Aharon Yaakov Schwei (July 9, 1934 – April 24, 2020)[ Harav Aharon Yaakov Schwei, 85, AH] was an Orthodox Judaism rabbi and a member of the Chabad Hasidic Judaism movement. Rabbi Schwei served on the Beth Din (Jewish Rabbinical Court) of the Chabad community in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.[ Collive Reporter. "Hate Blogs Are Killing Us". Collive.com. Dec 12, 2010.][ Collive Reporter. "Rabbis Fight Hate Blogs". Collive.com. Dec 10, 2010.][ "The Shluchim Unite". ChabadWorld.net][ Chabad.info. "Beis Din Recommends Eishel Kapparos". Chabad.info. September 23, 2012.][ Collive reporter. "Crown Heights Badatz Unites". Collive.com. Feb 1, 2011.]
Rabbi of Crown Heights
As a member of the Crown Heights
Beth Din, Rabbi Schwei was one of the community's
Marah D'Asra (Aramaic מרא דאתרא, a title equivalent to "Chief Rabbi"). The rabbinical court is the spiritual and religious body governing the Crown Heights Chabad community. After his death, three rabbis remained serving on the Beth Din:
Each hold the title
Marah D'Asra.
Crown Heights Kashrus
Rabbi Schwei was involved in supervising and granting
Hechsher under the Crown Heights rabbinical court.
[ "Braun Hechsher." CrownHeights.info October 2013.][ "Braun Hechsher." Chabad.info Accessed 2013.] In recent years, Rabbi Osdoba's authority as sole administrator of the CHK was challenged by others in the community, including supporters of Rabbi Schwei and Rabbi Braun arguing that the arbitration panel (Zabl"a) ruled that it should be run by a board of directors "There is a need to create a new Vaad HaKashrus, which shall be the executive body of the Rabbis and the Vaad Hakohol.
[ "Psak Din of Rosenberg Zabla." Anash News. Accessed 2013.][ Collive reporter. "CHK Stronghold is Challenged". Collive.com. August 10, 2011.] The court however remanded this ruling back to the arbitration panel for clarification
[ "Rosenberg Beis Din Judgements Confirmed." Anash News. October 2013.][ "Court affirms Zablo ruling, leaves CHK with R' Osdoba." CrownHeights.info. Accessed 2013.][ "Amended decision order judgement." CrownHeights.info. October 2013.] which is yet to reconvene
Statement on local blogs
Both Rabbis Osdoba and Schwei spoke out against several "hate blogs" created by members of the community.
Ordination
Rabbi Schwei received his rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Aryeh Leib Kramer, the former dean of the Chabad
yeshiva in
Montreal.
Family
Yaakov Schwei's brother, Rabbi Isaac Schwei (1932–1988) was a rabbi in the Chabad community of Montreal (also ordained by Rabbi Aryeh Leib Kramer).
Banning of Call of the Shofar
In December 2013, Rabbis Yaakov Schwei and Yosef Braun issued a letter stating that attending programs run by Call of the Shofar, a Jewish LGAT group based in
Baltimore, is forbidden under Jewish law.
[ Letter Released. COLlive.com. Accessed January 4, 2014.][ Letter Released - News Recap. COLlive.com. Accessed January 4, 2014.] They were later joined by the "Central Committee of Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbis in the United States and Canada," also known as Vaad Rabbonei Lubavitch who also banned COTS.
[ "Chabad Rabbis Ban Call of the Shofar." COLlive. Accessed 2014.][ "Vaad Rabonei Lubavitch prohibit attending COTS." CrownHeights.info. Accessed 2014.]
Death
On April 24, 2020, Rabbi Schwei died in
Brooklyn from complications associated with COVID-19.
External links
