GOLDMAN, SOLOMON (18 Aug. 1893-14 May 1953), religious leader and educator, was born in Kozin, Poland to Abraham Abba and Jeanette Grossman Goldman. He was brought to New York as a child and received a traditional Jewish education at Orthodox Yitzchak Elchanan Yeshiva, then entered the Conservative Jewish Theological Seminary. He was ordained in 1918, coming to Cleveland's B'NAI JESHURUN, increasing its membership and making it Conservative. But internal resistance to his attempts at making it a Jewish center led Goldman to resign in 1923. He accepted the pulpit at ANSHE EMETH, which less than a year earlier dedicated the Cleveland Jewish Ctr., which Goldman made a focus for the Jews of GLENVILLE and the largest such institution in the U.S.
Goldman was opposed by the Orthodox within the congregation who challenged him concerning mixed seating for men and women and appealed to the Union of Orthodox Rabbis, which called Goldman to a rabbinical court. Goldman refused, since he and his congregation were Conservative. The dissidents then filed complaints in court, which refused to intervene, allowing mixed seating to remain. The dissidents joined OHEB ZEDEK.
Goldman advocated Hebrew education, collaborated with A. H. FRIEDLAND in developing educational materials, and supported CLEVELAND HEBREW SCHOOLS and the BUREAU OF JEWISH EDUCATION. Goldman also had a national reputation in the Zionist movement. He was a Biblical scholar and published several works, including a pageant, "Romance of a People," performed at the Chicago Century of Progress Exposition in 1934.
Goldman married Alice M. Lipkowitz on 23 June 1908. They had two children: Geulah Judith and Naomi Ramah. He left Cleveland in 1929 to become Rabbi of Congregation Anshe Emet in Chicago, serving there until his death.