Orthodox
Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to:
Religion
* Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...
rabbi
A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as ''semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of ...
and (1932-2017), renowned for being the editor of The Jewish Observer. He also served as the learning director of Camp Munk for many summers.
Early life
Rabbi Wolpin was born in 1932 in
Seattle, Washington
Seattle ( ) is a port, seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the county seat, seat of King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in bo ...
to Bentzion and Kaila Wolpin. His parents, immigrants from Europe, lost 13 of their 15 children to childhood diseases prior to their coming to the United States.
During his formative years, Seattle didn't have any fit Jewish schools for him to attend, and he therefore had no other option other than attending a local public school. Like his three brothers, he attended a
Talmud Torah
Talmud Torah ( he, תלמוד תורה, lit. 'Study of the Torah') schools were created in the Jewish world, both Ashkenazic and Sephardic, as a form of religious school for boys of modest backgrounds, where they were given an elementary educat ...
in the afternoon. At age 15 he was sent to
Yeshiva Torah Vodaath
Yeshiva Torah Vodaas (or Yeshiva and Mesivta Torah Vodaath or Yeshiva Torah Vodaath or Torah Vodaath Rabbinical Seminary ) is a ''yeshiva'' in the Kensington neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York.
History
The yeshiva was conceived in 1917 and for ...
.
Wolpin was one of "a small cadre of talmidim" selected by Gedaliah Schorr to be students at a
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
During his adult years as a married man, Rabbi Wolpin served as a ''rebbi'' (teacher of Torah) at Yeshiva Ohr Yisrael in Queens, an elementary yeshiva for Orthodox Jewish boys. In 1970, he was offered the position of editor of '' The Jewish Observer'', a newspaper published by
Agudath Israel of America
Agudath Israel of America ( he, אגודת ישראל באמריקה) (also called Agudah) is an American organization that represents Haredi Orthodox Jews. It is loosely affiliated with the international World Agudath Israel. Agudah seeks to ...
. Before accepting the position, he approached Rabbi
Yaakov Kamenetzky
Yaakov Kamenetsky (February 28, 1891 – March 10, 1986), was a prominent rabbi, rosh yeshiva, ''posek'' and Talmudist in the post-World War II American Jewish community.
Biography
Yaakov Kamenetsky was born at a folwark called Kalyskovka owned b ...
, who told him: "Until now you were a '' mechanech'' (educator) of children. From now on you will be a ''mechanech'' for adults." For several years he had a role in '' Olomeinu'', the children's periodical, as well.
Later life
In 2010, Rabbi Wolpin and his wife moved to Israel, where he learned in a
kollel
A kollel ( he, כולל, , , a "gathering" or "collection" f scholars is an institute for full-time, advanced study of the Talmud and rabbinic literature. Like a yeshiva, a kollel features shiurim (lectures) and learning ''sedarim'' (sessions); ...
.
On April 24, 2017, he died in Jerusalem, survived by his wife, their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. One obituary referred to him as "father of the flourishing ''
chareidi
Haredi Judaism ( he, ', ; also spelled ''Charedi'' in English; plural ''Haredim'' or ''Charedim'') consists of groups within Orthodox Judaism that are characterized by their strict adherence to ''halakha'' (Jewish law) and traditions, in oppos ...