Rabbi Yosef Baruch Shpielman
Rabbi Yosef Baruch Shpielman (born 1939) is a community activist and philanthropist residing in Crown Heights who served as a member of the Vaad Hakahal for approximately a decade.
Life History[edit | edit source]
Born on the 21st of Shevat 1939 in Germany to a Torah-observant family. In his youth, he studied at a small yeshiva in Gateshead, England, which belonged to the Lithuanian Jewish sector. He later transferred to a larger yeshiva in Manchester, where he was drawn to Chassidic teachings through Rabbi Yitzchak Dubov, who gave Tanya classes in the yeshiva.
After deciding to study at the Chabad yeshiva at 770, the Rebbe advised him to first study for some time at Tomchei Tmimim in Brunoy, as it was the only yeshiva operating during summer months.
Following his study period, he went to learn at the Central Tomchei Tmimim. He arrived in New York in Menachem Av 1957, and between 1957-1964, he studied in the yeshiva in the Rebbe's courtyard and its affiliated yeshivas. During the key ceremony of Beis Lubavitch in London on 13th Tammuz 1959, he received special attention from the Rebbe along with a group of English-born yeshiva students.
After his marriage to Mrs. Esther Rachel in 1965, he settled in Far Rockaway and after approximately fifteen years moved to Crown Heights.
Throughout his years, he served as a community activist and worked extensively for the benefit of Crown Heights residents.
In 1986, he was elected to serve as a member of the Vaad Hakahal and served as chairman for nearly a decade. During his tenure as chairman, an wave of antisemitic incidents against Jewish residents of Crown Heights broke out, and he worked extensively with government and security officials to calm tensions and restore security to neighborhood residents. As part of his role, he presented various city and government officials to the Rebbe during dollar distribution.
Even after completing his tenure, he continued working in various ways to benefit neighborhood residents, and began managing a gemach for weekly food distribution. He also helps many tmimim studying at 770 and grooms and guests who come for Pesach.
Over the years, he ran for the position of gabbai at 770, to which he was elected in 2009, and works to establish the status of Crown Heights rabbis.
Before the passing of the Rebbe's secretary Rabbi Yehuda Leib Groner, he appointed him along with R' Shmuel Melamed to manage Kupas Rabbeinu which was under his management, and they are members of the fund's management along with R' Avraham Simpson who fills in for his father Rabbi Shalom Mendel Simpson.
Family[edit | edit source]
- His son, R' Levi Yitzchak Shpielman - Crown Heights. Part of the Vaad Hamesader at 770.
- His son, R' Meir Shlomo Shpielman - Crown Heights.
- His son, R' Menachem Shaul Shpielman - Crown Heights.
- His son, R' Shmuel Nechemia Shpielman - Crown Heights.
- His son, R' Yaakov Yoel Shpielman - Crown Heights.
- His son, R' Yehuda Shpielman - Australia.
- His son, R' Tzvi Hirsh Shpielman - Crown Heights.
- His son, R' Naftali Shpielman - Crown Heights.
- His son, Shalom Ber Shpielman - Crown Heights.