Yaakov Schwei

As a member of the Crown Heights Beth Din (rabbinical court), Rabbi Schwei was one of the community's Marah D'Asra (Aramaic מרא דאתרא, a title equivalent to "Chief Rabbi"). The rabbinical court is the spiritual and religious body governing the Crown Heights Chabad community. After his death, three rabbis remained serving on the Beth Din:

• Rabbi Avraham Osdoba, the Av Beth Din (head of court).
• Rabbi Yosef Heller
• Rabbi Yosef Braun

Each hold the title Marah D'Asra.

Rabbi Schwei was involved in supervising and granting kosher certification under the Crown Heights rabbinical court.[http://crownheights.info/assets/2013/10/braun-chocolatte-hechsher.jpg "Braun Hechsher."] CrownHeights.info October 2013.[http://www.chabadinfo.com/?url=article_en&id=28656 "Braun Hechsher."] Chabad.info Accessed 2013. In recent years, Rabbi Osdoba's authority as sole administrator of the CHK was challenged by others in the community, including supporters of Rabbi Schwei and Rabbi Braun arguing that the arbitration panel (Zabl"a) ruled that it should be run by a board of directors "There is a need to create a new Vaad HaKashrus, which shall be the executive body of the Rabbis and the Vaad Hakohol.[http://www.anashnews.com/p/psak-din-of-rosenberg-zabla.html "Psak Din of Rosenberg Zabla."] Anash News. Accessed 2013.[http://collive.com/show_news.rtx?id=15843 Collive reporter. "CHK Stronghold is Challenged". Collive.com. August 10, 2011.] The court however remanded this ruling back to the arbitration panel for clarification[http://www.anashnews.com/2013/10/rosenberg-beis-din-judgments-confirmed.html "Rosenberg Beis Din Judgements Confirmed."] Anash News. October 2013.[http://crownheights.info/chabad-news/405443/court-affirms-zablo-ruling-leaves-chk-with-r-osdoba/ "Court affirms Zablo ruling, leaves CHK with R' Osdoba."] CrownHeights.info. Accessed 2013.[http://crownheights.info/assets/2013/10/Amended-Decision-Order-Judgment.pdf "Amended decision order judgement."] CrownHeights.info. October 2013. which is yet to reconvene

Both Rabbis Osdoba and Schwei spoke out against several "hate blogs" created by members of the community.

Rabbi Schwei received his rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Aryeh Leib Kramer, the former dean of the Chabad yeshiva in Montreal.{{Cite web |url=http://rabbikramerslegacy.com/tributes/interviews/item/73-rabbi-nissen-mangel |title=Mangel, Nissan. Interview. Tributes to Rabbi Kramer. rabbikramerslegacy.com. |access-date=November 1, 2013 |archive-date=November 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103085941/http://rabbikramerslegacy.com/tributes/interviews/item/73-rabbi-nissen-mangel |url-status=dead }}

Yaakov Schwei's brother, Rabbi Isaac Schwei (1932–1988) was a rabbi in the Chabad community of Montreal (also ordained by Rabbi Aryeh Leib Kramer).

In December 2013, Rabbis Yaakov Schwei and Yosef Braun issued a letter stating that attending programs run by Call of the Shofar, a Jewish LGAT group based in Baltimore, is forbidden under Jewish law.[http://www.collive.com/show_news.rtx?id=28349 Letter Released. COLlive.com. Accessed January 4, 2014.][http://www.collive.com/show_news.rtx?id=28353 Letter Released - News Recap. COLlive.com. Accessed January 4, 2014.] They were later joined by the "Central Committee of Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbis in the United States and Canada," also known as Vaad Rabbonei Lubavitch who also banned COTS.[http://www.collive.com/show_news.rtx?id=28769&alias=chabad-rabbis-ban-call-of-shofar "Chabad Rabbis Ban Call of the Shofar."] COLlive. Accessed 2014.[http://crownheights.info/communal-matters/423211/vaad-rabonei-lubavitch-prohibit-attending-cots/ "Vaad Rabonei Lubavitch prohibit attending COTS."] CrownHeights.info. Accessed 2014.

On April 24, 2020, Rabbi Schwei died in Brooklyn from complications associated with COVID-19.

{{reflist|2}}

• [http://www.chcentral.org/resources/rabbonim/ CHJCC directory for the Beth Din]
• [http://chabadflatbush.org/pdf/9%20Av%20Badatz%20eng%20PM_small.pdf Guide to Jewish customs for the fast of the 9th of Av. By Rabbis Schwei and Braun] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102215853/http://chabadflatbush.org/pdf/9%20Av%20Badatz%20eng%20PM_small.pdf |date=November 2, 2013 }}

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Category:1934 births

Category:2020 deaths

Category:21st-century American rabbis

Category:American Hasidic rabbis

Category:Chabad-Lubavitch rabbis

Category:20th-century American rabbis

Category:Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in New York (state)