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This is not my idea, so I don’t want any credit. Rabbi Yakov Salomon on aish.com has a two minute video suggesting a Jew of the decade award. This award can be given to any Jew (or non-jew) who has contributed the most to Jewry in the past decade. He got this idea from the “Times Magazine’s Person of the Year Award”
TWO QUESTIONS I POSE:
1) Do you think this award is proper to be given out?
2) If yes, to whom?
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Halelukah, if the comment section here grows like it did in other fora you will get an incredible variety of answers. Most people won’t think in global terms but smaller, i.e. on a community basis or a personal basis.
I don’t think any of us within the confines of our human minds could actually come up with who is the JEW of the decade. It is probably someone who has done incredible acts of mesiras nefesh that none of us, only Hashem, knows about.
That being said, I think it would be an impossible award to give out. YIDDEN? Each one of us is a part of a whole….we’re so different and unique and special compared to the rest of the world, it’s just not shayoch to even comprehend because we’re all so interconnected, and work together in such special ways, no matter how different and divided we are.
You need not look far. I am right here.
I would like to cast my vote for the Y.W. Editor, with Pashuteh Yid coming in a close 2nd
the winner would be somone we don’t know.
in my eyes the jew of the decade is the simple yid who davens 3 times a day without talking in shul, makes an honest living, has no need to out do his neighbor, gives his 10% without awards, is home for his family at night and with all that manages to learn an hour or 2.
My husband.
i don’t about the decade but of the twentieth century its Reb Moshe Sherer for sure
i said of the twentieth century.
BS”D
Twentieth century? We are in the 57th century. Thirty more years to go before we can pick the greatest Jew of the century.
The decade referred to here is (I hope) 5760 – 5769 (which happens to coincide with the secular decade).
And my choices are: (since there really is no clear choice):
1) Rav Yaakov Horowitz, for bringing certain issues to light in a way that is non-condemning and non-confrontational, and for working to make “the system” better rather than destroying it.
2) Lipa Schmeltzer. He is a baal chesed who is mesameach Yidden, and he showed how to act properly when confronted with a challenge from Daas Torah. He has also revived Yiddish in a way that it cannot be confused with the Yiddish of the maskilim or the “Forvetz” crowd of old.
3) R’ Pinchas Lipschutz (sp?) for his askanus that reaches across “party lines”.
4) (he is only at the bottom of the list because he could have won last decade as well); Harav Yitzchok Dovid Grossman (Migdal Ohr) – for true chessed and ahavas Yisroel and for being able to do what he does and cooperate with everyone without straying one inch from the path of Torah and from the ways of his distinguished family. Rav Grossman shlit”a and Rav Lau shlit”a probably do the most to show people what real Torah Jews are.
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Rav Avraham Pam ZATZAL (SHUVU)
chesedname wrote:
the winner would be somone we don’t know.
in my eyes the jew of the decade is the simple yid who davens 3 times a day without talking in shul, makes an honest living, has no need to out do his neighbor, gives his 10% without awards, is home for his family at night and with all that manages to learn an hour or 2.
I somewhat agree with this. There are probably many simple Jews like this but on the other hand, there is a huge zchus in being osek bitzarchai tzibbur. There are some people who on the outside seem like simple Jews who make an honest living, learn some Torah, etc, but actually do a lot of hidden chessed as well, it is one of those who should be the Jew of the decade. The Jew of the decade might even be someone who is known as a big askan, etc but whose true greatness is not known because he actually does so much more than the public knows.
Got to agree with A600KiloBear about Lipa. In my case, because hearing Lipa’s music makes me very happy, watching him makes me very happy, and music makes me happy. And we all need to work on happiness in this crazy world!
In addition, I’d nominate my Rav, not only for being a superb talmid chochim and posek, but for being such an important influence to our family.
Can’t quite remember – but someone like The Forward, or one of those secular publications, publishes a “most influential Jews” list every year (also patterned after Time Mag). Here and there they actually have a frum yid listed.
Mod-42, Look, if you vote for me this decade, I will vote for you or the YW Ed next decade.
R’ Chaim Dovid Zwiebel is very worthy of the reward. Hi, TMK.
The Jew of the decade?
No question: Joseph
cherrybim – Let’s not disappoint Pashuteh Yid.
Forget restaurants or vacations or fancy cars or jewelry; he would like to make his wife happy once in a while but these items are out of the question.
Looking for a volunteer to work on a chesed or tzedaka project? Here he is. Collectors are never disappointed with this fellow.
People laugh at him because he is nodding off during learning and davening; yet very few burn the candle at both ends, as he does.
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cherrybim: Sorry, olam hafuch hu.
Cherrybim, that was a really beautiful and inspiring piece. In theory I agree with you wholeheartedly. Nevertheless, I really want the award myself. Below is a preliminary letter I have written.
Dear Award Organizers,
While I am humbled and flattered and totally surprised that you have chosen me out of the blue for this completely unsolicited honor, I regret to inform you that I am not sure I will be able to accept unless there is a hefty cash award associated with it. Please let me know the exact details, and I will get back to you with my decision shortly.
Your humble honoree,
Pashuteh Yid
A600KiloBear: I like your candidates, especially R’ Yakkov Horowitz. But I would like to add a few more:
R’ Noach Weinberg ZT”L, for his work on stopping the “silent holocaust” of assimilation by bringing kiruv into the focus of mainstream judaism. Although he has passed on, his work continues through his organization Aish HaTorah, and through grassroots organizations like Project Inspire (the people who brought you kiruv.com and the brand new seeyouonshabbos.com).
Rabbi Doctor Abraham J. Twerski, for his work on bringing all sorts of sensitive and vital problems (and solutions) to the forefront of mainstream judiasim.
Rabbi B. Shafier, for providing applicable mussar shmuzim to the jews of today, available for free (audio/video, stream/download) at theshmuz.com.
BS”D
In addition, a special award should be given to:
Kedoshei Mumbai HYD
Kedoshei Merkaz haRav HYD
In our davening and mourning for them, we came together as Klal Yisroel like never before, setting aside our differences and personal backgrounds to storm Shamayim for their safety, and when the decree was made known, to do so much in their memory.
At the risk of changing direction on this, I would nominate a very secular person who has devoted himself through the completed decade of expanding the possibilities of individual Jews in whatever circumstance he finds them. Michael Steinhart has profound respect for the Orthodox tradition as the only successful, stable form of Judaism in America. He certainly used a portion of his very large pushka to support organizations that enhance that stability, including the Hillel of my Alma Mater. His perspective of Judaism, though, extends to enhancing some of the less successful members. Mr. Steinhart is best known as the developer of the birthright program to bring young Jews at any level of starting point to one further along. Much like Ben Franklin who retired at a young age to devote himself to public service, Mr. Steinhart set aside his quest for an ever large fortune to make Judaism better than he found it.
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It’s like those “Prettiest Baby” contests. Every entry gets six votes – mother, father, grandparents.
The greatest Jew is probably living quietly, loving Hashem and his or her family, caring for others, trying to be righteous and do right by the community. And because a heart that great is also humble and self-effacing we’ll never hear about it. Aren’t we taught that the real Tzaddiks whose righteousness ensures the survival of the world are invisible and anonymous even to themselves?
Pashuteh Yid, you are hereby declared Chief Rabbi of Beis Ha’Shekel. Your congregation is larger than anyone will admit 🙂
LIPA!!! is a tzaddik nistar (though sometimes he’s not so nistar)
Lipa is a good person and provides great entertainment but lets not equate him with Gedolim and Chashuveh Rabbanim who were Mkarev thousands to Yiddishkiet.
I would award this honour to the world famous Maggid and Mohel, Rav Paysach Krohn.
Besides being an wondeful and captivating lecturer, his humility is outstanding.
‘Kol Hamashpile es Atzmoh, Hakodosh Boruch Hu Magbihu’
I’m a tzaddik nistar. I’m so hidden, that I don’t even know about it myself.
There is NO doubt. Not to disrespect any other names that have been, or will be, mentioned here, BUT…
THE Greatest Jew of the decade is definitely Roi Klein ztzvk”l.
This young man, as hopefully most of you remember, sacrificed his life al Kidush HaSh-m, ha’Am, v’ha’Aretz by throwing himself on a hezbollah hand grenade in the 2nd Lebanese War, to save the lives of his fellow soldiers.
Those who have seen the video or read the book about his life, know that this incredible act of heroism and self-sacrifice was NOT an isolated incident but the culmination of a life lived EVERY day for HaSh-m, His Torah, His people, and His Land.
ROI KLEIN, an exceptional Tzadik.
Yehi Zichro Baruch.
Pardon me, but what is the purpose of this grand award?
TWO QUESTIONS I POSE:
1) Do you think this award is proper to be given out?
2) If yes, to whom?
1. Yes
2. Every other Jew in the world before me.
The Wolf
EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO WENT THROUGH THE HOLOCAUST AND REMAINED FRUM!
Oomis – Sounds like you do marriage counselling!
I am so humbled whenever this topic gets revived.
geshmockster: I would definately have to agree, Rabbi Zwiebel is for sure one of the greatest living jews,I have met him and can personally attest to his greatness!
However, there are a few yidden that I am shocked that they wre not mentioned yet. I am taling of the mechanchim of Yeshiva Darchei Torah in Far Rockaway, Rabbi Yaakov Bender Shlita and Rabbi Zvi Trenk shlita are especially notable
Mw13
Brilliant choices! I second!
WellInformedYid
You have time for this? Arent you busy earning the “Greatest ?????of the Decade Award” alerting people about Halacha that is ignored”?
Shouldnt be here
You can do it too. I don’t have a monopoly on Zikuy Harabim.
Hank Greenberg and Sandy Koufax.
oops! sorry, I read wrong. I thought it was for Jew of the last century.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Just because winning this award might give him apoplexy.
all of the rebeim in yeshiva darchei torah.
ICOT
Not sure he’s Jewish….
WellInformedYid-
I’m highly skeptical myself, although there were some rumors that his original family name had Jewish origins.
I’d still be quite happy to witness his reaction if he was convinced it was true.
Jewess of the decade?Mrs.Esther Krohn of Toronto.a”h
I am just curious, is it possible for me to win this two decades in a row?
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