Memory Lane: Rav Yaakov Eliyahu Rabinowitz

On the outer edge of Boro Park lies Congregation Bnei Israel of Linden Heights, which is nearing its 100th anniversary. Throughout its century of existence, it was privileged to have prominent, G-d fearing, and learned Rabbonim at its helm—beginning with Rav Yaakov Eliyahu Rabinowitz, whom we profile here today, following intensive research.  

Zhornyshche

He was born in the small Ukrainian village of Zhornyshche in the year 1865, to his father Rav Tzvi, the Rov in the town, and his mother Rochel. Little is known about his youth, but he was taken as a son in law by Rav Yaakov Yosef Trachtenherz of the nearby town of Nemerov, who was an illustrious and prominent Rov and Shochet (we will learn more about him later). 

He arrived in America in 1899 alone, and his Rebbetzin Devorah and the children joined him on Rivington Street on the Lower East Side shortly after the turn of the century, where Rav Yaakov Eliyahu served as a posek, and was involved in Kashrus and shechitah, though it is unknown whether he held an official position as a rov. 

‘Descendant of the House of David’ 

Tragedy struck the family in 1923, when Rebbetzin Devorah passed away at the untimely age of 58, and her distinguished funeral aroused the interest of the local newspapers. 

On January 21, 1923, we read: “Wife of Rabbi Pneumonia Victim. Deborah Rabinowitz, according to tradition, descendant of the house of David. Deborah Rabinowitz, wife of Rabbi Jacon E. Rabinowitz of Vernon Avenue in Brooklyn, died of pneumonia at the Beth Moses Hospital. She was the daughter of the famous Rabbi Trachtenherz of Nemerov, Ukraine, upon whose shrine in Palestine prayers are periodically offered...” 

We read further an article in The Standard Union from February 15 of that year: “By reason of her distinguished antecedents and the fact that she was a woman of exemplary character and the wife of a Talmudic scholar, the body of Mrs. Deborah Rabinowitz, 58 years old, of 353 Vernon Avenue, who died at Beth Moses Hospital, was accorded the honor of being taken into a synagogue... 

“Prayers were recited by the children of the Talmud Torah of Meserole Street, and later at the Zera Tzedek of Willoughby Street, where the ancient prayer of El Molei Rachamim was sung.... the funeral procession proceeded to Tiphereth Israel Synagogue, Willoughby and Throop Avenues, where prayers were offered and orations delivered by Chief Rabbi [Sholom Elchonon) Jaffe of the Beth Hamedrash Hagadol synagogue, a lifelong family friend.” 

Letters of Longing 

In 1928, we find “holiday greetings... from Rabbi Jacob Rabinowitz, 860 44th Street, performer of ceremonies, to all his friends and patrons.”  The aforementioned address is right around the corner from the Linden Heights Shul, and it is the earliest mention of his presence there. Here Rav Yaakov Eliyahu served as the Rov for close to two decades, until his passing in 1943. 

His acceptance of this position is likely connected to the fact that he remarried his second wife Sarah, a widow with several children, who was already living in Boro Park. 

In 1930, a large event took place at the Empire Manor Hall in honor of the Seventieth Birthday of the Monostricher Rebbe, Rav Yehoshua Heshil Rabinowitz (no relation) who resided in Brownsville. 

In the journal produced in honor of this event by the Rebbe’s many chassidim here, Rav Rabinowitz appears numerous times as a prominent, respected chossid of the Rebbe, and headed the committee, and delivered an address at the event. 

The Rebbe’s descendants have produced three letters from the Monistricher Rebbeim to Rav Yaakov Eliyahu while they were still in Russia, displaying their respect and reverence for him. Evidently, he was close to the family for many years before... and was from the same region in Ukraine. 

Rav Yaakov Eliyahu continued to server the Bnei Israel Shul until his passing on Shushan Purim of 1943, and was interred in their section in Montefiore Cemetery (adjacent to sifrei Torah from the Shul that were burned in a fire), following decades of leading his people in Boro Park of Yesteryear