Yitzchok Dovid Groner
Encyclopedia
Rabbi
Yitzchok Dovid Groner (18 April 1925 – 7 July 2008), was the most senior Chabad
rabbi
in Melbourne
, Victoria
, Australia
, and the director of the Yeshivah Centre
, which includes the Yeshiva Shul, the Kollel Menachem Lubavitch, a boys' school known as Yeshivah College
, a girls' school known as Beth Rivkah Ladies College
, a seminary for girls known as Ohel Chana
, and others.
Born in New York
, United States
to a Hassidic family (his brother Leib Groner
was one of the secretaries to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson
), he arrived in Melbourne, Australia for the first time in 1953 at the bidding of the prior Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, and began his position officially in 1958.
He has been referred to as one of the pioneers and builders of the Melbourne Jewish community. He is also known for his vast Talmudic erudition, his awe-inspiring sermons and rousing High Holiday cantorial services (chazzanut) in the Yeshivah synagogue
, specifically Ne'ilah.
He had numerous children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who live both in Australia and overseas.
In May 2007, he appointed Rabbi Tzvi Telsner, his son-in-law, as assistant rabbi and Dayan of the Melbourne Chabad community.
He recently spoke at various Farbrengen
s on Shabbos in the Yeshivah lunchroom, and was recently honoured by a congregant in honour of his birthday. He stated that he did not even "touch the surface" in regards to the kiruv (bringing Jews closer to Judaism) process of Melbourne Jewry and he emphasised the fact that a lot more work still needs to be done in Australia.
On 18 May 2008, he explained at a Shabbat gathering that he was the forerunner and organiser of the Lag B'Omer Parade in 1942 and personally arranged the event as a request from Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn. Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson
spoke for the first time in a public fashion at that gathering and Rabbi Groner suggested that somebody should take notes. In fact, the entire talk is available today thanks to Rabbi Groner.
On the occasion of his 80th birthday, then-Prime Minister John Howard
said
He died on Monday morning 7 July 2008, aged 83; and was buried on the Mount of Olives
in Jerusalem.
He is survived by his wife, Rebbetzin Devorah, and his children:
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...
Yitzchok Dovid Groner (18 April 1925 – 7 July 2008), was the most senior Chabad
Chabad-Lubavitch
Chabad-Lubavitch is a Chasidic movement in Orthodox Judaism. One of the world's larger and best-known Chasidic movements, its official headquarters is in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York...
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...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and the director of the Yeshivah Centre
Yeshivah Centre, Melbourne
The Yeshivah Centre is an Orthodox Jewish umbrella organisation in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia that serves the needs of the Melbourne Jewish community. It is run by the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, until recently, under the direct administration of Rabbi Yitzchok Dovid Groner...
, which includes the Yeshiva Shul, the Kollel Menachem Lubavitch, a boys' school known as Yeshivah College
Yeshivah College
Yeshivas Oholei Yosef Yitzchok Lubavitch, known more commonly as Yeshivah College, is an independent, single-sex, Orthodox Jewish day school for boys, located in St Kilda East, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
, a girls' school known as Beth Rivkah Ladies College
Beth Rivkah Ladies College
Beth Rivkah Ladies College or Beth Rivkah Lubavitch is a single-gender girls' K-12 Orthodox Jewish day-school on Balaclava Road, East St Kilda in Melbourne, Australia run by the Chabad-Lubavitch movement's Yeshivah Centre. The school runs from kinder through to Year 12...
, a seminary for girls known as Ohel Chana
Ohel Chana
Ohel Chana is an Orthodox Jewish girls' seminary on Balaclava Road in Melbourne, Australia run by the Chabad-Lubavitch movement's Yeshivah Centre. It is administered by Rabbi Levi Tenenbaum....
, and others.
Born in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to a Hassidic family (his brother Leib Groner
Leib Groner
Rabbi Yehuda Leib Groner was the secretary to the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson for over 40 years.Following Schneerson's death there were press report in which he expressed opposition to Yudel Krinsky, the sole executor of Schneerson's will and a political opponent...
was one of the secretaries to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson
Menachem Mendel Schneerson
Menachem Mendel Schneerson , known as the Lubavitcher Rebbe or just the Rebbe among his followers, was a prominent Hasidic rabbi who was the seventh and last Rebbe of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. He was fifth in a direct paternal line to the third Chabad-Lubavitch Rebbe, Menachem Mendel...
), he arrived in Melbourne, Australia for the first time in 1953 at the bidding of the prior Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, and began his position officially in 1958.
He has been referred to as one of the pioneers and builders of the Melbourne Jewish community. He is also known for his vast Talmudic erudition, his awe-inspiring sermons and rousing High Holiday cantorial services (chazzanut) in the Yeshivah 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...
, specifically Ne'ilah.
He had numerous children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who live both in Australia and overseas.
In May 2007, he appointed Rabbi Tzvi Telsner, his son-in-law, as assistant rabbi and Dayan of the Melbourne Chabad community.
He recently spoke at various Farbrengen
Farbrengen
A Farbrengen is a Hasidic gathering. This term is only used by Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidim, as other Hasidim have a Tish. It may consist of explanations of general Torah subjects, with an emphasis on Hasidic philosophy, relating of Hasidic stories, and lively Hasidic melodies, with refreshments being...
s on Shabbos in the Yeshivah lunchroom, and was recently honoured by a congregant in honour of his birthday. He stated that he did not even "touch the surface" in regards to the kiruv (bringing Jews closer to Judaism) process of Melbourne Jewry and he emphasised the fact that a lot more work still needs to be done in Australia.
On 18 May 2008, he explained at a Shabbat gathering that he was the forerunner and organiser of the Lag B'Omer Parade in 1942 and personally arranged the event as a request from Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn. Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson
Menachem Mendel Schneerson
Menachem Mendel Schneerson , known as the Lubavitcher Rebbe or just the Rebbe among his followers, was a prominent Hasidic rabbi who was the seventh and last Rebbe of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. He was fifth in a direct paternal line to the third Chabad-Lubavitch Rebbe, Menachem Mendel...
spoke for the first time in a public fashion at that gathering and Rabbi Groner suggested that somebody should take notes. In fact, the entire talk is available today thanks to Rabbi Groner.
On the occasion of his 80th birthday, then-Prime Minister John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
said
He died on Monday morning 7 July 2008, aged 83; and was buried on the Mount of Olives
Mount of Olives
The Mount of Olives is a mountain ridge in East Jerusalem with three peaks running from north to south. The highest, at-Tur, rises to 818 meters . It is named for the olive groves that once covered its slopes...
in Jerusalem.
He is survived by his wife, Rebbetzin Devorah, and his children:
- Rabbi Sholom Ber Groner (South Africa)
- Rebbitzen Miriam Telsner
- Rebbitzen Shterna Zirkind (Crown Heights, New York)
- Rabbi Yossi Groner
- Rebbitzen Chaya Haller (South Africa)
- Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Groner
- Rebbitzen Rivkah Yurkowicz
- Rabbi Mendy Groner
External links
- The Rebbe’s man downunder – Australian Jewish NewsAustralian Jewish NewsAustralian Jewish News is a Jewish newspaper in Australia which has been continuously printed since 1895. The weekly publication has been, for the most recent years of its existence, the nation's only print news publication aimed specifically at a Jewish readership and, from the start, assumed the...
, 23 July 2004 - Yeshiva-Beth Rivkah School site
- Chief rabbi dies - The Australian