Moshe Gottesman

Rabbi Dr. Moshe Gottesman
Position	Dean Emeritus
Yeshiva	Hebrew Academy of Nassau County
Began	1985
Ended	2001
Personal details
Born	Welland, Ontario
Nationality	United States of America
Denomination	Orthodox Religious Zionist
Residence	New York
Spouse	Sondra Gottesman
Alma mater	Ida Crown Jewish Academy, Hebrew Theological College, Honorary doctorate from Yeshiva University
Semicha	Hebrew Theological College

Rabbi Moshe Gottesman was born in Canada. He held the position of dean for the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County for almost 20 years.^[1] Gottesman was also the director of tours for Camp Sdei Chemed International for over 35 years.^[2] Gottesman has received many awards, including, most recently, the Honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Yeshiva University. The award was presented to him at the University's commencement exercises in May 2010.^[3] Gottesman continues to be an influential member of the Modern Orthodox and Religious Zionist Jewish community.

Education

Gottesman received his formal education and semicha in Chicago, Illinois, where he studied secular studies at the Chicago Jewish Academy (which is now known as Ida Crown Jewish Academy) and Judaic studies at the Hebrew Theological College (HTC).^[4] While studying at the HTC, his main rabbinic influences included Rabbis Yisrael Mendel Kaplan and Chaim Kreiswirth. Many of Gottesman's peers from the HTC are now famous rabbis, including, most notably, Rabbi Berel Wein.^[5]

Hebrew Academy of Nassau County

Dean

Gottesman's tenure at the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County (HANC) began in 1960. After a year of teaching in Chicago, he began work as rabbi for the original campus in West Hempstead. Gottesman went on to become a teacher, principal of the Junior and Senior High School and Dean in 1985.^[6] Gottesman's teaching philosophy is that every Jewish child deserves a Jewish education. In all of his years teaching, Gottesman never expelled any students unless he could find an appropriate, alternate replacement.^[3]

Post-retirement

Although he is officially retired, Gottesman still devotes much of his time to HANC. In December 2010, HANC dedicated its new Beit Midrash in his honor. The goal of the Rabbi Moshe Gottesman Beit Midrash is to be a center of learning for students and alumni from HANC as well people who either work or study in nearby communities and schools like Hofstra University and Nassau Community College^[7]

Every year, Gottesman leads HANC in their march at the annual Salute to Israel Day Parade in New York City^[8]

Gottesman Learning Center

While dean at HANC, Gottesman established the Gottesman Learning Center for children with special needs. The program currently accommodates children with everything from basic learning disabilities to Down's syndrome and various types of autism. The program meets each Sunday morning and provides a Jewish education with davening, the aleph-bet, laws and customs, song, dance, art, parashah and crafts to children who, because of their special requirements, would have no other opportunity to be in a Jewish school environment.^[9]

Young Israel of Oceanside Mikva

For over 25 years the community of Oceanside, New York, did not have a mikvah. In 1984, Gottesman was determined. Neighbors took the religious community to a court zoning board over the building permit. Gottesman and twenty five 12th grade HANC students attended the hearing. Gottesman used his students as a visual aid to show the judge how many people would use the mikva if granted a permit. The judge granted permission and dismissed the case.^[10]

Over 200 families currently use the Oceanside mikva. Gottesman's wife, Sondra, is the vice president of the Oceanside Mikvah Association. The mikva was renovated in 2009 and was rededicated in memory of longtime member Mrs Judy Williams.^[11]

References