Rav Yaakov Perlow zt"l
הרב יעקב בן נחום מרדכי פרלוב זצ"ל
Nissan 13 , 5780
Known As: Novominsker Rebbe
Father's Name: Nachum Mordechai Perlow
Rav Yaakov Perlow zt"l
The Rebbe was a towering figure in the leadership of American Jewry, and served as Rosh Agudas Yisrael of America since 1998. The Rebbe was born in New York in 5691/1931. He was the son of the previous Rebbe, Harav Nachum Mordechai Perlow, zt”l, and Rebbetzin Beila Ruchama, a”h. He was named after his great-grandfather, Harav Yaakov Perlow, zt”l, the first Novominsker Rebbe. His maternal grandfather was Rav Yitzchak Zelig Morgenstern, zt”l, the Sokolover Rebbe, a descendant of the Kotzker.
Even in his youth, it was clear that the Novominsker Rebbe was destined for greatness in the Torah world. The Rebbe’s chavrusa from his yeshivah days, Rabbi Aharon Feldman, Rosh Yeshivah, Yeshivas Ner Yisroel, Baltimore, observed that the Novominsker Rebbe’s incisive mind, knowledge of Torah, Chazal, Halachah and Aggadah, all-encompassing kavod haTorah and ability to make decisions with far-reaching consequences propelled him to the highest heights as a leader in the olam haTorah.
When he came of age, he married Rebbetzin Yehudis, a”h, the daughter of Harav Avraham Eichenstein, zt”l, the Ziditchover Rebbe of Chicago.
After his father’s petirah in Elul of 5736/1976, he was appointed Rebbe. In 1998, after the petirah of Rabbi Moshe Sherer, z”l, the Rebbe was named Rosh Agudas Yisrael of America, a position he held for 22 years.
The Rebbe’s beis medrash was on 48th Street and 16th Avenue in Boro Park. The Rebbe was the keynote speaker at events related to Torah Umesorah and Agudath Israel. His speech was seen by many as the Orthodox Jewish equivalent to the state of the union address. He served as head of Agudah’s Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah. He passed away early Tuesday, 13 Nisan, 5780 he was 89.
Orthodox Union President Moishe Bane said, “The Rebbe sought achdus (unity) amongst Jews and made great effort to achieve that lofty goal. He was a visionary who thought not only about his own community but also loved and cared deeply about the broader Jewish community, both around the country and around the world.”