Aaron Rakeffet-Rothkoff
Encyclopedia
Aaron Rakeffet-Rothkoff (born 1937) is Professor of Rabbinic Literature at Yeshiva University
's Caroline and Joseph S. Gruss Institute in Jerusalem. He is a noted scholar, author and teacher who has taught thousands of students throughout his over 50 years of teaching. He spent four years studying under Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik and remained very close to him afterwards.
He quotes his rebbi's halachic and hashkafic
views in his lectures.
Born Arnold Rothkoff, he changed his name to Aaron Rakeffet upon becoming an Israeli citizen.
as a youth. Meir Kahane
was one of his madrichim (counselors). Rabbi Rakeffet met his future wife Malkah while giving a shiur at Bnei Akiva
.
Rabbi Rakeffet started his career in 1961 as a pulpit rabbi at Lower Merion Synagogue in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. In 1962, he moved from Lower Merion to become spiritual leader of the first Orthodox synagogue in suburban Essex County, Congregation Beth Ephraim of Maplewood and South Orange, New Jersey. During that time, he also served as a high school rebbe at Yeshiva University High School for Boys
. In 1969, he moved to Israel and worked as a Staff Editor for the Encyclopaedia Judaica
. He also wrote numerous entries, including the one for Rabbi Joseph Dov Soloveitchik and Rabbi Eliezer Silver
.
Upon the conclusion of the Encyclopaedia Judaica project, Rabbi Rakeffet pursued his love of teaching. He was a pioneer in Torah education for diaspora students in Israel. He was a member of the initial 1969 faculty of Jerusalem Torah College (BMT) and taught there for twenty years. He also taught at Machon Gold
and Michlalah. He was also a founding faculty member at Midreshet Moriah
, an advanced Torah study program for women. Rabbi Rakeffet has been a member of the Gruss Kollel faculty since its inception in 1976. He also recruited Dr. Nechama Leibowitz
to teach there as well.
Rabbi Rakeffet served in the Israel Defense Forces
until the maximum allowable age. He served in Lebanon during the 1982 Lebanon War
.
In 1981, he was recruited by Aryeh Kroll to join the Mossad
's clandestine Nativ operation to teach Torah in the Soviet Union. Rabbi Rakeffet visited the Soviet Union in 1981, 1985, and 1989 together with his wife Malkah, and recruited 200 others to also visit. His initial visit motivated him to help found the Shvut Ami organization.
Rabbi Rakeffet felt strongly that a documentary should be made about Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik. After much effort, he found Ethan Isenberg to produce the film, and a donor to subsidize it. The documentary "The Lonely Man of Faith: The Life and Legacy of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik" was first shown in November 2006.
Rabbi Rakeffet finished his 10 year effort in the summer of 2009 of writing his personal scholarly memoir, "From Washington Avenue to Washington Street", published by Gefen Publishers and OU Press. Shipment of the new book is scheduled for July/August, 2011..
Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University is a private university in New York City, with six campuses in New York and one in Israel. Founded in 1886, it is a research university ranked as 45th in the US among national universities by U.S. News & World Report in 2012...
's Caroline and Joseph S. Gruss Institute in Jerusalem. He is a noted scholar, author and teacher who has taught thousands of students throughout his over 50 years of teaching. He spent four years studying under Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik and remained very close to him afterwards.
He quotes his rebbi's halachic and hashkafic
Jewish philosophy
Jewish philosophy , includes all philosophy carried out by Jews, or, in relation to the religion of Judaism. Jewish philosophy, until modern Enlightenment and Emancipation, was pre-occupied with attempts to reconcile coherent new ideas into the tradition of Rabbinic Judaism; thus organizing...
views in his lectures.
Born Arnold Rothkoff, he changed his name to Aaron Rakeffet upon becoming an Israeli citizen.
Biography
Rabbi Rakeffet attended Bnei AkivaBnei Akiva
Bnei Akiva is the largest religious Zionist youth movement in the world, with over 125,000 members in 37 countries. It was established in Mandate Palestine in 1929.-History:...
as a youth. Meir Kahane
Meir Kahane
Martin David Kahane , also known as Meir Kahane , was an American-Israeli rabbi and ultra-nationalist writer and political figure. He was an ordained Orthodox rabbi and later served as a member of the Israeli Knesset...
was one of his madrichim (counselors). Rabbi Rakeffet met his future wife Malkah while giving a shiur at Bnei Akiva
Bnei Akiva
Bnei Akiva is the largest religious Zionist youth movement in the world, with over 125,000 members in 37 countries. It was established in Mandate Palestine in 1929.-History:...
.
Rabbi Rakeffet started his career in 1961 as a pulpit rabbi at Lower Merion Synagogue in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. In 1962, he moved from Lower Merion to become spiritual leader of the first Orthodox synagogue in suburban Essex County, Congregation Beth Ephraim of Maplewood and South Orange, New Jersey. During that time, he also served as a high school rebbe at Yeshiva University High School for Boys
Yeshiva University High School for Boys
Yeshiva University High School for Boys offers college preparatory curricula and Jewish studies programs leading to an academic diploma endorsed by the New York State Board of Regents. Affiliated with Yeshiva University, the school is located in Washington Heights, in the New York City borough of...
. In 1969, he moved to Israel and worked as a Staff Editor for the Encyclopaedia Judaica
Encyclopaedia Judaica
The Encyclopaedia Judaica is a 26-volume English-language encyclopedia of the Jewish people and their faith, Judaism. It covers diverse areas of the Jewish world and civilization, including Jewish history of all eras, culture, holidays, language, scripture, and religious teachings...
. He also wrote numerous entries, including the one for Rabbi Joseph Dov Soloveitchik and Rabbi Eliezer Silver
Eliezer Silver
Rabbi Eliezer Silver was the President of the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the U.S. and Canada and among American Jewry's foremost religious leaders...
.
Upon the conclusion of the Encyclopaedia Judaica project, Rabbi Rakeffet pursued his love of teaching. He was a pioneer in Torah education for diaspora students in Israel. He was a member of the initial 1969 faculty of Jerusalem Torah College (BMT) and taught there for twenty years. He also taught at Machon Gold
Machon Gold
Machon Gold was an Orthodox Jewish girl's seminary founded in 1958 by the Torah Education Department of the World Zionist Organization and named after Rabbi Wolf Gold, one of the signatories of the Israeli declaration of independence. The school shutdown in 2008 due to financial considerations...
and Michlalah. He was also a founding faculty member at Midreshet Moriah
Midreshet Moriah
Midreshet Moriah is a Zionist-Orthodox Jewish seminary in Bayit Vagan, Jerusalem, Israel. Midreshet Moriah was founded by Rabbi Meyer Berglas in 1985. Rabbi Berglas is also the founder of the Neve Alizah community...
, an advanced Torah study program for women. Rabbi Rakeffet has been a member of the Gruss Kollel faculty since its inception in 1976. He also recruited Dr. Nechama Leibowitz
Nechama Leibowitz
Nechama Leibowitz was a noted Israeli Bible scholar and commentator who rekindled interest in Bible study.-Biography:Nechama Leibowitz was born to an Orthodox Jewish family in Riga two years after her elder brother, the philosopher Yeshayahu Leibowitz. The family moved to Berlin in 1919...
to teach there as well.
Rabbi Rakeffet served in the Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
until the maximum allowable age. He served in Lebanon during the 1982 Lebanon War
1982 Lebanon War
The 1982 Lebanon War , , called Operation Peace for Galilee by Israel, and later known in Israel as the Lebanon War and First Lebanon War, began on 6 June 1982, when the Israel Defense Forces invaded southern Lebanon...
.
In 1981, he was recruited by Aryeh Kroll to join the Mossad
Mossad
The Mossad , short for HaMossad leModi'in uleTafkidim Meyuchadim , is the national intelligence agency of Israel....
's clandestine Nativ operation to teach Torah in the Soviet Union. Rabbi Rakeffet visited the Soviet Union in 1981, 1985, and 1989 together with his wife Malkah, and recruited 200 others to also visit. His initial visit motivated him to help found the Shvut Ami organization.
Rabbi Rakeffet felt strongly that a documentary should be made about Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik. After much effort, he found Ethan Isenberg to produce the film, and a donor to subsidize it. The documentary "The Lonely Man of Faith: The Life and Legacy of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik" was first shown in November 2006.
Rabbi Rakeffet finished his 10 year effort in the summer of 2009 of writing his personal scholarly memoir, "From Washington Avenue to Washington Street", published by Gefen Publishers and OU Press. Shipment of the new book is scheduled for July/August, 2011..
Noteworthy Quotations
- You can not be a good Zionist unless you know Vayoel MosheVayoel MosheVayoel Moshe is a Hebrew book written by Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum, leader of the Satmar Hasidic movement, in the year 1961. It made his case that Judaism is against Zionism....
by heart. Once you know Vayoel Moshe by heart, with Al HaGeula Ve’Al Hatemura…then you can be a Zionist. Until then you’re a faker. .
- If we take the point of view that we have to educate students but not clone them, then...we just have to say לא דרכי דרכיכם ולא מחשבותי מחשבותיכם..and. As a rebbe for so many years, I pride myself that I never tried to clone my students...I have so many students that became ChasidimHasidic JudaismHasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
, ChabadChabadChabad or Chabad-Lubavitch is a major branch of Hasidic Judaism.Chabad may also refer to:*Chabad-Strashelye, a defunct branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism*Chabad-Kapust or Kapust, a defunct branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism...
nikim, someone found their roots going back to BelzBelz (Hasidic dynasty)Belz is a Hasidic dynasty named for the town of Belz in Western Ukraine, near the Polish border. The town has existed since at least the 10th century, with the Jewish community being established during the 14th century. The town became home to Hasidic Judaism in the early 19th century...
, I even have a GerrerGer (Hasidic dynasty)Ger, or Gur is a Hasidic dynasty originating from Ger, the Yiddish name of Góra Kalwaria, a small town in Poland....
or two among the thousands of students I taught over the years, and so many different lifestyles. Ribbono shel `OlamNames of God in JudaismIn Judaism, the name of God is more than a distinguishing title; it represents the Jewish conception of the divine nature, and of the relationship of God to the Jewish people and to the world. To demonstrate the sacredness of the names of God, and as a means of showing respect and reverence for...
, as long as they are filled with Torah and Yirat Shamayim, why should I object? … Do I have to feel that if they don’t think exactly the way I do I failed? Chas V’Chalila..
Education
- Yeshiva Salanter Parochial School
- Yeshiva University High School for BoysYeshiva University High School for BoysYeshiva University High School for Boys offers college preparatory curricula and Jewish studies programs leading to an academic diploma endorsed by the New York State Board of Regents. Affiliated with Yeshiva University, the school is located in Washington Heights, in the New York City borough of...
(1955 Valedictorian) - Lakewood Yeshiva (1954–1955)
- Yeshiva College (Yeshiva University) (1955–1959; Graduation Summa Cum Laude)
- Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological SeminaryRabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological SeminaryRabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary , or Yeshivat Rabbeinu Yitzchak Elchanan, is the rabbinical seminary of Yeshiva University, located in Washington Heights, New York. It is named after Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor, who died the year it was founded, 1896...
- RIETS (ordination 1961) - Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish StudiesBernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish StudiesThe Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies was Yeshiva University’s first graduate school. Founded in 1937, it was named for Yeshiva University's first president, Bernard Revel...
(M.A., M.H.L., doctorate 1967)
Positions
- Spiritual leader of Lower Merion Synagogue in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania (1961–1962)
- Seven years as spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Ephraim and Maplewood Jewish Center in New Jersey (1962–1969)
- High School Rebbe at Yeshiva University High School for Boys (1962–1969)
- Staff Editor for Encyclopaedia Judaica. (1969–1971)
- Jerusalem Torah College (BMT) (1969–1989)
- Machon Gold (1971–1989)
- Michlalah (The Jerusalem College for Women) (1971–1986)
- Midreshet Moriah (1987–2002)
- Gruss Kollel (1976 - )
Works
- Bernard Revel: Builder of American Jewish Orthodoxy (1971)
- The Silver Era: Rabbi Eliezer Silver and His Generation (1982)
- Rakafot Aharon (1997) - 2 volumes, collected published writing
- The Rav - The World of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (1999) - 2 volumes
- From Washington Avenue to Washington Street (2011), Gefen Publishing House. ISBN 978-9652295651
Articles
- Tradition: A Journal of Orthodox Jewish Thought: Rakeffet-Rothkoff entries
- The Commentator: The Torah and Rabbinics of the Early YC Years
- Jewish Action: Rabbi Meir Kahane: His Life and Thought
Lectures
- Online archive of articles and talks at YUTorah.org
- http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/719948/Rabbi_Aaron_Rakeffet-Rothkoff/1999-04-26_The_art_of_living_&_teaching_Torah,_a_eulogy_for_Joe_DiMaggio_#1Hesped for Joe DiMaggioJoe DiMaggioJoseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio , nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak , a record that still stands...
#1] - http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/719949/Rabbi_Aaron_Rakeffet-Rothkoff/1999-04-26_The_art_of_living_&_teaching_Torah,_a_eulogy_for_Joe_DiMaggio_#2Hesped for Joe DiMaggioJoe DiMaggioJoseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio , nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak , a record that still stands...
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