Ernest Klein

Who was Ernest Klein?

Ernest David Klein, OC was a Romanian-born Canadian linguist, author, and rabbi.

Ernest Klein was born to his parents Yitzchok and Sarah Rachel Klein née Friedrich on July 26, 1899 at 6 p.m. in Szatmárnémeti, in Partium—a region of Austria-Hungary at the time, now in Romania.

Ernest Klein's father Yitzchok was a brilliant man. He was rabbi of the Jewish Status Quo Community in his town and author of over 20 books on Rabbinical Subjects, including;

Hebrew Torah Journal Ohel Yitzchok.

Hebrew Book Zichron L'Yisroel.

Hebrew Torah Journal Sefer Hamagid.

Hebrew Torah Journal Magid Yeruchem..

Hebrew Book Kol Ha'chatan.

Klein's mother Rachel Klein also had rabbinical lineage. She was one of the daughters of Chaim Friedrich who was Rabbi of the Orthodox Community in Turț, Satu Mare County, Romania.

From early on in Ernest Klein's childhood, his greatness was already noted. At the young age of nine years old, Klein was able to recite the entire Book of Psalms by heart. As a youth in Hungary, Klein spent his free time in between classes learning new languages. Remarkably, at the age of 15, Klein taught himself English using English language textbooks.