Iranian Chief Rabbi Meets Agudas Harabonim

On Tuesday morning, Rav Yehuda Gerami, the Chief Rabbi and Av Beth Din of Iran, was hosted by the Beth Din of Agudas Harabonim, the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the USA and Canada, to discuss various Halachic questions pertaining to Gittin and Kashrus.

On Tuesday morning, Rav Yehuda Gerami, the Chief Rabbi and Av Beth Din of Iran, was hosted by the Beth Din of Agudas Harabonim, the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the USA and Canada, to discuss various Halachic questions pertaining to Gittin and Kashrus.

The Rav, who is a member of ARIS (the Association of Rabbis in Islamic States) is currently in the United States of America on a tour of various Jewish communities across the country.

He described the revitalizing of the Beth Din in Tehran, the Gittin that are done and the Agunos that have been helped, he also discussed the Mikvah in Tehran which was recently renovated and the planned renovations of another dozen Mikvaos around the country. He explained the strict Kashrus standards he instituted for the Kosher restaurants and stores, and regaled in describing the full-day Yeshiva and the network of Kolels established. The plans for expanding Jewish primary education across the country were also presented to the Rabbis.

He detailed his connections with the Rabbinic establishments, specifically in Russia and Turkey, and the assistance provided by Rav Berl Lazar – Chief Rabbi and Av Beth Din in Moscow, Russia, and Rav Mendy Chitrik – Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Turkey.

Rav Arye Ralbag, Av Beth Din of Agudas Harabonim and Mara De’asra of Young Israel of Avenue K, who hosted and chaired the meeting, described the longtime relationship between Agudas Harabonim and the Jews in Iran, which spans back over 40 years, the involvement of Agudas Harabonim with Gittin to and from Iran, and the two-week training of Iranian Shochtim and Menakrim in Moscow which was arranged by Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky and Rabbi Zalman Loewenthal from Merkos 302, in coordination with Agudas Harabonim Beth Din and the Moscow-based Beth Din of Rav Lazar.

The meeting concluded with the American Rabbis pledging to help the Rav with any Halachic need that may arise.
Participating at the meeting were: Rav Arye Ralbag – Av Beth Din of Agudas Harabonim and Mara De’asra of Young Israel of Avenue K; Rav Peretz Steinberg – Av Beth Din of Queens, Rabbi Emeritus of Young Israel of Queens Valley and member of Agudas Harabonim; Rav Tzvi Ralbag – Dayan and Mesader Gittin of Agudas Harabonim, and Mara De’asra of Bais Ephraim Yitzchok of Woodmere; Rav Daniel Haramati – Dayan in the Beth Din of Queens and member of Agudas Harabonim; Rav Sholom Shuchat – Dayan and Menahel Beth Din of Agudas Harabonim, and Rosh Kolel L’horaah Ma’asis of Crown Heights; and Rabbi Moshe M. Liberow – Menahel of the Beth Din of New England and member of Agudas Harabonim.

Agudas Harabonim, established in 5662 (1902), is now celebrating 120 years of Halachic guidance and support to Rabbis across the world, writing and delivering Gittin, supervising and building Mikvaos, and much more.