Moses S. Margolies
Encyclopedia
Rabbi Moses Sebulun Margolies (April 1851 – August 25, 1936) was a Russia
n-born American
Orthodox
rabbi, who served as senior rabbi of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun
on the Upper East Side
of the New York City
borough
of Manhattan
. In its obituary, The New York Times
described Rabbi Margolies as the "dean of orthodox rabbis in North America", a "Zionist leader and Jewish educator".
Margolies was born in Kroza
, Russia
in April 1851 and received his rabbinical training at the yeshivas in Kroza and Bialystok
. He became the rabbi of Sloboda
at age 26, serving there until he was summoned to Boston
in 1889 to serve as the chief rabbi for that city's Orthodox Jewish community. He came to New York City in 1906 to serve as rabbi of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, described by The New York Times as "one of the largest and most influential Orthodox congregations in the country".
As part of the Anti-Nazi Boycott of 1933
, Rabbi Margolies rose from his sickbed to address the overflow crowd at Madison Square Garden
on March 27, 1933, bringing the crowd of 20,000 to its feet with his prayers that the antisemitic persecution cease and that the hearts of Israel's enemies should be softened.
Rabbi Margolies died at age 85 on August 25, 1936 at the Carlton Hotel in Belmar, New Jersey
, with his wife, son and daughter at his bedside. He had been stricken with pneumonia
a week before his death. Funeral ceremonies were to be held the following day at Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun.
His grandson, Rabbi Joseph Lookstein
, had served as Assistant Rabbi at the congregation since receiving his rabbinical ordination in 1926, and had filled in for his grandfather during his prolonged illness. Rabbi Lookstein became the congregation's Senior Rabbi following the death of Rabbi Margloies.
Rabbi Joseph Lookstein founded the Ramaz School
in 1937, which was named in honor of Rabbi Margolies, known by the acronym of "Rabbi Moshe Zevulun". Lookstein's son, (the future Rabbi) Haskel Lookstein
, was a member of the school's inaugural class of six students. The Ramaz School had an enrollment of approximately 750 students in 1990, which had grown to 1,100 students in elementary through high school by 2007..
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...
n-born American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Orthodox
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
rabbi, who served as senior rabbi of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun
Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun
Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun is a Modern Orthodox synagogue, located on East 85th Street on the Upper East Side of the New York City borough of Manhattan. The synagogue was founded in 1872...
on the Upper East Side
Upper East Side
The Upper East Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, between Central Park and the East River. The Upper East Side lies within an area bounded by 59th Street to 96th Street, and the East River to Fifth Avenue-Central Park...
of the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
borough
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. In its obituary, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
described Rabbi Margolies as the "dean of orthodox rabbis in North America", a "Zionist leader and Jewish educator".
Margolies was born in Kroza
Kražiai
Kražiai is a town in Lithuania, located in the Kelmė district municipality, between Varniai and Raseiniai , on the Kražantė river. The old town of Kražiai is an archeological and urban monument....
, 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...
in April 1851 and received his rabbinical training at the yeshivas in Kroza and Bialystok
Bialystok
Białystok is the largest city in northeastern Poland and the capital of the Podlaskie Voivodeship. Located on the Podlaskie Plain on the banks of the Biała River, Białystok ranks second in terms of population density, eleventh in population, and thirteenth in area, of the cities of Poland...
. He became the rabbi of Sloboda
Sloboda
Sloboda was a kind of settlement in the history of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. The name is derived from the early Slavic word for "freedom" and may be vaguely translated as "free settlement"....
at age 26, serving there until he was summoned to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
in 1889 to serve as the chief rabbi for that city's Orthodox Jewish community. He came to New York City in 1906 to serve as rabbi of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, described by The New York Times as "one of the largest and most influential Orthodox congregations in the country".
As part of the Anti-Nazi Boycott of 1933
Anti-Nazi Boycott of 1933
The Anti-Nazi Boycott of 1933 was a boycott of German products by foreign critics of the Nazi Party in response to antisemitism in Nazi Germany following the rise of Adolf Hitler, commencing with his appointment as Chancellor of Germany on January 30, 1933...
, Rabbi Margolies rose from his sickbed to address the overflow crowd at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
on March 27, 1933, bringing the crowd of 20,000 to its feet with his prayers that the antisemitic persecution cease and that the hearts of Israel's enemies should be softened.
Rabbi Margolies died at age 85 on August 25, 1936 at the Carlton Hotel in Belmar, New Jersey
Belmar, New Jersey
Belmar is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 5,794. The Borough of Belmar is governed under the Faulkner Act system of municipal government....
, with his wife, son and daughter at his bedside. He had been stricken with pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
a week before his death. Funeral ceremonies were to be held the following day at Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun.
His grandson, Rabbi Joseph Lookstein
Joseph Lookstein
Joseph Hyman Lookstein was a Russian-born, American rabbi who served as spiritual leader of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and was a leader in Orthodox Judaism, including his service as president of the Rabbinical Council of America and of the...
, had served as Assistant Rabbi at the congregation since receiving his rabbinical ordination in 1926, and had filled in for his grandfather during his prolonged illness. Rabbi Lookstein became the congregation's Senior Rabbi following the death of Rabbi Margloies.
Rabbi Joseph Lookstein founded the Ramaz School
Ramaz School
The Ramaz School is a coeducational, private Modern Orthodox Jewish prep school located on the Upper East Side of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It consists of a lower school , a middle school , and an upper school .The Ramaz Upper School is a college preparatory school...
in 1937, which was named in honor of Rabbi Margolies, known by the acronym of "Rabbi Moshe Zevulun". Lookstein's son, (the future Rabbi) Haskel Lookstein
Haskel Lookstein
Rabbi Haskel Lookstein is an American Modern Orthodox Rabbi who serves as the spiritual leader of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and principal of the Ramaz School.-Early years:...
, was a member of the school's inaugural class of six students. The Ramaz School had an enrollment of approximately 750 students in 1990, which had grown to 1,100 students in elementary through high school by 2007..