Moses Schorr (1874–1941) was a pioneering Polish rabbi, historian, and orientalist who laid the foundations for the systematic study of Jewish history in Poland and Galicia. As the first Jewish researcher to gain access to and analyze Polish state archives, historical sources, and communal records (pinkasim), Schorr revolutionized the understanding of the region's Jewish heritage. His academic interests also spanned the ancient world; he was a distinguished Assyriologist, Bible scholar, and legal philosopher who translated and analyzed Babylonian, Assyrian, and Hittite legislative annals to explore the sociology of Ancient Middle Eastern civilizations.
Beyond his extensive scholarly output, Schorr was a vital civic and religious leader in interwar Poland. He served as the rabbi of the Great Synagogue of Warsaw during its final years before the Holocaust and presided over the Polish district of B'nai B'rith. His moral authority and intellectual stature led to his appointment to the Polish Senate by President Ignacy Mościcki. Although he remained politically independent and never actively sought public office, Schorr was a sympathetic supporter of Zionism and frequently acted as a key representative for Polish Jewry on both national and international stages.
