SR1608 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1608 LRB101 23453 LAW 74765 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Harav Hagaon Rabbi Gedalia Dov Schwartz of Chicago, who passed away on December 9, 2020; and

WHEREAS, Rabbi Schwartz was born to Avrohom and Pearl (Scher) Schwartz of the Clinton Hill neighborhood of Newark, New Jersey on January 24, 1925; at the age of 17, he attended the Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yitzchak Elchanan, Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS), in New York City, New York; he was later ordained as a rabbi and studied the first Kollel at RIETS; he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity by Yeshiva University in 1990; he was honored with the Harav Yosef Dov Halevi Soloveitchik, Joseph B. Soloveitchik Aluf Torah Award, at Yeshiva University's Chag Ha'semicha convocation in 2014; and

WHEREAS, Rabbi Schwartz enjoyed an illustrious career as a synagogue rabbi in several locations, including Providence, Rhode Island, Englishtown, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Brooklyn, New York; he concomitantly served on various regional rabbinical bodies, kosher supervision bodies, and rabbinical courts; and

WHEREAS, Rabbi Schwartz was brought to Chicago in 1986 to become the Av Beit Din, Chief Rabbinical Judge and Adjudicator, of the Chicago Rabbinical Council (cRc); during his tenure of over 30 years as Av Beit Din and eventually Rosh Beit Din, he oversaw the cRc's growth and development into an internationally recognized leader in Jewish law, global kosher supervision, and community leadership; and

WHEREAS, Rabbi Schwartz also served the community in a multitude of positions; he was appointed as Av Beth Din of the Rabbinical Council of America's Beth Din of America in 1991; he served as editor of the HaDarom Journal; he was a leading voice for organizations, including the Religious Zionists of Chicago and Hatzalah; and

WHEREAS, Rabbi Schwartz was a brilliant scholar of Jewish texts and was erudite in all areas of study; he made a lifelong commitment to child and adult education as well as to his own lifelong pursuit of study; and

WHEREAS, Rabbi Schwartz steadfastly defended the integrity of traditional Jewish law and traditions, while engendering peace and unity throughout the community; he was devoted to mentoring and supporting younger rabbinic colleagues, engaging every individual with warmth and humility, and helping the oppressed with sympathy, righteousness, and dignity; and

WHEREAS, Rabbi Schwartz was a proud American citizen, a supporter of local police departments and elected officials, and particularly supportive of military chaplains who served in the U.S. Armed Forces; and

WHEREAS, Rabbi Schwartz was preceded in death by his first wife, Rebbetzin Risya (Shoshana) Poupko; and

WHEREAS, Rabbi Schwartz is survived by his wife, Rebbetzin Chana Sarah; his son, Avrohom Yeshaye (Sally) Schwartz; his daughter, Rivka Leah (the late Rabbi Yehoshua) Goldman; his son, Chaim Yehoshua Heschel (Shani) Schwartz; his grandchildren; and his great-grandchildren; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Harav Hagaon Rabbi Gedalia Dov Schwartz and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, the Chicago Rabbinical Council, and the Jewish community in the Chicago area and around the world who knew and revered him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Rabbi Schwartz as an expression of our deepest sympathy.