David Paul Drach

David Paul Drach (b. Strasbourg, 6 March 1791; d. end of January, 1868, Rome) was a Catholic convert from Judaism, and librarian of the College of Propaganda in Rome.

Drach received his first instruction at the hands of his father, a renowned Hebraist and Talmudic scholar. At the age of twelve Drach entered the first division of the Talmudic school in Edendorf near Strasbourg. This course of study, lasting ordinarily for three years, he completed in one year, and entered the second division of the Talmudic school in Bischheim the following year. He graduated in eighteen months and then matriculated in Westhofen to qualify as a teacher of the Talmud. When only sixteen years of age he accepted the position of instructor in Rappoltsweiler, remaining there three years; afterwards he followed the same profession in Colmar.

Here the youth devoted himself to the study of secular sciences to which he had already seriously applied himself during his Talmudic studies. Having obtained the rather unwilling permission of his father, in 1812 he went to Paris, where he received a call to a prominent position in the Central Jewish Consistory and at the same time fulfilled the duties of tutor for the children of Baruch Weil. The results of his method of teaching induced the Catholic families of Louis Mertien and Bernard Mertien families to entrust their children to his care. He writes: "Stirred by the edifying examples of Catholic piety continually set before me to the furtherance of my own salvation, the tendency towards Christianity, born in earlier life, acquired such strength that I resisted no longer."

He now applied himself studiously to patristic theology and specialized in the study of the Septuagint in order to investigate accusations made by certain rabbis that the Alexandrian translators had been unfaithful to the original Hebrew. These studies resulted in his unquestioned belief in the divinity and Messiahship of Jesus Christ. On Maundy Thursday, 1823, he renounced Judaism in the presence of Archbishop Quélen, in Paris, was baptized the following (Holy) Saturday, and on Easter morning received his first Holy Communion and the Sacrament of Confirmation. Two daughters and an infant son were also baptized. His two daughters entered the order Notre Dame de Charité du Bon Pasteur d'Angers and his son became an ecclesiastic. David Paul DRACH was married to Sara DEUTZ, born October 1794 in Oberwesel, Germany. Sara DEUTZ was the daughter of Judith BERMANN and Rabbi Emanuel DEUTZ, chief Rabbi of Paris. His wife,the only member of the family who remained Jewish, is reported by the Catholic Encyclopedia to have abducted the children. They were returned, however, after two years from London to France.

After a few years Drach went to Rome, where he was appointed librarian of the Propaganda (1827), which office he held at his death. His conversion apparently inspired others, including that of Libermann brothers; Francis Libermann was especially grateful to Drach for his advice and assistance in the establishment of the "Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary" (1842), which soon merged with the older "Holy Ghost Fathers" (1848).