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Nisson Wolpin

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Rabbi Nisson Wolpin

Nisson Wolpin was an Orthodox rabbi and (1932-2017),[1][2] renowned for being the editor of The Jewish Observer.[3][1] He also served as the learning director of Camp Munk for many summers.[4]

Early life

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Rabbi Wolpin was born in 1932[2] in Seattle, Washington to Bentzion and Kaila Wolpin. His parents, immigrants from Europe, lost 13 of their 15 children to childhood diseases prior to their coming to the United States.[5]

During his formative years, Seattle didn't have any fit Jewish schools for him to attend, and he therefore had no other option other than attending a local public school.[4] Like his three[5] brothers, he attended a Talmud Torah in the afternoon. At age 15 he was sent to Yeshiva Torah Vodaath.[2][6]

Wolpin was one of "a small cadre of talmidim" selected by Gedaliah Schorr to be students at a Los Angeles-based yeshiva founded in 1952 by Simcha Wasserman.[7]

Career

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During his adult years as a married man, Rabbi Wolpin served as a rebbi (teacher of Torah) at Yeshiva Ohr Yisrael in Queens, an elementary yeshiva for Orthodox Jewish boys. In 1970, he was offered the position of editor of The Jewish Observer, a newspaper published by Agudath Israel of America.[8] Before accepting the position, he approached Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky, who told him: "Until now you were a mechanech (educator) of children. From now on you will be a mechanech for adults."[4] For several years he had a role in Olomeinu, the children's periodical, as well.[5][9]

Later life

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In 2010, Rabbi Wolpin and his wife moved to Israel,[2] where he learned in a kollel.[4]

On April 24, 2017, he died in Jerusalem, survived by his wife, their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. One obituary referred to him as "father of the flourishing chareidi press in the English language today."[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b Nisson Wolpin (April 4, 1995). "Orthodox Judaism Doesn't Lack Vision". The New York Times.
  2. ^ a b c d Rafael Hoffman (April 25, 2017). "Rabbi Nisson Wolpin, Zt"l, Pioneer of Torah Journalism". Hamodia.
  3. ^ Nisson Wolpin (August 8, 1987). "Israel and Conversion". The New York Times.
  4. ^ a b c d "Rabbi Nisson Wolpin zt"l". Matzav. April 24, 2017.
  5. ^ a b c Yonason Rosenblum (April 26, 2017). "Rabbi Nisson Wolpin, ZT"L". Yated Ne'eman (United States).
  6. ^ Avi Shafran (May 28, 2017). "Rabbi Nisson Wolpin, z"l: Shloshim Recollections". CrossCurrents.
  7. ^ "Rav Mendel Weinbach" (PDF). p. 13.
  8. ^ Charles Austin (November 15, 1982). "Thousands mark Talmudic milestone". The New York Times.
  9. ^ "Sharing Spaces, Shaping Identities: American Haredi Children's Literature". March 7, 2020.
  10. ^ Rabbi Hillel Goldberg (November 26, 2019). "Rabbi Nisson Wolpin / Remembering A Trailblazer". Ami Magazine.