Rabbi Gedalia Dov Schwartz, 95, OBM

By Hamodia & COLlive

Rabbi Gedalia Dov Schwartz, renowned posek and Av Beth Din of the Beth Din of America and Rosh Beth Din of the Chicago Rabbinical Council, passed away at the age of 95.

Rabbi Schwartz was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. He graduated Yeshiva College and the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University, where he received his semicha. He served as the rabbi of the Young Israel of Boro Park for 18 years, and held pulpits in Rhode Island, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

In Chicago, Rabbi Schwartz led the cRc, the largest regional Orthodox rabbinical organization in America, and dealt with many halachic cases from around the country. He also oversaw cRc’s kosher product supervision and kosher certification.

In addition to his rabbinical positions, he was the editor of Hadarom, a well-known Torah journal, and authored the seforim Divrei Regesh, Migdanos Eliezer and Shaarei Gedulah.

On 19 Adar 5752, Rabbi Schwartz came to Lubavitch World Headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway to receive a ‘dollar for charity’ and blessing from the Rebbe.

He was flanked by Rabbi Avraham Shemtov, Head Shliach of Philadelphia and Chairman of Agudas Chassidei Chabad International and Rabbi Daniel Moscowitz OBM, the Head Shliach of Illinois.

In footage captured by JEM, the Rebbe is seen giving him a dollar and then wishing him “yaarich yomim al mamlachto” (that he live long years on his kingship) which many saw as a blessing that was indeed fulfilled.

Rabbi Baruch Hertz, one of Chicago’s prominent rabbonim and poskim who leads Congregation B’nei Ruven and the Lubavitch Girls High School of Chicago, has worked closely with Rabbi Schwartz over the years.

“He was very respected in the city and was a big talmid chacham,” Rabbi Hertz told COLlive.com who noted how Rabbi Schwartz was a member of the committee to build a Chabad mikvah in Chicago and was involved in many other areas.

“He was a very close friend of Chabad from earlier rabbinic positions and often spoke with admiration about the Rebbe and the impact the Rebbe had on the world,” Rabbi Hertz said.

A statement by the Orthodox Union extolled Rav Schwartz’s encyclopedic knowledge of Torah literature. He was an incredibly compassionate and sensitive person, whose impeccable middos and warm demeanor made him approachable to all. He will be missed deeply by his family, by his Chicago Jewish community, and by all of American and world Jewry.

The funeral took place on Thursday in Chicago with Rabbi Hertz and Rabbi Yosef Posner of Lubavitch Chabad of Skokie among the intimate group who were present at the burial.

He is survived by his children R’ Avraham Yeshaya Schwartz, R’ Chaim Schwartz and Mrs. Rivka Leah Goldman; and grandchildren.

Baruch Dayan Haemes.