Levi Yitzchak HaLevi Horowitz (born 3 July 1921,

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, died 5 December 2009,

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

) was a

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 the second

rebbe A Rebbe ( yi, רבי, translit=rebe) or Admor ( he, אדמו״ר) is the spiritual leader in the Hasidic movement, and the personalities of its dynasties.Heilman, Samuel"The Rebbe and the Resurgence of Orthodox Judaism."''Religion and Spiritua ...

of the Boston Hasidic Dynasty founded by his father, Pinchos Dovid Horowitz. He was the first American-born Hasidic rebbe and the founder of ROFEH International, a community-based medical referral and hospitality liaison support agency.

Family

Horowitz's parents were Pinchos Dovid Horowitz, founder of the Boston Hasidic dynasty, and Sora Sosha Horowitz. His father died in November 1941. In November 1942 he married Raichel Unger Leifer of

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

, a descendant of Naftali Tzvi of Ropshitz.

Rabbinic career

In 1943, Horowitz was one of over 400 rabbis led by

Baruch Korff Baruch Korff (July 4, 1914 – July 26, 1995) was an American Orthodox rabbi. He was a longtime Jewish community activist who was associated with the Irgun and Lehi groups. Korff was a close political confidant of Richard Nixon, and was known as ...

who traveled to

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

just before

Yom Kippur Yom Kippur (; he, יוֹם כִּפּוּר, , , ) is the holiest day in Judaism and Samaritanism. It occurs annually on the 10th of Tishrei, the first month of the Hebrew calendar. Primarily centered on atonement and repentance, the day's ...

, to ask President

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

to rescue Jews from Hitler. Upon becoming leader of the Bostoners in 1944, after his marriage and ordination at 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, Brooklyn, Kensington neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York (state), New York. History T ...

, he announced that his primary thrust as rebbe would be aimed at the area's large number of college students, many of whom were away from home In 1984, Horowitz established Givat Pincus, a Hasidic community in the Har Nof neighborhood of Jerusalem and began dividing his time between Israel and Boston. In 1999, an additional community was established in Beitar for the next generation of Bostoner Chassidim. Horowitz served as a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudath Israel of Israel. At the time of his death, he resided both in the U.S. and in Israel spending half a year in each country. Day-to-day leadership in his community had already passed on to his children.

Death and succession

Horowitz suffered a cardiac arrest on July 6, 2009, and was hospitalized in the Sharei Tzedek hospital in Jerusalem. He died on December 5, 2009 and was buried that night on the Mount of Olives. Per his will, he was succeeded by all his sons: * his eldest son, the Chuster rabbi, Pinchos Dovid Horowitz (died 2021) as Bostoner rebbe of Borough Park, Brooklyn * his second son, Mayer Alter, as Bostoner rebbe of Jerusalem * his third son, Naftali Yehuda, as Bostoner rebbe of Boston.

References

External links

ROFEH International
{{DEFAULTSORT:Horowitz, Levi Yitzchak 1921 births 2009 deaths American Hasidic rabbis People from Brookline, Massachusetts Rebbes of Boston Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Burials at the Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives