BDE: Sar Vegadol Nofal B'Yisroel: The Novominsker Rebbe zt"l

Boro Park - We are saddened to inform of the petira just now of the Novominsker rebbe, a towering figure in the leadership of American Jewry, the founder of a yeshiva in Boro Park and the Rosh Agudas Yisroel of America. He was 89.

The rebbe, Rav Yaakov Perlow, was the son of the previous rebbe, his father Rav Nochum Mordechai. He succeeded him on his petira fifty years ago.

The rebbe was born in New York and studied in Chaim Berlin. He later opened the Novominsker yeshiva, a sought after yeshiva currently located on 17th Avenue and 60th Street. The rebbe had his shul on 48th Street and 16th Avenue.

The rebbe was a mainstay and keynote speaker at events related to Torah Umesorah and Agudath Israel, of which he led since the passing of Rabbi Moshe Sherer in 1997. He was the head of Agudah's Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah.

The rebbe was not well since catching the coronavirus a week ago. Hatzolah was called to his house early Tuesday morning and he was niftar shortly afterward.

Yehi zichro boruch.