Chief Rabbi of America
d. 12 Iyar, 1911
Rav Wderwitz, prior to his arrival in the United States was the Chief Rabbi of Moscow. The story goes that the Rav was once asked who made him Chief Rabbi of America to which he replied the sign painter.
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Directions to kever:
Bayside Cemetery
80-35 Pitkin Avenue
Ozone Park, NY 11417
212-874-7005
(Society: Congregation Lubowitz Weinzein, Path: A, Gate: 13, on the right side a few graves in. The second section from the Liberty Avenue entrance)
The cemetery is in disarray, use caution when visiting!!!
Rabbi Chaim Yaakov Widerwitz
November 13th, 2008 · 13 Comments
Tags: Chief Rabbi · Pitkin Avenue Cemeteries · Queens / L.I., NY
13 responses so far ↓
1 Chabad // Dec 9, 2008 at 3:41 pm
I was there, many years ago, I believe you have it right. He is buried alongside his son.
Just a little tip for anyone visiting the Bayside Cemetery, it?s in a rough neighborhood, so either go with someone or in the morning.
2 MBD // May 27, 2009 at 2:49 pm
I tried getting there, but the cemetery is such a mess!!!!!!!!
Is there a way of arousing interest in the community to get the cemetery cleaned up??????
3 Chabad // Jun 3, 2009 at 2:03 pm
WOW, the place is a jungle, how did you find it?
4 Miller // Jun 3, 2009 at 2:54 pm
Based on the Matzieve, you should change the name to ‘Chaim Yaakov’.
5 Miller // Jun 3, 2009 at 3:03 pm
The Rav was closeley affiliated with Lubavitch, he worked on the ‘Shu”t Zemach Zadik’ and is likeley that he served as rav in one of the two Lubavitcher Shuls in his area on Henrey St.
His wife Pesa was one of the founders of the Laidies Auxilary of Lubavitch.
(Toldos Chabad, Levin)
6 Miller // Jul 9, 2009 at 1:52 pm
According to the NY Times report, Lower east Side has not seen a large funeral like the one of Rabbi Widerwitz since the death of Cheif Rabbi Joseph.
The Rav was 75 years old at the age of his death, it is noted that he was a leading arbiter in family disputes in the East-Side.
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9F02E4D81439E333A25752C1A9639C946096D6CF
7 curios // Jul 9, 2009 at 3:41 pm
interesting, according to the NYT report there were over 5,000 people there, can that be compared to the 100, 000 at R’ YY’s levayah?!
8 YD Miller // Jan 27, 2010 at 12:34 pm
in 1892 he is klisted as the Rav of Bies Hamedresh Anshie Lubavitch V’Niezin on 48 Ludlow St. in NY, see link
http://books.google.com/books?id=p5lAAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA132#v=onepage&q=&f=false
9 Asher // Jan 27, 2010 at 12:58 pm
He’s buried in gate 13, currently however it’s easier to access him by entering gate 14, after a couple plots, approx 10 stones you’ll be able to see his headstone to your left. Did anyone come across a pic of him?
10 Admin // Jan 27, 2010 at 1:01 pm
I have one, it’s on the list for posting.
11 farshlufen // Aug 24, 2010 at 3:26 pm
R’ Barhuch we are waiting for the pic.
12 Farshlufen // May 30, 2011 at 1:50 pm
http://www.archive.org/stream/spiritofghettost00hapg#page/68/mode/2up
13 Yossi // Jan 12, 2012 at 6:53 pm
In the last year of his life, R’ Widrewitz arbritrated a dispute over the kashrus of the Mikvah in Seattle, WA. The rov of the Seattle kehilla, R’ Gedalyah Halperin, allowed the mikvah to be filled by municipal city water, while another prominent posek from St. Louis, R’ Zecharia Yosef Rosenfeld, held that it was pasul. R’ Halperin sent both his teshuva and that of R’ Rosenfeld to R’ Widrewitz asking for an opinion, and he wrote back a letter supporting the position of R’ Halperin. All these letters are printed in R’ Halperin’s Sefer Mei Gava found here -
http://www.hebrewbooks.org/10040 (p50)
It’s interesting that in his letter, R’ Widrewitz alludes to the fact that he had been ill for a while, and I wonder given the timing, whether this illness was ultimately the cause of his petira.
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