Rabbi Zusman Hodes

Rabbi Zusman Hodes was born in Lithuania on 5th May 1868 (date from a US passport application in 1896) and received Semicha from Rabbi Jacob Reines. He had emigrated to the United States and then to Dublin, where he was living with his wife Sifre at St. Kevins Road, Wood Quay in 1901, and then at 1 Bloomfield Avenue in 1903. In Dublin he made his living as a commercial agent. He was the Rabbi of the Belfast Hebrew congregation from 1906 to 1916. In 1911 he lived at 4, Fairview Street, Belfast. He and his wife Sifre Yidelson (or Idelsohn) had a civil wedding in Belfast in 1915. They did not have children.

Rabbi Hodes was then Rabbi of the Birmingham Central Synagogue (the Birmingham Beis Hamedrash) until his retirement in 1942. he was a frequent contributor of letters to the Jewish Chronicle.

In 1920 his address was 154 St Luke's Road, Birmingham (JC). In 1927 his address was 152 Varna Road, Birmingham (JC).

After his retirement he moved to Leeds and worked for the Rakusen Matzo company, supervising kashrus for many years. He died in January 1961.

the Jewish Chronicle wrote: "He was a man of the deepest humility and kindliness and his charitable contributions to non-Jewish as well as Jewish causes often went far above his means. His love of children matched his generosity and for many years he regularly visited Francis Street cheder where he distributed sixpences to the children. His adherence to the Torah was coupled with tolerance, and a fervent love of Israel made him a Zionist more than sixty years ago. At Rabbi Hodes's express wish, no Hesped was held for him at the funeral but a special memorial service, on Sunday, conducted by Rabbi Dr. H. Medalie, was attended by many."

See: https://jewishmiscellanies.com/2020/03/04/al-harishonim-veachronim-...