Yisroel Belsky, American rabbi, Died at 77

  Religion

Chaim Yisroel Belsky was born on August 22, 1938, and died on January 28, 2016.

He was an American rabbi and posek of Orthodox Judaism and Haredi Judaism.

Yisroel Belsky resided in Brooklyn, New York.

He was one of the roshei yeshivas at Yeshiva Torah Vodaas, and rabbi of the summer camp network run by Agudath Israel of America.

At one point he was harshly criticized by other rabbis for his repeated support of sexual abusers and for his alleged intimidation of abuse victims whom he has publicly stated should not report their having been raped to the police.

He gained his semicha from Yeshiva Torah Vodaas, in Brooklyn, NY, in 1962, and from Rabbi Moshe Feinstein in 1965.

Yisroel Belsky also studied in Beth Medrash Elyon for a number of years.

Rabbi Belsky first kashrus position was with the Kof-K.

The rabbi has served with the Orthodox Union since 1987.

New York Times reported, he was a “prominent and influential Orthodox rabbi in Brooklyn”, and one of “the chief experts for the Orthodox Union, which certifies more than 600,000 products as koshe.

Yisroel Belsky died at 77 yrs old.