Moshe Herson
Born on the 20th of Tammuz 5694 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to a non-observant family. In his youth, he became close to Yiddishkeit. In 5709, at age 15, he was sent to learn at the Central Tomchei Tmimim Yeshiva at 770, where he received his rabbinic ordination.
During his yeshiva years, he merited to assist the Rebbe's secretariat by translating letters that arrived for the Rebbe in Spanish.
In 5717, the Rebbe sent him on Merkos Shlichus to South American countries including Venezuela and Cuba together with Rabbi Binyomin Klein. Before their departure, they had a yechidus with the Rebbe.
Public Activities
After his marriage in 5725, the Rebbe appointed him as his shliach to New Jersey. Upon arrival, he immediately began establishing Chabad institutions in the state, primarily a yeshiva and a rabbinical ordination institute, which grew over the years to peak at 280 students annually. The institute's ordination certificates are recognized worldwide, with leading contemporary poskim examining students, including Israel's Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu and Rabbi Menashe Klein.
Since his appointment to New Jersey, he built an empire of Torah and chesed institutions, including 50 synagogues, a Talmud Torah, yeshiva, rabbinical institute, and dozens of Chabad Houses in universities and city centers.
In 5745, the Rebbe appointed him as a member of Agudas Chassidei Chabad. He worked to strengthen the Crown Heights neighborhood and recover stolen books from the Lubavitch Library during the seforim trial.
In 5746, he joined with Rabbi Berel Shemtov, Rabbi Simcha Zirkind, Rabbi Shmuel Kaplan, and Rabbi Yisroel Shmotkin to establish the Machne Israel Development Fund (MIDF). This initiative gathered wealthy donors who contributed large sums to the Rebbe's causes and received extended personal meetings with the Rebbe in return, known as "yechidus for givirim."
When the Rebbe's Reshimos were discovered in 5755, he participated in the special meeting discussing their publication options and contributed to the final decision to begin their public release.
He passed away on 23rd of Teves 5785, at age 90.
Family
His wife: Mrs. Pearl Herssohn
Children and Siblings:
- Brother: R' Yitzchak Yehoshua (Izik) Herssohn - member of Chabad community in Rio de Janeiro
- Sister: Mrs. Rivka, wife of Rabbi Tzvi Aryeh Begun - the Rebbe's shluchim in São Paulo
- Son: Rabbi Menachem Mendel Herssohn, shliach in Basking Ridge, New Jersey
- Son: Rabbi Asher Herssohn, shliach to Northwest New Jersey
- Son-in-law: Rabbi Shlomo Chaim Brafman, dean of Yeshivas Tiferes Bochurim Morristown
Further Reading
"The Rebbe Brought Me Close to His Service" - Interview in Kfar Chabad Magazine issue 1893, page 56