06/14/2026
Rabbinical Alliance of America Commemorates Legacy of Outreach Pioneer Rabbi Nachum Zvi Josephy, ZT’L, and Applauds Governor Hochul’s Landmark House of Worship Security Bill
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — On Sunday, June 14, 2026 (29 Sivan 5786), the Rabbinical Alliance of America (RAA/Igud HaRabbonim) convened its Rosh Chodesh Tammuz Seudah and Conference at Kahal Bnei Matisyahu in Brooklyn, where Rabbi Yakov Klass, Presidium Chairman, serves as Rabbi. The gathering served as a powerful tribute to the life, vision, and enduring impact of its legendary, long-serving Executive Vice-President, HaRav Nachum Zvi Josephy, ZT’L (HaRav Nachum Zvi ben HaRav Chaim, ZT'L), while also addressing critical advancements in community security and religious freedom.
The conference and memorial luncheon were generously sponsored by his children and families: Rabbi Nusi Josephy and family, Mrs. Rechel Schor and family, and Mr. Ken & Mrs. Ricky Carter and family.
A National Legacy of Optimism, Inclusivity, and Transformation
Drawing on biographical history preserved by the Igud, speakers highlighted how Rabbi Josephy’s dynamic leadership left an indelible footprint on American Orthodoxy. Born in the Bronx to parents who exemplified absolute mesiras nefesh (self-sacrifice) for keeping Shabbos, he was ordained at the Bialystoker-Novardoker Beth Joseph Rabbinical Seminary and went on to obtain a graduate degree from Loyola University. His rabbinic career spanned the continent—from helping architect the early growth of traditional Jewish life in Los Angeles, to serving communities in Houston and Pittsburgh, and ultimately leading Bais Medrash HaGadol of Borough Park. He was famously remembered as an ultimate visionary who, when needing to secure Cholov Yisroel milk for the children of Pittsburgh, single-handedly reshaped local school board policies to make it a reality.
The entire essence of the Igud was enhanced and elevated by Rabbi Josephy’s legendary warmth and unmatched outreach. He instituted a sacred organizational culture that remains a defining practice of the Rabbinical Alliance of America to this very day: ensuring that every single rabbi, regardless of the size of his community, has a revered seat at the table. To Rabbi Josephy, every member of the rabbinate was a prince of Klal Yisrael, and he made certain each one was treated with the profound respect, dignity, and reverence due to a vehicle of Torah.
A true pioneer of Jewish outreach, Rabbi Josephy’s crowning achievement was his warm, historic embrace of Jewish immigrants fleeing the Soviet Union and Uzbekistan. Long before kiruv (outreach) became an organized movement, he welcomed thousands of Russian and Bukharian families, building the famous "Mishkan" program to ensure their children received a proper Torah education. His rabbinic colleagues frequently recalled his exceptional lev tov (good heart), which allowed him to seek out and find the spark of good in every single human being.
This boundless chesed (loving-kindness) extended beyond the living to honoring the giants of the past. In what stands as a historic act of chesed shel emes (true kindness)—and perhaps the final, crowning good deed for which he is eternally remembered—Rabbi Josephy single-handedly undertook the holy mission to find and rebuild the neglected resting place of HaRav Shlomo Ganzfried, ZT'L, the revered author of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, in Uzhhorod (Ungvar), Ukraine. By beautifully restoring the gravesite of one of Halacha’s greatest codifiers, Rabbi Josephy ensured that a lineage of Torah law would be preserved with the ultimate dignity.
Addressing the assembly, Rabbi Mendy Mirocznik, Executive Vice-President of the RAA, delivered a profound theological discourse connecting the weekly Torah portion of Parshas Shlach—specifically the account of the Ten Scouts and their failed reconnaissance mission—to the philosophy that defined Rabbi Josephy’s life. Rabbi Mirocznik posed a timeless question: How could the Almighty permit such a monumental national calamity to occur, the devastating effects of which the Jewish people still feel today through the mournful observance of Tisha B'Av?
"The answer lies in the sacred gift of free choice," Rabbi Mirocznik explained. "The Almighty allows us to choose our own course. When Moshe Rabbeinu sent the twelve princes, they were men of the highest stature. Tragically, ten of those scouts succumbed to fear and hidden agendas, returning with a defeatist report designed to sabotage the nation's entry into the Promised Land. Yet, even as they planned their presentation, they retained the absolute ability to self-reflect, repent, and set the record straight right up until the final moment they spoke. Had they been denied that chance, free will would cease to exist. Tragically, they chose poorly, and a generation was lost in the wilderness.
"The vital lesson for us today is that no matter how deep the failure, honest self-reflection always leaves room for positive change," Rabbi Mirocznik continued. "Achieving it is a difficult, uphill task, but it can happen if we have the courage to be completely honest with ourselves. That was the very essence of Rabbi Josephy. Where others saw a barren spiritual wilderness, he saw a land flowing with milk and honey. He was the ultimate, contagious optimist who, like Yehoshua and Calev, refused to look for flaws or limitations. He fought constantly to find the path of positive change under the most grueling circumstances, possessing a rare, God-given ability to lift people out of despair and transform absolute failure into resounding success."
RAA Applauds Governor Hochul’s Decisive Action and Met Council's Leadership on House of Worship Security
Turning to pressing contemporary communal issues, Rabbi Mirocznik expressed the profound, heartfelt appreciation of the Rabbinical Alliance of America to New York Governor Kathy Hochul for signing the landmark "Keeping New Yorkers Safe" security legislation into law. Signed at the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty’s annual legislative breakfast, the newly enacted statute establishes a protected 50-foot safety buffer zone around houses of worship, making it a crime to knowingly interfere with or intimidate congregants entering or exiting.
Met Council
"The Rabbinical Alliance of America extends its deepest gratitude to Governor Kathy Hochul for her unwavering moral clarity, her fierce defense of religious freedom, and her decisive leadership in signing this vital legislation into law," stated Rabbi Mirocznik. "In an era of rising anxiety, this bill provides an essential, ironclad shield, ensuring our synagogues, churches, mosques, schools, and sanctuaries remain safe spaces of peace, dignity, and holiness. We commend the Governor for standing firmly with our communities and making it clear that intimidation at the doors of prayer will never be tolerated in the State of New York."
Furthermore, the RAA expressed robust praise for David G. Greenfield, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of the Met Council, and his outstanding executive leadership team for their instrumental role in anchoring this historic milestone.
"We command the ultimate respect and appreciation for David Greenfield and the leadership team at the Met Council," Rabbi Mirocznik emphasized. "David Greenfield is a visionary advocate whose brilliant legislative insight and tireless devotion continue to transform the communal landscape. Hosting this monumental bill signing at the Met Council breakfast underscores the organization’s unparalleled status as a premier vanguard of both social services and communal protection. Through their unmatched advocacy, David Greenfield, Managing Director of Legal & External Affairs Aaron Cyperstein, Chief of Staff Benjamin Segal, and the entire team have provided a historic service to New York's faith communities, ensuring that the right to worship in safety is fiercely protected."
The landmark conference concluded with active participation and organizational reporting from Rabbi Yehuda Blank, Vice-President for Professional Development and External Affairs, and Rabbi Moish Schmerler, Executive Director of the RAA, who both reaffirmed the Igud's ongoing commitment to strengthening rabbinic advocacy, yeshiva education, and community security across North America.
Photo Credit: Ariel Mirocznik
