Page "Leo Strauss" Paragraph 2

Leo Strauss was born in the small town of Kirchhain in Hessen-Nassau, a province of the Kingdom of Prussia ( part of the German Empire ), on September 20, 1899, to Hugo Strauss and Jennie Strauss, née David.

According to Allan Bloom's 1974 obituary in Political Theory, Strauss " was raised as an Orthodox Jew ," but the family does not appear to have completely embraced Orthodox practice.

Strauss himself noted that he came from a " conservative, even orthodox Jewish home ," but one which knew little about Judaism except strict adherence to ceremonial laws.

His father and uncle operated a farm supply and livestock business that they inherited from their father, Meyer ( 1835 – 1919 ), a leading member of the local Jewish community.