– Biography:
– Born on August 1, 1870, in Kaunas, Lithuania.
– Ordained by Rabbis Tzvi Rabinowitz and Moshe Danishevsky.
– Moved to the US in 1903, became rabbi of Congregation Ahavat Zedek.
– Moved to Canton, Ohio, in 1907 due to health reasons.
– Served as rabbi of Congregation Shearith Israel in Atlanta until his death.
– Kosher certification of Coca-Cola:
– Received inquiries about Coca-Cola’s kosher status.
– Discovered non-kosher ingredient, convinced company to change it.
– Addressed Passover concerns, found alternative sweetener.
– Issued a responsum in 1935 declaring Coca-Cola kosher.
– Ensured Coca-Cola could be consumed year-round and on Passover.
– References:
– Published books of Talmudic and Biblical exegesis.
– Organized first Hebrew school in Atlanta.
– Standardized kosher supervision in Atlanta.
– Led the Southern division of the Union of Orthodox Rabbis.
– Died on February 10, 1970.
– Further reading:
– Authored “Fifty Years in the Rabbinate: An Autobiography” in 1951.
– Book titled “Lev Tuviah: On the Life and Work of Rabbi Tobias Geffen” edited in 1988.
– External links:
– Teshuvah Concerning Coca Cola (PDF) on HebrewBooks.org.
– Information on Rabbi Tobias Geffen’s family story.
– Categorized under 20th-century American rabbis.
– Contains articles with short description and Hebrew-language text.
– Includes identifiers like FAST, ISNI, VIAF, J9U, LCCN, and SNAC-ID.
Tobias Geffen (Hebrew: טוביה גפן; August 1, 1870 – February 10, 1970) was an American Orthodox rabbi. He served as the leader of Congregation Shearith Israel in Atlanta, Georgia, from 1910 to 1970. Geffen is widely known for his 1935 decision that certified Coca-Cola as kosher.
Rabbi Tobias Geffen | |
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| Personal | |
| Born | August 1, 1870 Kaunas, Lithuania |
| Died | February 10, 1970 (aged 99) |
| Religion | Judaism |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation |
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| Residence | Atlanta, Georgia |