On Tuesday September 13, 2022, The Rabbinical Alliance of America (Igud HaRabbanim) held their 80th Celebration and 34th Annual Siyum HaShas Celebration at Rabbi Eliyahu Elbaz’s shul, the Sephardic Lebanese Congregation on Avenue T in Brooklyn.

The R.A.A. honored four distinguished leaders for outstanding service including NYPD Inspector Richie Taylor, Senior Advisor to Mayor Eric Adams, Joel Eisdorfer; Deputy Chief of Staff to the Mayor, Menashe Shapiro; and Commissioner Fred Kreizman of the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit. Mayor Eric Adams, who was in Washington D.C. on city business, delivered the keynote address via video.

Special guests included Brooklyn South Chief Mike Kemper; Staten Island Chief Terence Hurson; Inspector Joe Hayward; R.A.A Director of Govermental & Community Relations, NYPD Clergy Liaison David Heskiel; Councilman Kalman Yeger; Israeli Deputy Consul General to New York, Israel Nitzan; NYPD Honorary Surgeon Dr. Jack Husney; NYPD Chaplain Imam Tahir; Eli Slavin, representing Congresswoman Yvette Clarke who presented the honorees with Congressional Recognition Certificates; Flatbush Jewish Community Council Chairman Josh Mehlman; and Executive Director of the Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island, Rabbi Moshe Wiener; Rabbi Eli Choen, Executive Director of CHJCC ; Yitzy Weinberg, Executive Director Flatbush Community Fund

The celebration was hosted by Rabbi Mendy Mirocznik who serves as the Executive Vice President of the R.A.A. and Rabbi Michael Melnick who serves as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

The Rabbinical Alliance of America was founded in 1942 and has over 800 members across North America. It also operates its own binding bet din.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)