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 o ...
Raphael Marcus (died November 21, 2007) was a scholar of
Halakha, a leader in the Toronto Jewish Community and a student of
Mussar. He was well known within circles of
Orthodox Judaism.
Biography
Marcus was the official rabbi of B'nai Torah Congregation in Toronto, Ontario. A native of New York, he attended
Rabbi Jacob Joseph School for both elementary and high school. For his post-secondary education, Marcus attended various ''yeshivot'' in Israel, including
Kerem B'Yavneh
Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh ( he, ישיבת כרם ביבנה, lit. ''Vineyard in Yavne Yeshiva'') is a youth village and major yeshiva in southern Israel. Located near the city of Ashdod and adjacent to Kvutzat Yavne, it falls under the jurisdicti ...
and the
Mir Yeshiva, where he attained a reputation for his brilliance and astounding moral character. He continued his studies at the
Hebrew Theological College of Illinois where he received rabbinic ordination under his ''
Rebbe'' and father-in-law, Rabbi
Ahron Soloveichik
Ahron (Aaron) Soloveichik ( he, אהרן סולובייצ'יק; May 1, 1917 – October 4, 2001) was a renowned Orthodox ''rosh yeshiva'', and scholar of Talmud and ''halakha''.
Biography
The youngest of five children, Rabbi Ahron Soloveichik was ...
. While learning in Chicago, Marcus attended
Northeastern Illinois University
Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) is a public university in Chicago, Illinois. NEIU serves approximately 9,000 students in the region and is a Hispanic-serving institution. The main campus is located in the community area of North Park wi ...
.
Upon receiving rabbinic ordination, Marcus decided to pursue a career in Jewish education. He first moved to New York and joined the faculty of Mesivta Ohr Torah of Riverdale. Although it was not Marcus's desire to become the pulpit rabbi of the Young Israel of Woodmere, he nevertheless reluctantly accepted a temporary position there. This was the beginning of his career as a pulpit rabbi. From that experience, Marcus went on to assume a rabbinical position at Congregation Ohev Tzedek for five years before moving to Toronto.
Marcus moved to B'nai Torah on March 1, 1980,
with his wife Rochel Leah, and for 26 years he led the community. He was a teacher at
Yeshivat Or Chaim for boys and
Ulpanat Orot, a member of the Toronto Vaad Harabonim and a member of the city's ''Beis Din''.
Marcus died on November 21, 2007, after a long illness. The burial services took place in Jerusalem, Israel, on Har Ha-Zeitim.
References
External links
Bnai Torah
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marcus, Raphael
2007 deaths
Year of birth missing
Canadian Orthodox rabbis
American Orthodox rabbis
Rabbi Jacob Joseph School alumni
Northeastern Illinois University alumni
21st-century American rabbis