13 Facts About Yisroel Belsky

Chaim Yisroel HaLevi Belsky was an American rabbi and posek of Orthodox and Haredi Judaism.

Yisroel Belsky was one of the roshei yeshiva at Yeshiva Torah Vodaas, and rabbi of the summer camp network run by Agudath Israel of America.

Yisroel Belsky was the son of Berel and Chana Tzirel Belsky.

In 1962, Yisroel Belsky received his semikhah from Yeshiva Torah Vodaas, and again in 1965, when he received it from Moshe Feinstein.

Yisroel Belsky served as a member of the Iggud HaRabbonim beth din under Yitzchok Isaac Liebes, Baruch Leizerowski and Herschel Kurzrock.

In 2004, Yisroel Belsky ruled that water that might contain microscopic nonkosher organisms is kosher even if it is unfiltered.

Yisroel Belsky later ruled on a kashrut scandal surrounding Doheny Meats, which had been videoed violating the laws of kashrut, saying that food that had been sold by Doheny prior to the scandal could still be considered kosher.

Yisroel Belsky served as rabbi of the summer camp network run by Agudath Israel of America.

The event doubled as the chag ha'semikhah, where 35 of Yisroel Belsky's students received their rabbinical ordination certificates.

Yisroel Belsky later clarified his position in a letter to the Rabbinical Council of America:.

In 2000, Yisroel Belsky sided against rabbis in Borough Park, Brooklyn who established a controversial eruv, referring to them as amateurs and populists.

In 2013, the annual Yeshiva dinner honored Yisroel Belsky and highlighted 50 young men who earned semikhah from him.

Yisroel Belsky was re-hospitalized in January 2016 and he died during the evening of January 28,2016, which corresponded to the Hebrew calendar date of 19 Shevat.