LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Rabbi Aryeh Ralbag upon the occasion of
his designation by the Council of Jewish Organizations of Flatbush as
the recipient of the Avodas Hakodesh Award at its 32nd Annual Community
Legislative Breakfast on March 27, 2011

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
commend those illustrious individuals of the State of New York whose
purposeful endeavors serve to enhance the quality of life in their
communities; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend
Rabbi Aryeh Ralbag upon the occasion of his designation for special
honor by the Council of Jewish Organizations (COJO) of Flatbush as the
recipient of its 2011 Avodas Hakodesh Award; and
WHEREAS, Rabbi Aryeh Ralbag, Moreh Da'Asra of the Young Israel of
Avenue K, will be honored at the Council's 32nd Annual Community Legis-
lative Breakfast, to be held at The Kings Terrace in Brooklyn, New York,
on Sunday, March 27, 2011; and
WHEREAS, Since 1979, the Council of Jewish Organizations of Flatbush
has coordinated the efforts of all parts of the Jewish community,
including educational, healthcare, religious, social welfare and other
organizations and institutions, and has acted as an advocate for the
communal and individual needs of the entire, increasingly diverse,
Southern Brooklyn community; and
WHEREAS, Its 32nd Annual Community Legislative Breakfast provides an
opportunity to pay tribute to those who have supported the Council and
have helped to further its efforts, as well as those who exemplify its
mission of improving the quality of life of the citizens it serves; and
WHEREAS, Rabbi Ralbag descends from a long line of rabbis, going back
24 generations; from an old Jerusalem rabbinical family, he was born and
raised in New York City then went to Israel to study in Jerusalem at the
world famous Chevron Yeshiva, the Hebron Rabbinical College, which is
the Israeli Branch of the Lithuanian Slobodka Yeshiva, and received his
first rabbinical ordinations from the Chevron Yeshiva and the Roshei
Yeshiva before he was 20; and
WHEREAS, From 1964 to 1975, Rabbi Ralbag learned in the Hebron Yeshiva
and Kollel, returning only briefly to the United States; in February
1969, he received his Master of Arts degree in Psychology from Fordham
University's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences; and
WHEREAS, In 1975, Rabbi Ralbag proudly received further ordinations
and consecrations from the Yeshiva, the Badatz of the Ashkenazim Perus-
hirn in Jerusalem, Roshei Yeshiva, Dayanim, and Rabbonim Roshiyim; those
who gave him Semicha included Rabbis Moshe Chevroni, S. Zissel Broide,
Eliezer Platchinsky, Ovadia Yosef, Avraham Rosenthal, and most impor-
tantly to him, his grandfather HaRav Aron Yehuda Arak; and
WHEREAS, Also in 1975, Rabbi Ralbag was called to the Netherlands to
become the Dayan, the Judge of the Jewish religious court, the Beth Din,
of Amsterdam, Holland, where there were 10,000 Jews in the Ashkenazik
synagogue; and
WHEREAS, In 1983, Rabbi Ralbag became the Moreh De'Asra of the Young
Israel of Avenue K/Congregation Ahavath Israel in Flatbush, Brooklyn,
one of the oldest and most prestigious synagogues in Flatbush, dating
back to 1925; and
WHEREAS, Today, under Rabbi Ralbag's leadership and spiritual guid-
ance, the Young Israel of Avenue K has five separate minyanim, or
services, on Shabbos, including a Vasikin minyan; three daily morning
minyanim including a morning Kollel yungerleit minyan as well as numere-

ous shiurim and lectures throughout the week, including a lesson on
modern Halachik problems given by Rabbi Ralbag at the weekly Sunday
morning breakfast; and
WHEREAS, Rabbi Ralbag heads the Beth Din of the Agudas HaRabbonim, the
Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the USA and Canada, which deals with all
Halachik issues; he is also a Chairman of the Beth Din of the Vaad
HaRabbonim of Flatbush and a world famous expert on Even HoEzer, Ishus,
Gittin, Agunos and numerous other issues; and
WHEREAS, Rabbi Ralbag, in addition, works closely with the Botei Din
in Israel, and his Psokim on child abuse and Gittin (divorce documents)
are immediately recognized in Israel by the Chief Rabbinate; he also
works, together with his children, for his father, HaGo'en HaRav Yehosef
Ralbag, for the International Triangle K Kashrus Organization; and
WHEREAS, In 2005, the Ashkenazik Kehilla of Amsterdam once again
called on Rabbi Ralbag to serve as the Chief Rabbi and Av Beth Din of
the city of Amsterdam, Holland; as such he is the twenty-second Chief
Rabbi since the Kehilla's inception in the middle of the 17th Century;
all the Kashrus and Halachik decisions are under his jurisdiction as are
eight rabbis and two Beth Din judges; and
WHEREAS, With Rabbi Ralbag throughout have been his devoted wife of
more than 40 years, the former Fanny Halberthal of Antwerp, Belgium, and
their children, Rabbi Shlomie and Rachelle Stein, Rabbi Zvi and Paghit
Ralbag, Rabbi Eliezer and Brynie Ralbag, Rabbi Binyomin and Yuta Weiss,
and Gavriel and Ahuva Ralbag and numerous cherished grandchildren, all
of whom are proud to be part of his life and rejoice in his many
achievements; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when individ-
uals of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our atten-
tion, it is appropriate to publicly proclaim and commend them for the
edification and emulation of others; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Rabbi Aryeh Ralbag upon the occasion of his designation as the
recipient of the Council of Jewish Organizations of Flatbush's Avodas
Hakodesh Award at its 32nd Annual Community Legislative Breakfast on
March 27, 2011; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Rabbi Aryeh Ralbag.