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Sol M. Stroock

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Solomon Marcuse Stroock(September 22, 1873 – September 11, 1941) was a Jewish-American lawyer from New York.

Life

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Stroock was born on September 22, 1873, inNew York City,New York, the son of Samuel Stroock and Mariana Marcuse. His parents were both German immigrants who came to America in the 1840s. His father served as a captain in theConfederate Armyduring theAmerican Civil Warand founded the firm S. Stroock & Co., which manufactured felts, plushes, woolens, and blankets, atNewburgh, New York,in 1870.[1]His uncle was the Jewish historianAbraham Berliner.[2]

Stroock graduated from theCollege of the City of New Yorkwith a B.S. in 1891,Columbia University's School of Political Sciencewith an M.A. in 1892, andColumbia Law Schoolin 1894. He was then admitted to the bar and initially practiced in the office of Morris Goodhart. In 1896, he formed a partnership withM. Warley Platzekand his brotherMoses J. Stroock.When Platzek became a Justice on theNew York Supreme Courtin 1907, Stroock formed a new law firm with his brother Moses calledStroock & Stroock,which specialized in corporation law.[3]

Stroock appeared as counsel in a number of cases in state and federal courts, including theSupreme Court of the United States,although his reputation wasn't made as a trial counsel but as an advisor and office practitioner. Devoted much of his time to educational, civic, and philanthropic activities in his later years, he was an organizing member of the Citizens Committee for Control of Crime and Citizens Non-Partisan Committee. He was especially interested in the proper education of young lawyers and spent a lot of time on post-admission education. InWorld War I,he was a member of the New York City board of appeals under theselective service law.[1]

Stroock was a member of at least oneNew York City Bar Associationcommittee for almost two decades, serving as chairman of the Committee of Legal Education and as vice-president of the Association. He was also a member of the Legal Education Committee for the New York State Bar Association, served the New York County Lawyers' Association in several capacities, and was a member of theAmerican Bar Association.In 1931, he was named chairman of the Character and Fitness Committee of theNew York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department.Columbia Law School made him a member of its Board of Fellows, and in 1931 Columbia University presidentNicholas Murray Butlergave him the Columbia University Medal.[2]

Stroock was chairman of the board of directors of theJewish Theological Seminary of Americaand president of its library. He was also member of theAmerican Jewish Historical Societyfrom 1901 until his death, and in 1903 he published a study in thePublications of the American Jewish Historical Societyon the diplomatic controversy between the United States and Switzerland concerning the status of Jews in two Swiss cantons, one of the first authoritative investigations on the subject. He worked withCyrus AdlerandFelix M. Warburgin guiding a number of Jewish institutions following the death ofLouis Marshall,and when Warburg died and Adler's health began to fail much of the burden fell on Stroock.[4]

Stroock was president of the YMHA of New York from 1924 to 1926, and from 1925 to 1930 he was head of the Metropolitan League of Jewish Community Centers and president of the Federation for the Jewish Philanthropic Societies in New York City. He became chairman of the executive committee of theAmerican Jewish Committeein 1934, and in 1941 he became president of the organization. He was a founder of theJewish Agency for Palestineand served as a member of the non-Zionist section of the Agency.[5]He was a board member of the Judaeans and became its vice-president in 1931. In 1895, he became secretary ofCongregation B'nai Jeshurun,a position he held for a decade. He also served as principal of the congregation's religious school, which he graduated from.[3]While he remained deeply affiliated with the congregation throughout his life, he joined two Reform congregations in his later years.[2]

Stroock received honorary D.H.L. degrees from theJewish Institute of Religionin 1931 and from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1935. Politically, he was aDemocrat.He was a fellow of theRoyal Economic Society,a patron of theArchaeological Institute of America,and a member of theAmerican Academy of Political and Social Science,theAmerican Political Science Association,theAmerican Economic Association,theAmerican Geographical Society,theAmerican Historical Society,Phi Beta Kappa,theFreemasons,the Faculty Club of Harvard University, theHarmonie Club,and the Bohemian Club. In 1904, he married Hilda Weil. Their children were Minette (wife of Samuel Louis Kuhn), Robert Louis, and Alan Maxwell.[1]

Stroock died from a heart attack while vacationing at theGreenbrier HotelinWhite Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.[6]Several hundred people attended his funeral at Temple Emanu-El, including distinguished jurists and representatives of Jewish organizations.[7]RabbiStephen S. Wisedelivered the eulogy, and RabbisSamuel H. Goldenson,Samuel Schulman,andIsrael Goldsteinofficiated the funeral. The honorary pallbearers wereWilliam Rosenwald,Irwin Untermyer,Paul F. Warburg,Henry Ittleson, JudgeIrving Lehman,Dr. Sol Lowenstein andSamuel Leidesdorf.After the funeral, a funeral cortege led by three flower-laden automobiles went toSalem Fields Cemetery,where he was buried.[8]

References

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  1. ^abcThe National Cyclopædia of American Biography.Vol. XXX. New York, N.Y.:James T. White & Co.1943. pp. 88–89 – viaHathiTrust.
  2. ^abcSchneiderman, Harry,ed. (1942).The American Jewish Year Book, 5703(PDF).Philadelphia, P.A.:The Jewish Publication Society of America.pp. 53–60 – viaAmerican Jewish CommitteeArchives.
  3. ^abLandman, Isaac,ed. (1943).The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia.Vol. 10. New York, N.Y.: The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, Inc. p. 86 – viaGoogle Books.
  4. ^Finkelstein, Louis(1947)."Sol M. Stroock".Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society(37).American Jewish Historical Society:479–480.ISSN0146-5511.JSTOR43058367– viaJSTOR.
  5. ^"Stroock".Encyclopedia.com.Retrieved2022-07-25.
  6. ^"Sol M. Stroock, 67, Noted Lawyer, Dies"(PDF).The New York Times.Vol. XC, no. 30547 (Late City ed.). New York, N.Y. 12 September 1941. p. 21.
  7. ^"Sol Stroock Rites Held at Emanu-El"(PDF).The New York Times.Vol. XC, no. 30548. New York, N.Y. 13 September 1941. p. 17.
  8. ^"Sol M. Stroock Eulogized at Services in Temple Emanu-el".Jewish Telegraphic Agency.Vol. VIII, no. 230. New York, N.Y. 14 September 1941. pp. 3–6.
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