who in World Jewry 1972 (New York: Pitman Publishing Corp., 1972), 356-7. The name “Shaaray Tefila” is variously spelled (Shaarei Tefila, Shaarey Tefila, Shaare Tefilah, etc.). Far Rockaway, New York, then among the largest American Orthodox Jewish congregations“School of Shaaray Tefila Dedicated,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle (March 16, 1925), 8. (by the time Grinstein left the area, over half of its permanent residents were Jewish).“Far Rockaway,” Universal Jewish Encyclopedia (New York: Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, Inc., 1942), VIII,201. He was an instructor in history at the School of Jewish Studies, Manhattan (1935-7) and from 1936“Grinstein, Hyman B.,” American Jewish Year Book 1984 (New York: American Jewish Committee, 1983), 334. an instructor in extension courses“Plan Extension Courses under Auspices of Y.I. College Authorities Will Launch Courses At Various Centers,” Yeshiva College Commentator (Nov. 7, 1935), 1. at Yeshiva College.

Teachers Institute and Yeshiva University Grinstein’s connection with the Teachers Institute for Men dates to 1922, when he was its secretary.Isidor Margolis, “A History of Teacher-Training Schools for Teachers in Jewish Schools in the United States in the First Half of the Twentieth Century” (New York University, Ph.D. dissertation, 1960), 260; Jeffrey S. Gurock, The Men and Women of Yeshiva: Higher Education, Orthodoxy, and American Judaism (New York: Columbia University Press, 1988), 76-7. The institution, founded on May 1, 1917 by the Mizrachi organizationGilbert Klaperman, The Story of Yeshiva University: The First Jewish University in America (New York: Macmillan Co., 1969), 142. to provide Orthodox instructors and supervisors for local and national Hebrew schools, was the first such Orthodox institution in the United StatesIsidor Margolis, “A History of Teacher-Training Schools for Teachers in Jewish Schools in the United States in the First Half of the Twentieth Century” (New York University, Ph.D. dissertation, 1960), 254, 268-9. and the first U.S. teacher-training institution in which instruction was completely in Hebrew.Isidor Margolis, “A History of Teacher-Training Schools for Teachers in Jewish Schools in the United States in the First Half of the Twentieth Century” (New York University, Ph.D. dissertation, 1960), 254. In 1921 it became part of the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (ultimately a part of Yeshiva University).Isidor Margolis, “A History of Teacher-Training Schools for Teachers in Jewish Schools in the United States in the First Half of the Twentieth Century” (New York University, Ph.D. dissertation, 1960), 475.

In 1944, Grinstein returned to the Teachers Institute as a lecturer.“Grinstein, Hyman Bogomolny,” Who’s Who in World Jewry 1955 (New York: Who’s Who in World Jewry, Inc., 1955), 296. In 1947, he was appointed its Registrar,“Appointed as Registrar Of a Branch at Yeshiva,” New York Times (Oct. 2, 1947), 14; Los Angeles B’nai B’rith Messenger (Oct. 31, 1947), 13; “Faculty”, The Nir (Teachers Institute annual, Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, 1948), office manager, 14 (Hebrew). Teacher’s Institute for Men became the Erna Michael College of Hebraic Studies in 1966 (Yeshiva College Commentator, Sept. 22, 1966, 1). and in October 1958 was named its director.“Dr. H. Grinstein to Direct Teachers Inst. for Men,” Yeshiva College Commentator (Oct. 27, 1958), 1; “Yeshiva Names Institute Head,” New York Times (Nov. 12, 1958), 28; “Yeshiva Appointment,” Detroit Jewish News (Nov. 14, 1958), 3. He succeeded Pinkhos Churgin as the fourth head of the institution.Gilbert Klaperman, The Story of Yeshiva University: The First Jewish University in America (New York: Macmillan Co., 1969), 145. Grinstein continued there as director and professor“Dr. H. Grinstein to Direct Teachers Inst. for Men,” Yeshiva College Commentator (Oct. 27, 1958), 1; “Religion,” American Jewish Year Book 1960 (Philadelphia: Jewish Publications Society, 1960), 53. until his retirement in 1968.Port Chester, New York Daily Item (May 6, 1968), 7; “Dr. Grinstein Leaves After Devoted Years,” Yeshiva College Commentator (May 23, 1968), 3.

During Grinstein’s tenure, Teachers Institute for Women was launched,“Teachers Institute for Women Begun Here by Yeshiva U.,” Brooklyn Eagle (Sept. 9, 1953), 7. and the Teachers Institute for Men began conferring a Bachelor of Hebrew Literature degree.“B.H.L. Established by TI, Trial Period for a Year,” Yeshiva College Commentator (April 2, 1959), 1. One appraisal is that Grinstein took over a “foundering, struggling” institution, and left it in a “thriving” condition.“Dr. Grinstein Leaves After Devoted Years,” Yeshiva College Commentator (May 23, 1968), 3. For a critique of the program at the time that Grinstein became director, see Barry Eichler and Artie Eidelman, “T.I. Must Meet New Challenge,” Yeshiva College Commentator (March 19, 1959), 2. From its founding, however, the Teachers Institute had faced serious opposition from within the Orthodox world, and later not less serious economic challenges during the depression years of 1930-7.Isidor Margolis, “A History of Teacher-Training Schools for Teachers in Jewish Schools in the United States in the First Half of the Twentieth Century” (New York University, Ph.D. dissertation, 1960), 220-1, 227, 239-241; Victor B. Geller, Orthodoxy Awakens: The Belkin Era and Yeshiva University (Jerusalem: Urim Publications, 2003), 29.