The first prayer book containing a translation of the prayers into Polish appeared in Galicia in 1862. Its author was Michal Wolf, a Mosaic faith teacher in a number of Lvov secondary schools (e.g., First and Second Gimnazjum [junior high school], the Realschule), who was also a publisher and printing house owner. Wolf also had ties to the Lvov progressive synagogue (Tempel), as deputy preacher. Wolf's prayer book was a traditional one (there was no interference in the texts and the traditional pattern of the prayers) and was addressed to Jews and Christians alike: it was supposed to help Christians get to know Jewish traditions and help the Jews to master the local language and support their acculturation. It was also used in school as a Mosaic faith textbook. Wolf's work makes it possible for us to learn about the religious views of the progressive Lvov milieu as well as being an important source material for studies of acculturation.
