Jacob Goldenthal was born in Brody (now in the Ukraine). He was principal of the Jewish school in Kishinev (now in Moldova), in 1843. After three years he left for Vienna were he taught oriental languages, religion and literature at the University of Vienna (1849-1868). Goldenthal published many articles on different subjects including medieval Jewish literature, the Rhetoric of Aristotle, Maimonides, ancient philosophy,
history of Jewish literature and others.