- Moshe Gottesman
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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 AmericaDenomination 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 close to 20 years.[1] Rabbi Gottesman has was also the director of tours for Camp Sdei Chemed International for over 35 years.[2] Rabbi Gottesman has been the recipient of 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] Rabbi Gottesman continues to be an influential member of the Modern Orthodox and Religious Zionist Jewish community.
Contents
Education
Rabbi 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.[4] While studying at the HTC his main rabbinic influences included Rabbis Yisrael Mendel Kaplan and Chaim Kreiswirth. Many of Rabbi Gottesman's peers from the HTC are now famous rabbis, including, most notably, Rabbi Berel Wein.[5]
HANC
Dean
Rabbi Gottesman's tenure at HANC began in 1960. After a year of teaching in Chicago he began work as as rabbi for the original campus in West Hempstead. Rabbi Gottesman went on to become a teacher, principal of the Junior and Senior High School and Dean in 1985.[6] Rabbi Gottesman's teaching philosophy is that every Jewish child deserves a Jewish education. In all of his years teaching, Rabbi Gottesman never expelled any students unless he could find an appropriate, alternate replacement.[3]
Post Retirement
Although he is officially retired, Rabbi 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 Rabbi 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, Rabbi Gottesman established the Gottesman Learning Center for children with special needs. The program currently accommodates children with everything from basic learning disabilities to Downs 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 Rabbi Gottesman was determined. Neighbors took the religious community to a court zoning board over the building permit. Rabbi Gottesman and twenty five 12th grade HANC students attended the hearing. Rabbi Gottesman used his students as a visual 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. Rabbi Gottesmans wife, Sondra, is the vice president of the Oceanside Mikvah Association. The mikva was renovated in 2009 and was rededicated in memory of long time member Mrs. Judy Williams.[11]
- ^ "HANC Milestones". http://hanc.org/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=395&linkid=nav-menu-container-4-1514. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
- ^ "Sdei Chemed Staff". http://www.campsci.com/camp/our_staff.htm. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
- ^ a b "YU Honorees". http://spider.mc.yu.edu/news/articles/article.cfm?id=102144. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
- ^ "ICJA Facebook Page". http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=472066382609&set=a.252703847609.153649.153279362609. Retrieved 04 February 2011.
- ^ "Lekutei Peshatim". http://listserv.shamash.org/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0111&L=LIKPESHAT&F=&S=&P=942. Retrieved 04 February 2011.
- ^ "YU Honorees". http://www.yu.edu/commencement/page.aspx?id=46670. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
- ^ "Gottesman Beit Midrash". http://www.5tjt.com/local-news/9249-hanc-dedications. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
- ^ "Irael Day Parade". http://www.davidhochhauser.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=4047. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
- ^ "Gottesman Learning Center". http://www.5tjt.com/local-news/9249-hanc-dedications. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
- ^ "Jewish Press Article". http://www.jewishpress.com/printArticle.cfm?contentid=40003. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
- ^ "Matzav Mikva Article". http://matzav.com/oceanside-mikvah-a-half-century-in-the-making. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
Categories:- Living people
- Modern Orthodox rabbis
- American Orthodox rabbis
- 20th-century rabbis
- Modern Orthodox Judaism
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