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Yaakov Yitzchak Horowitz (American rabbi)

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Not to be confused with Yaakov Yitzchak of Lublin.
Lecture by Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz, of Manischewitz and the American Jewish Legacy, given at the Smithsonian Institution in connection with the George Washington University Foodways Symposium, October 11, 2004.

Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Horowitz is one of North America’s foremost experts on the intricate art[peacock prose] of kosher food production and a key part of Manischewitz, the continent’s leading kosher brand (MacLean’s 12/08/2008).[1] He serves as chief supervising rabbi of the Manischewitz group of companies on behalf of the Orthodox Union and has served as the course director of the kosher workshop at Rutgers University.[2][3] Rabbi Horowitz is a fourth generation American Chasidic rabbi, a scion of the Bostoner Chasidic Dynasty and the founder of the American Jewish Legacy,[4] a nonprofit research organization that promotes Jewish heritage in the United States.[5] Rabbi Horowitz is also an educator, pulpit rabbi and lecturer on the American Jewish experience. He is a noted expert in Jewish law as regards the Kosher Code especially the production of Matzo for Passover.

Establishment of an American Chasidic dynasty—Boston, Massachusetts

Rabbi Pinchas Dovid Horowitz

Rabbi Pinchas Dovid Horowitz, (b. 1876, d. November 28, 1941)[6] native of Jerusalem, was sent as a representative and arbitrator by the Jerusalem community to Russia in an important European rabbinic dispute. The outbreak of World War I prevented his return to Palestine. After a series of adventures, he found himself in the city of Boston, Massachusetts in the year 1915. Recognizing his piety, scholarship, charisma and distinguished Chasidic lineage, the Chasidic segment of the Jewish community of Boston asked him to become their Chasidic leader and rebbe, a post which he accepted. From that time forward the Bostoner Rebbe, as he was called, was a dynamic force and a vocal spokesperson for the traditional Chasidic Jewish way of life throughout New England and the United States. As such he was among the first Chasidic rebbes to function in the U.S. and the first to use an American city in his title. He became well known for his love of his fellow Jew and his uncompromising adherence to the highest standards of rabbinic law. As such he united under his leadership immigrants hailing from different Chasidic backgrounds and communities. They saw the Bostoner Rebbe as their leader in the New World. In the classic Chasidic tradition, he traveled to many Jewish communities throughout the northeast, spending special weekends infusing spirituality and Chasidic warmth in the lives of many Jews.[7] Religious Jews from as far as San Francisco would travel to Boston to spend Sabbath and the holidays with their Rebbe (Chasidic leader).[8] In 1939 Rabbi Pinchas D. Horowitz relocated his congregation to the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, remaining there until his death on November 28, 1941.

Rabbi Moshe Horowitz

Rabbi Moshe Horowitz (1913 – 1985) assumed his father’s mantle of leadership. Rabbi Moshe Horowitz, born in Jerusalem, was the elder son of Rabbi Pinchas and the first Chasidic Rebbe to succeed his father in America, establishing the Bostoner dynasty. He established a Bostoner Beis Medrash in Crown Heights and later in Boro Park, was active in the formation of Agudath Israel of America and a member of its Council of Torah Sages, and was a founder of Yeshiva Torah Vo‐Da’ath. He worked with the Va’ad ha‐Hatẓalah to help settle Jewish refugees in America during and after World War II.

Rabbi Chaim Avraham Horowitz

Following Rabbi Moshe Horowitz's death, his eldest son Rabbi Chaim Avraham (born in Zhydachiv, Ukraine, in 1933) succeeded his father (as per Chasidic tradition) as the Bostoner Rebbe of New York. He later founded the Bostoner community in Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel.[9] Rabbi Chaim Avraham is a well-known composer of contemporary Chasidic music;[10] many of his compositions have been performed by leading Jewish music artists of the day.[11] Andy Statman,[12] Cantor Sherwood Goffin and others credit him with being a major influence in their musical careers.

Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Horowitz

Rabbi Levi Yitzchak (1921–2009), the younger son of Rabbi Pinchas D., was the Bostoner Rebbe of Boston. Upon his marriage and ordination at Yeshiva Torah Vo‐Da’ath in 1944, he moved to Boston to reestablish the Bostoner Chasidic Congregation in that city and founded the New England Chasidic Center. He became a leader in the Ba’al Teshuvah (Return to Judaism) Movement, giving special attention to Boston’s large Jewish university population. He founded Rofeh International,[13] which continues to provide referral, counseling, and hospitality services for medical patients and their families. He was a member of the Council of Torah Sages of Agudath Israel of America, and established a Bostoner community in the Har Nof section of Jerusalem.[14] At the time of his death, he resided both in the U.S. and in Israel spending half a year in each country. Day-to-day leadership in his community had already passed on to his children.

Additional Bostoner Chasidic communities are located in Flatbush, Lawrence and Monsey, New York; Edison, New Jersey; and Beitar, Israel.

For generations Horowitz rabbis of the Boston Chasidic family have inspired tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews in many towns and cities across the U.S., making it the best‐known native American Chasidic dynasty.

Transplanting a Chasidic dynasty to Los Angeles: Rabbi Eliezer Adler—Zviller Rebbe

In early June 1938 another member of Jerusalem’s Chasidic community, immigrated to America and settled in the West Adams section of Los Angeles, California; later relocating to the Beverly-Fairfax area of West Hollywood. For sixty‐nine years, Rabbi Eliezer Adler (d. February 27, 2007) served the Jewish community of Los Angeles[15] and became a beloved and revered figure.[16] His home was a source of hospitality and his assistance critical to many immigrants who settled in Los Angeles after World War II. One of Rabbi Adler’s early staunch supporters was Mr. Harry Maizlish, general manager, later owner (1950 – 1958) of radio station KFWB of Los Angeles and a close associate and friend of Jack and Harry Warner, founders of Warner Brother’s Studios. World War II began before Rabbi Adler could bring his wife and only daughter Miriam, from Jerusalem. Mr. Maizlish introduced a number of Hollywood personalities to his Orthodox Chasidic rabbi including Mrs. Edward G. Robinson, who helped provide assistance to bring the Rabbi’s family from Israel to Los Angeles in July 1944.

In 1954 Miriam Adler married Rabbi Chaim Avraham Horowitz, the present Bostoner Rebbe of New York and Ramat Bet Shemesh, giving birth to Yaakov Yitzchak in 1956. He was raised in his maternal grandparent’s home in the West Hollywood section of Los Angeles.

Education, marriage, early career, and children

After studying in a number of Talmudic seminaries including Beth Medrash Gevoha of Lakewood, New Jersey, Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz was ordained and married Chansie, the daughter of Rabbi Alter Yitzchak Weinberger in 1980. Rabbi Weinberger, also a descendant of distinguished rabbinic families,[17] was a prominent communal leader in Turka,[18] Ukraine and assisted many refugees during and after World War II. His oldest daughter Chaya Shprintza is married to Moshe Yosef Twerski; his second daughter Sara is married to Simcha Yaakov Markowits; his third daughter Devorah Chava is married to Asher Zalka Gruenstein- they are amazing pillars of their community with two adorable boys who light up their lives; his oldest son Moshe is married to Esther Gitel Margulies; his next two sons are Alter Nathan Natha and Yosef Yehoshua Aaron. His two youngest daughters are Ruchel and Rivka Peria.

The establishment of the Chasidic Center of Nassau County

In 1992 Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz founded the Bostoner Bais Medrash of Lawrence (Chasidic Center of Nassau County) well known for its innovative youth programs and community service projects.[19]

The Committee for the Prevention of Jewish Genetic Diseases

Rabbi Yaakov Y. Horowitz joined Dor Yesharim, the Committee for the Prevention of Jewish Genetic Diseases, in 1986 as Director of Development. His work included publicizing the important work of this organization.[20]

Role in international Jewish and Kosher marketplace

The Orthodox Union

Beginning his rabbinical work in the field of kosher food supervision (Kashrus in 1989, Rabbi Horowitz joined the Orthodox Union (OU), the largest kosher food supervisory organization in the world. As Rabbinic Coordinator, he supervised the kosher food programs of Nestle Beverage, Smuckers and a number of other nationally recognized manufacturers of kosher products. He was instrumental in the creation and implementation of the Ingredient Approval Registry, the system which currently maintains the kosher status of all ingredients found in over 8,000 OU supervised food facilities in 80 countries.

Specialist in Passover food supervision

Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz joined the Manischewitz Food Company in 1996, where he represents the OU as Company Rabbi and Director, Kosher Development Operations, Systems and Marketplace of the Manischewitz Companies; these include Rokeach, Season, Horowitz‐Margareten, Goodman’s, Mishpacha, Mother’s, Carmel and a number of other well-known kosher brands. In 2007 Manischewitz relocated from Jersey City to a newly renovated Manischewitz/Rokeach Newark production facility. This facility includes the world’s state‐of‐the‐art Matzo production line constructed at a cost of over 14 million dollars. Its unique kashruth design criteria was formulated and implemented by Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz.[21] This new facility is the most kosher intensive operating environment on the globe.

Rabbi Horowitz is one of the world experts of Passover Matzo (and author of the OU manual on this subject)[22] and kosher food, having assisted in Matzo and matzo flour production around in Israel, England, Mexico, Argentina and the former USSR.

American Jewish history

Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz founded the American Jewish Legacy (AJL) in 1998.[23] The AJL is a national effort to preserve and document the unique, rich history of traditional Jewish congregations, individuals, rabbis and communities in the United States from Colonial times to the present. Working with noted academics, educational institutions, public and private archives, regional and national historic organizations across the country and abroad, the AJL has initiated projects and activities which seek to save this important historical resource and to gather archival information which is in imminent danger of being lost. The AJL also seeks to publicize the role Orthodox Jews played in the historical development of the American Jewish community.

The American Jewish Legacy's Exhibit, From the Mountains to the Prairie- 350 Years of Kosher & Jewish Life in America 1654-2004, was created in connection with the 350th anniversary celebratiuon of Jewish settlement in America.

The AJL’s current exhibition, From the Mountains to the Prairie: 350 Years of Kosher & Jewish Life in America 1654‐2004, is on national tour[23] and has received academic and popular acclaim from the scholarly community, lay leaders, and the media – including the New York Times.[24] The most recent venue was Columbus, Ohio in connection with Legacy 2010.[25]

The AJL has also assumed responsibility for the reprint of several important works dealing with the history of the Orthodox Jewish community in the U.S.[26]

In 2007 the Manischewitz Company commissioned the AJL to produce a series of American Jewish History panels which appeared on over one million Passover Matzo boxes.[27] These panels publicized the commitment of the American Jewish community to the kosher laws and religious observance throughout its history.

In 2010 AJL created an American Jewish History Haggadah and printed 125,000 copies, which were distributed in 220 ShopRite supermarkets in six states.

Lecturer and educator

Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz is an educator, lecturer, and spokesperson for kosher food and the American Jewish Historical experience. He has served as the course director of the kosher workshop at Rutgers University[2][3] and has lectured at numerous national and international events, conferences and symposiums including Wal‐Mart’s corporate headquarters,[28] George Washington University’s Foodways Symposium[29] at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. – (see photo) and Portland State University[30]

References

  1. ^ Lianne George (December 8, 2008), Why food scares just aren’t kosher : Mainstream shoppers are turning to kosher for safer, purer options, macleans.c.
  2. ^ a b http://ruevents.rutgers.edu/events/displayEvent.html?eventId=69747
  3. ^ a b http://news.rutgers.edu/medrel/news-releases/2011/09/rutgers-offers-uniqu-20110908
  4. ^ http://www.ajlegacy.org
  5. ^ Daniel J. Wakin (December 22, 2003), Off on Yom Kippur It's Probably Time To Work a Holiday, New York Times.
  6. ^ Op. cit. Alfasi & Maariv 1977, p. 120 note 4.
  7. ^ Sherman, Moshe D. (1996), Orthodox Judaism in America: A Biographical Dictionary and Sourcebook (Jewish Denominations in America), Greenwood Publishing Group, pp. 94–96, ISBN 978-0-313-24316-5.
  8. ^ Family Tradition
  9. ^ Encyclopedia Judaica, vol. 9 (Second ed.), p. 541.
  10. ^ Look up artist Horowitz, Rabbi Avraham C., Digital.library.upenn.edu.
  11. ^ Displaying Tracks in Rabbi Avraham Horowitz — Songs of the Bostoner Rebbe, Portsmouth jewish Sound Archive. {{citation}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  12. ^ Andy Statman — Clarinet Solo — KK06 Staff Concert, odeo.com, May 19, 2008. {{citation}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  13. ^ Rofeh International.
  14. ^ Op. cit. Encyclopedia Judaica, p. 541 note 2.
  15. ^ Alfasi, Yitzchak; Alfasi, Sifrit (1977), HaChasidut, Israel, p. 222 note 4.{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  16. ^ Meeting Transcript Los Angeles Board of Supervisors, April 10, 2007, p. 67 OF 95.
  17. ^ http://kevarim.wordpress.com/2008/05/23/rabbi-alter-yitzchok-isaac-weinberger/
  18. ^ Translation of Sefer zikaron le-kehilat Turka al nehar Stryj ve-ha-seviva.
  19. ^ The Story of the Bostoner Bais Medrash of Lawrence.
  20. ^ Committee for the Prevention of Jewish Genetic Diseases – Dor Yeshorim, Newsweek Fall/Winter edition 1988.
  21. ^ Steve Berne (February 2008), Baking and Snack – Cover Story, Active Magazine.
  22. ^ Debbie Galant (March 24, 1996), IN PERSON; Rising Stars, New York Times.
  23. ^ a b Exhibit National Tour, ajlegacy.org.
  24. ^ Daniel J. Wakin (November 10, 2003), Grant, Lee and Matzo Exhibit Traces Kosher's History in America, New York Times.
  25. ^ http://columbusjewishhistory.org/legacy/
  26. ^ Torah Classics Library, ajlegacy.org.
  27. ^ Manischewitz Matzo Box American Jewish history panels (PDF), ajlegacy.org.
  28. ^ Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz (May 11, 2004), The Jewish & Kosher Marketplace: Terms, Traditions and Trends.
  29. ^ Are We What We Eat?, George Washington University : Judaic Studies Program.
  30. ^ Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz (May 10, 2005), Aunt Jemima Latkes & Borden's Bubie Elsie: The Historical Development of the American Jewish  & Kosher Marketplace. {{citation}}: no-break space character in |title= at position 94 (help)

External links

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