Jacob Koppel Sandler

Born in Belaya Tserkov, Ukraine. Immigrated to the US in 1888 where he worked in the Yiddish theater and was the choral director for several cantors. He composed several Jewish themed operettas, one of them featuring the famous song 'Eli, Eli' (sometimes printed 'Eili, Eili'). There is some dispute as to whether Sandler really composed it, others claiming it was originally a folk song.

Source: Encyclopedia Judaica.