Baruch Poupko
Encyclopedia
Rabbi Dr. Baruch A. Poupko, born in Velizh
, Russia
, (a town north of Mogilev
) to Rabbi Eliezer
and Pesha Poupko, was an American
multi-lingual scholar, author, and lecturer.
After receiving ordination from Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik
at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary
in 1941 he served as Rabbi
and Senior Rabbi of Shaare Torah of Pittsburgh, PA (1942–2004), President of the Rabbinical Council of Pittsburgh (1949–1999) and was one of the original founders of the Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh. He was one of the very first Jewish leaders who advocated international efforts on behalf of Soviet Jews during the early 1950s, and wrote the award-winning Yiddish book In the Shadow of the Kremlin, as well as many articles regarding the plight of Soviet Jewry. Rabbi Poupko's doctoral thesis, completed at the University of Pittsburgh
, "traces the history and status of Jewish religious adult education, analyzing the various emphases in curriculum of the three major religious ideologies." (American Jewish Year Book Vol. 66 (1965) 281)
Rabbi Poupko edited and co-edited 38 sermon volumes of the Rabbinical Council of America
, including the scholarly Anglo-Hebrew volume Eidenu in memory of the founder and first president of Yeshiva University
, Dr. Bernard Revel
, the volumes in honor of Chief Rabbi
Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog
, Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik
, and the Centennial of YU, and Dr. Norman Lamm
's 20th anniversary as President of YU.
Rabbi Poupko served as the National Vice President of the Rabbinical Council of America
and as the National President of the Religious Zionists of America
. He lived in Seattle, WA with his daughter, Rivy Poupko Kletenik
, and son-in-law, Moshe Kletenik
.
Rabbi Poupko died on April 14, 2010 in Seattle WA.
Velizh
Velizh is a town and the administrative center of Velizhsky District of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, situated on the bank of the Western Dvina, from Smolensk. Population:...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, (a town north of Mogilev
Mogilev
Mogilev is a city in eastern Belarus, about 76 km from the border with Russia's Smolensk Oblast and 105 km from the border with Russia's Bryansk Oblast. It has more than 367,788 inhabitants...
) to Rabbi Eliezer
Eliezer Poupko
Rabbi Eliezer Poupko was born in Radin, Lithuania, on March 18, 1886. He attended the Telz yeshiva. Receiving Semicha in 1908, he served for twenty four years as chief rabbi of the Jewish community in Veliz, Russia. Rabbi Poupko was twice tried in 1930s for defying the religious policies of the...
and Pesha Poupko, was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
multi-lingual scholar, author, and lecturer.
After receiving ordination from Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik
Joseph Soloveitchik
Joseph Ber Soloveitchik was an American Orthodox rabbi, Talmudist and modern Jewish philosopher. He was a descendant of the Lithuanian Jewish Soloveitchik rabbinic dynasty....
at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary
Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary
Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary , or Yeshivat Rabbeinu Yitzchak Elchanan, is the rabbinical seminary of Yeshiva University, located in Washington Heights, New York. It is named after Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor, who died the year it was founded, 1896...
in 1941 he served as Rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
and Senior Rabbi of Shaare Torah of Pittsburgh, PA (1942–2004), President of the Rabbinical Council of Pittsburgh (1949–1999) and was one of the original founders of the Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh. He was one of the very first Jewish leaders who advocated international efforts on behalf of Soviet Jews during the early 1950s, and wrote the award-winning Yiddish book In the Shadow of the Kremlin, as well as many articles regarding the plight of Soviet Jewry. Rabbi Poupko's doctoral thesis, completed at the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
, "traces the history and status of Jewish religious adult education, analyzing the various emphases in curriculum of the three major religious ideologies." (American Jewish Year Book Vol. 66 (1965) 281)
Rabbi Poupko edited and co-edited 38 sermon volumes of the Rabbinical Council of America
Rabbinical Council of America
The Rabbinical Council of America is one of the world's largest organizations of Orthodox rabbis; it is affiliated with The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, more commonly known as the Orthodox Union, or OU...
, including the scholarly Anglo-Hebrew volume Eidenu in memory of the founder and first president of Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University is a private university in New York City, with six campuses in New York and one in Israel. Founded in 1886, it is a research university ranked as 45th in the US among national universities by U.S. News & World Report in 2012...
, Dr. Bernard Revel
Bernard Revel
Bernard Revel was an Orthodox rabbi and scholar. He served as the first President of Yeshiva College from 1915 until his death in 1940...
, the volumes in honor of Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi is a title given in several countries to the recognized religious leader of that country's Jewish community, or to a rabbinic leader appointed by the local secular authorities...
Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog
Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog
Rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog , also known as Isaac Herzog, was the first Chief Rabbi of Ireland, his term lasting from 1921 to 1936...
, Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik
Joseph Soloveitchik
Joseph Ber Soloveitchik was an American Orthodox rabbi, Talmudist and modern Jewish philosopher. He was a descendant of the Lithuanian Jewish Soloveitchik rabbinic dynasty....
, and the Centennial of YU, and Dr. Norman Lamm
Norman Lamm
Norman Lamm is a major American Modern Orthodox rabbi, scholar, author and Jewish communal leader. He is presently the Chancellor of Yeshiva University....
's 20th anniversary as President of YU.
Rabbi Poupko served as the National Vice President of the Rabbinical Council of America
Rabbinical Council of America
The Rabbinical Council of America is one of the world's largest organizations of Orthodox rabbis; it is affiliated with The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, more commonly known as the Orthodox Union, or OU...
and as the National President of the Religious Zionists of America
Religious Zionists of America
The Religious Zionists of America is an American based organization that serves as the official body for those, mostly Modern Orthodox Jews who identify with Religious Zionism and support the goals of the general Mizrachi movement in America, Europe and Israel.Most rabbis...
. He lived in Seattle, WA with his daughter, Rivy Poupko Kletenik
Rivy Poupko Kletenik
Rivy Poupko Kletenik is a Jewish American female lecturer and educator.She was born in Pittsburgh, PA to Gilda Twerski Novoseller Poupko, scion of the Hasidic dynasty and Rabbi Baruch Poupko, rabbi for over 60 years of in Pittsburgh....
, and son-in-law, Moshe Kletenik
Moshe Kletenik
Rabbi Moshe Kletenik is an American rabbi. He was born in Chicago in 1954 to Rabbi Shya and Rochelle Kletenik. After studying in the Hebrew Theological College and Yeshivas Brisk of Chicago, he received "Yoreh Yoreh" semicha from Rabbi Ahron Soloveichik and completed his BA at Roosevelt University...
.
Rabbi Poupko died on April 14, 2010 in Seattle WA.
Sources
- "Poupko, Bernard." Encyclopaedia Judaica. Jerusalem: Keter, 1972.
- Rosenstein, Neil. The Unbroken Chain. Lakewood, NJ: CIS, 1990. p. 294
- American Jewish Year Book