Milton Polin
Encyclopedia
Milton H. Polin, an Orthodox
rabbi
who served in Brooklyn
, New York,, attained a number of distinctions in his life.
Born in Chicago
, Illinois. He is the son of Dorothy and Abraham Polin, and the grandson of Sholom Polin and Sara (Shashaka) Rivka (Chernick).
Rabbi Polin studied at the Hebrew Theological College
-- Beth Midrash L'Torah-- in his native city from which he received his ordination
and bachelor of Hebrew literature degree cum laude. At his ordination he was awarded a prize for his Hebrew essay `Rabbi Joseph Albo
and the Debate at Tortosa, 1413-14.' He also holds a master of arts degree in education from the University of Chicago
.
Rabbi Polin, now retired, lives in Israel with the rest of his family.
for the 105th Congress (1997-1998), Senator Charles E. Schumer devoted a speech in the United States House of Representatives Rabbi Polin on October 2, 1997 that noted Rabbi Milton H. Polin as spiritual leader of Brooklyn's Kingsway Jewish Center since 1974 and past president of the Rabbinical Council of America
.
Ordained in the 1950s, his teachers characterized him as "a gifted young scholar who will inspire a profound reverence for Torah Judaism." More recently he was paid tribute by the U.S. House of Representatives for being "a man highly esteemed and respected by Jews and Christians whose lives have been touched by numerous good works and kind deeds of this outstanding spiritual and civic leader."
His rabbinic leadership has transformed his congregation into a pulsating center of Torah learning
and communal activity for hundreds of young, highly educated, religiously observant families. He personally teaches a variety of classes for men and women of all ages and backgrounds at his synagogue. During his presidency of the Rabbinical Council of America he participated actively in the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and continues to maintain regular contact with the chief rabbi
s and government leaders in Israel
.
He is active in the larger community in many capacities, Rabbi Polin was invited to join the Orthodox Caucus, an Orthodox think tank in North America, and the board of directors of the Beth Din of America.
A lifelong religious zionist, Rabbi Polin is a national vice president of the Religious Zionists of America after previously serving as president of that organization's Greater New York Council. He is a member of the Rabbinic Advisory Council of the Jewish National Fund
.
In the several communities he has served, Rabbi Polin has at various times built a mikvah
("ritual bath"), an eruv
(an area designated for carrying outdoors on the Jewish Sabbath
), and two synagogue
s. His interest in kashruth ("dietary laws supervision") and responsibility for communal supervision long predated his chairmanship of the Rabbinic Kashruth Commission, the halakhic authority for the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America
Kashruth Division. He currently serves as chairman of the Kashruth Committee of the Vaad Harabbanim of Flatbush.
Rabbi Polin is a trustee of the international Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture. He was recently reelected vice president of the Coordinating Council on Bikur Cholim of Greater New York. Previously he has served as chaplain of the Kings County Council of the Jewish War Veterans
and as a member of both the rabbinic advisory and the executive councils of the Commission on Synagogue Relations, which are agencies of the UJA-Federation of the Jewish Philanthropies of New York. He chaired the Committee on the Public Information and Education of the Task Force on Missionary Activities of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York.
In his local community, Rabbi Polin has served two terms as president of the 90-member Vaad Harabbanim of Flatbush and chaired its Jubilee Anniversary celebration. He participated actively on the Board of Education of the Yeshiva of Flatbush for many years.
With his wife Shainees, he was sent to the former Soviet Union
more than two decades ago when Jews were not allowed to leave. They have shared their experiences, insights, and concerns for Soviet Jews in several forums. It was this experience that sensitized them to the special needs of today's new American families.
An eloquent speaker and acclaimed scholar, Rabbi Polin's sermons have appeared annually in the Rabbinical Council of America Sermon Anthology. Yeshiva University
President Dr. Norman Lamm
characterized his sermons as enlightening and creative. His scholarly articles have been published in such journals as `Judaism,' `Tradition,' and `The Hebrew Theological College Journal.' Several of his halakhic
studies on Maimonides
' Code has been published in Hadarom.
Rabbi Polin is listed in `Who's Who in World Jewry,' `Who's Who in Israel,' and `Jewish Personalities All Over the World,' and `Who's Who in Religion.' He is married to the former Shainee Sachs. They have 5 children, all married, and 18 grandchildren. Three of their children live in Israel, and 13 of their grandchildren are sabra
s (born in Israel).
Senator Schumer concluded:
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
who served in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York,, attained a number of distinctions in his life.
Born in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois. He is the son of Dorothy and Abraham Polin, and the grandson of Sholom Polin and Sara (Shashaka) Rivka (Chernick).
Rabbi Polin studied at the Hebrew Theological College
Hebrew Theological College
The Hebrew Theological College, known as "Skokie Yeshiva," is a Yeshiva in Skokie, Illinois which also functions as a private university on campus. The primary focus of the Yeshiva is to teach Torah and Jewish traditions...
-- Beth Midrash L'Torah-- in his native city from which he received his ordination
Semicha
, also , or is derived from a Hebrew word which means to "rely on" or "to be authorized". It generally refers to the ordination of a rabbi within Judaism. In this sense it is the "transmission" of rabbinic authority to give advice or judgment in Jewish law...
and bachelor of Hebrew literature degree cum laude. At his ordination he was awarded a prize for his Hebrew essay `Rabbi Joseph Albo
Joseph Albo
Joseph Albo was a Jewish philosopher and rabbi who lived in Spain during the fifteenth century, known chiefly as the author of Sefer ha-Ikkarim , the classic work on the fundamentals of Judaism.-Early life:Albo's birthplace is generally assumed to be Monreal, a town in Aragon...
and the Debate at Tortosa, 1413-14.' He also holds a master of arts degree in education from the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
.
Rabbi Polin, now retired, lives in Israel with the rest of his family.
From the Congressional Record
In the Congressional RecordCongressional Record
The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published by the United States Government Printing Office, and is issued daily when the United States Congress is in session. Indexes are issued approximately every two weeks...
for the 105th Congress (1997-1998), Senator Charles E. Schumer devoted a speech in the United States House of Representatives Rabbi Polin on October 2, 1997 that noted Rabbi Milton H. Polin as spiritual leader of Brooklyn's Kingsway Jewish Center since 1974 and past president of the Rabbinical Council of America
Rabbinical Council of America
The Rabbinical Council of America is one of the world's largest organizations of Orthodox rabbis; it is affiliated with The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, more commonly known as the Orthodox Union, or OU...
.
Ordained in the 1950s, his teachers characterized him as "a gifted young scholar who will inspire a profound reverence for Torah Judaism." More recently he was paid tribute by the U.S. House of Representatives for being "a man highly esteemed and respected by Jews and Christians whose lives have been touched by numerous good works and kind deeds of this outstanding spiritual and civic leader."
His rabbinic leadership has transformed his congregation into a pulsating center of Torah learning
Torah study
Torah study is the study by Jewish people of the Torah, Hebrew Bible, Talmud, responsa, rabbinic literature and similar works, all of which are Judaism's religious texts...
and communal activity for hundreds of young, highly educated, religiously observant families. He personally teaches a variety of classes for men and women of all ages and backgrounds at his synagogue. During his presidency of the Rabbinical Council of America he participated actively in the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and continues to maintain regular contact with the chief rabbi
Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi is a title given in several countries to the recognized religious leader of that country's Jewish community, or to a rabbinic leader appointed by the local secular authorities...
s and government leaders in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
He is active in the larger community in many capacities, Rabbi Polin was invited to join the Orthodox Caucus, an Orthodox think tank in North America, and the board of directors of the Beth Din of America.
A lifelong religious zionist, Rabbi Polin is a national vice president of the Religious Zionists of America after previously serving as president of that organization's Greater New York Council. He is a member of the Rabbinic Advisory Council of the Jewish National Fund
Jewish National Fund
The Jewish National Fund was founded in 1901 to buy and develop land in Ottoman Palestine for Jewish settlement. The JNF is a quasi-governmental, non-profit organisation...
.
In the several communities he has served, Rabbi Polin has at various times built a mikvah
Mikvah
Mikveh is a bath used for the purpose of ritual immersion in Judaism...
("ritual bath"), an eruv
Eruv
An Eruv is a ritual enclosure around most Orthodox Jewish and Conservative Jewish homes or communities. In such communities, an Eruv is seen to enable the carrying of objects out of doors on the Jewish Sabbath that would otherwise be forbidden by Torah law...
(an area designated for carrying outdoors on the Jewish Sabbath
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
), and two synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
s. His interest in kashruth ("dietary laws supervision") and responsibility for communal supervision long predated his chairmanship of the Rabbinic Kashruth Commission, the halakhic authority for the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America
Orthodox Union
The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America , more popularly known as the Orthodox Union , is one of the oldest Orthodox Jewish organizations in the United States. It is best known for its kosher food preparation supervision service...
Kashruth Division. He currently serves as chairman of the Kashruth Committee of the Vaad Harabbanim of Flatbush.
Rabbi Polin is a trustee of the international Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture. He was recently reelected vice president of the Coordinating Council on Bikur Cholim of Greater New York. Previously he has served as chaplain of the Kings County Council of the Jewish War Veterans
Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America
The Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America is an American Jewish veterans' organization, and the oldest veterans group in the United States. It has an estimated 37,000 members.-History and purpose:The Jewish War Veterans were established in 1896...
and as a member of both the rabbinic advisory and the executive councils of the Commission on Synagogue Relations, which are agencies of the UJA-Federation of the Jewish Philanthropies of New York. He chaired the Committee on the Public Information and Education of the Task Force on Missionary Activities of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York.
In his local community, Rabbi Polin has served two terms as president of the 90-member Vaad Harabbanim of Flatbush and chaired its Jubilee Anniversary celebration. He participated actively on the Board of Education of the Yeshiva of Flatbush for many years.
With his wife Shainees, he was sent to the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
more than two decades ago when Jews were not allowed to leave. They have shared their experiences, insights, and concerns for Soviet Jews in several forums. It was this experience that sensitized them to the special needs of today's new American families.
An eloquent speaker and acclaimed scholar, Rabbi Polin's sermons have appeared annually in the Rabbinical Council of America Sermon Anthology. Yeshiva University
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...
President Dr. Norman Lamm
Norman Lamm
Norman Lamm is a major American Modern Orthodox rabbi, scholar, author and Jewish communal leader. He is presently the Chancellor of Yeshiva University....
characterized his sermons as enlightening and creative. His scholarly articles have been published in such journals as `Judaism,' `Tradition,' and `The Hebrew Theological College Journal.' Several of his halakhic
Halakha
Halakha — also transliterated Halocho , or Halacha — is the collective body of Jewish law, including biblical law and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions.Judaism classically draws no distinction in its laws between religious and ostensibly non-religious life; Jewish...
studies on Maimonides
Maimonides
Moses ben-Maimon, called Maimonides and also known as Mūsā ibn Maymūn in Arabic, or Rambam , was a preeminent medieval Jewish philosopher and one of the greatest Torah scholars and physicians of the Middle Ages...
' Code has been published in Hadarom.
Rabbi Polin is listed in `Who's Who in World Jewry,' `Who's Who in Israel,' and `Jewish Personalities All Over the World,' and `Who's Who in Religion.' He is married to the former Shainee Sachs. They have 5 children, all married, and 18 grandchildren. Three of their children live in Israel, and 13 of their grandchildren are sabra
Sabra (person)
Sabra is a term used to describe a Jew born in Israeli territory; the term is also usually inclusive of Jews born during the period of the establishment of the state of Israel. The word "sabra" is Arabic and Hebrew. Immigrants to Palestine began using it in the early 1930s, according to the The...
s (born in Israel).
Senator Schumer concluded:
- He never fails to leave me inspired by his words and honored by his presence. After 43 years of outstanding congregational and communal leadership throughout the country, he retires from his dedicated and faithful service. Rabbi Polin leaves behind a legacy that has touched us all in so many ways and at so many levels. Thank you, Rabbi, for being such an inspiration.