Rabbi Arnold Wolf (1924-2008), R.I.P.

If you had asked me to come up, in my head, with the perfect embodiment of a rabbi, I would have thought of Arnold Wolf.  He was the rabbi emeritus at KAM Isaiah Israel synagogue in Hyde Park, and one of the most interesting individuals I have ever met.  As reporters began covering Hyde Park during the Obama campaign, they found Wolf worth quoting at length. Rabbi Wolf was always able to combine his formidable erudition with a genuine curiosity about the opinions of other people, making him the perfect rabbi for the university community of Hyde Park.  He flattered me as an early reader of this blog.  Some of the my most pleasant interactions in Chicago were random encounters with him on the street.  He simultaneously rekindled my interest in Judaism and ruined me for other rabbis.   Earlier this week, Arnold Wolf passed away.  The Chicago Tribune has his obituary.  He will be missed.  UPDATE:  President-elect Obama issued a statement on Rabbi Wolf's passing: 

I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Rabbi Arnold Jacob Wolf, who was not just our neighbor, but a dear friend to Michelle and me. We are joined in this time of grief by the entire Hyde Park community, the American Jewish Community, and all those who shared Rabbi Wolf's passion for learning and profound commitment to serving others. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. Throughout Chicago and in Jewish homes and classrooms across our country, Rabbi Wolf's name is synonymous with service, social action and the possibility of change. He will be remembered as a loving husband and father, an engaging teacher, a kindhearted shepherd for the K.A.M. Isaiah community, and a tireless advocate of peace for the United States, Israel and the world.