Moshe Yehuda Kotlarsky (June 8, 1949 – June 4, 2024) was an American Orthodox Judaism Hasidic Judaism rabbi who served as Vice Chairman of Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch, the educational arm of the Chabad movement which in turn oversees over 5,000 religious and educational institutions worldwide. Kotlarsky was a movement fundraiser and participant in the outreach operation.
Early life
Kotlarsky was born and raised in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York, on June 8, 1949.
His father, Rabbi Tzvi Yosef (Hershel) Kotlarsky (d. 2008), was a native of
Otwock, Poland
who spent the World War II years in
Shanghai.
The elder Rabbi Kotlarsky was a member of the administration of Yeshivas
Tomchei Temimim, the main Lubavitch
yeshiva in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, for over 40 years.
Activities
Global ambassador
Shortly after his marriage, Kotlarsky began working for Merkos, the Chabad division responsible for outreach, on the cusp of an explosion in the number of volunteer Chabad emissaries around the world. He traveled to outlying Jewish communities in 1968, identifying their needs and working with local community leaders to plan future Chabad centers. He became a crucial resource connecting field operatives with Chabad headquarters.
[Mishpacha magazine, June 25, 2014 Yisroel Besser, page 29]
He oversaw about four thousand institutions in a hundred countries. He presided over the Kinus Hashluchim,
Kotlarsky had also been named in various published rankings of Jewish leaders, including the Algemeiner Journals 'Jewish 100'
Fundraiser
Kotlarsky cultivated Chabad's relationship with many philanthropists worldwide, including the
Sami Rohr and his son
George Rohr.
His office had administered the 'Bogolubov Simcha Fund' which disbursed grants to Chabad representatives worldwide for family related expenses.
He had also facilitated grants for individual emissaries and their community projects through his contacts with philanthropists.
Personal life
Kotlarsky was married to Rivka Kazen, one of six daughters of Rabbi Shlomo Schneur Zalman Kazen.
[Groner, Rishe. "Kazen Sisters". Binah Sisters Supplement, Pesach 5772, pp. 26–31. Retrieved April 28, 2012.]
His brother-in-law was Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Kazen.
Kotlarsky's son, Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, is the director of Merkos 302 and president of Chabad's international Cteen program.
Kotlarsky died in New York City on June 4, 2024, at the age of 74, from pancreatic cancer.
External links
