At the same time that kosher food production in Poland is being enhanced, the New York State Kosher Law Enforcement office remains without a staff of experienced kashrus agents. All of its kosher enforcement officers were dismissed for budgetary reasons. Chief Rabbi Metzger expressed concern that New York’s prominence as a producer of kosher food will be tarnished and that the state will suffer a loss of revenues, production and jobs. The chief rabbi called for the strengthening of New York State’s Office of Kosher Law Enforcement and the reappointment of all of the discharged losher law officers.
Insuring Our Yeshiva Rebbes
Rabbi Metzger also encouraged Albert (Shmuel Noson) Kahn to continue his efforts at promoting life insurance for family breadwinners. To date, more than half of all yeshiva rebbes and teachers are covered with term-life insurance policies directly due to the campaign led by Albert. The Beleder Rav, who is personally familiar with the tireless bikur cholim work of Mrs. Kahn at Mt. Sinai Hospital, gave his blessings for spectacular success.
The Kobersdorfer Rav
Rabbi Leibish Koenig, a student of Rabbi Yosef Rosenbloom, rosh yeshiva Shaarei Yoshe, and ybc”l of Rabbi Menashe Klein, zt”l (1924-2011), serves as Kobersdorfer Rav. Until the dissolution of the Austro Hungarian monarchy in 1918, Kobarsdorf was in Hungary. Today it is in Austria. The last Kobersdorfer Rav there was Rabbi Shimon Goldberger zt”l Hy”d, uncle of the present Kobasdorfer Rav.
The current Kobersdorfer Rav is the son of Rabbi Chaim Yeshaye Koenig, Yoka Rav and author of responsa Chukei Chaim; son of Rabbi Shlomo Koenig, zt”l Hy”d (d. 1944), Yareh Rav and later Yoka Rav. The present Kobersdorfer Rav represents the tenth generation of rabbis descending from Rabbi Meir Asch, zt”l (1670-1744), Eizenstadter Rav and author of Panim Ma’eros. Yoka was a village in Hungary, not far from Pressburg. The Kobersdorfer Rav is also the grandson of Rabbi Yehuda Leib Goldberger, zt”l Hy”d (d. 1944), Siksa dayan.
A pillar of the Igud, the Kobersdorfer Rav delivered chidushei Torah and presented the chief rabbi with the most recently published (number 7) of his father’s sefer Chukei Chaim. The Kobersdorfer Rav is one of the founding Torah lecturers of Irgun Shiurei Torah, having given shiurim every Monday through Friday during the Irgun’s embryonic first four years. He continues to head a vibrant kollel in his shul. Some of its members serve as dayanim on local basei din. The recent melaveh malkah dinner for the beis medrash had the participation of leading area rabbis. Boruch Mordechai Minzer, renowned master optician and ba’al chesed, was the guest of honor.
A Candidate’s Visit
The conference was visited by David Storobin, Esq., Republican candidate in the upcoming special election on March 20 for the New York State Senate seat representing the 27th district, which includes Bensonhurst, Brighton Beach, Flatbush, Mill Basin and Sheepshead Bay, all with a considerable constituency of Orthodox Jews. Mr. Storobin spoke with many rabbis individually and shared his strong support of family values. He is a member of an Orthodox shul and received the blessings and best wishes of the rabbis.