RABBI RIVLIN OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 1978-2001 

Rabbi Moshe Rivlin passed away Friday May 5, at the age of 83.  Rabbi Rivlin was an international figure, known in the Jewish world throughout the United States, Canada and Israel, for the many people he encouraged with his example of devotion to the human and G~dly essences of Judaism.

In his older years, after moving to Toronto in 1978, Rabbi Rivlin touched the lives of many scholars and laymen, young and old.  He was the Executive Director of Kollel Toronto, Institute for Advanced Judaic Studies.  Always at the telephone at his busy desk, he would contact thousands of people encouraging them to attend lectures, to study their religion at least a minimum amount per week.  With his humour and constant wit, he cajoled, encouraged, persuaded and uplifted many, even  those who were unafiliated with their religious source, and brought them “home” with his personal, familiar manner.  He was busy arranging shidduchim (marital matches) from his huge and growing file of singles, to bring their family life to completion, so important to the life of the Jew.  Many, many people never met the jovial Rabbi Rivlin, but will remember his familiar phone calls, and felt he was their lifeline to Judaism with his overpowering sense of trust and faith in the “Almighty.” 

Born in Virginia (1917) around the beginning of the First World War.  He entered Yeshiva Tora Vodaath at the age of 6, and by the time he was in his teens he had become its dorm counselor, beginning his career of public service in the higher institutes of learning in the Jewish Academic World.  Thousands of South American students will remember him as their father away from home, having come to New York to study during the 40’s and 50’s.

He later moved up to become the Yeshiva’s Executive Director, and secretary of the famed Rabbinical Sage, Rabbi Yaakov Kaminetsky.  In 1967 he became Personal Secretary and fund raiser of Mesifta Tiferes Jerusalem of Manhattan and Staten Island, which was the yeshiva of the famed Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, considered by most jews to be the foremost Rabbi in North America at that time.  In 1978 he moved to Toronto to assist the development of The Institute for Advanced Judaic Studies (Kollel Avreichim) where he could always be found on the telephone with his huge stacks of index cards and myriads of paper clips, calling people, fundraising, giving emotional support, matchmaking, spiritual guidance.

He was famed for saying that he never needed a vacation because his work was so enjoyable, it was his vacation.  Rabbi rivlin always used to quote a verse in the Scriptures: always an optimist, he would say that one gets heavenly merit not just for success for any religious act, but for the attempt.

At his funeral on a beautfiul sunny morning in the parking behind Kollel Avreichim, at least a thousand people from Canada and the United States were assembled to pay their respects at the eulogies, before his coffin was to be shipped to Israel.  In the crowd were many Rabbis and Dignitaries, including the Mayor of Toronto.  There were fathers and grandfathers who were at one time in his charge as students.

With his good humour, Rabbi Rivlin would speak before the Maimonides Lecture each Sunday, calling it a warmup: he’d consult his thick stack of index cards and find just the joke to put everyone in the right frame of mind.

Rabbi Hirschman, Dean of the IAJS,  told a typcial story about Rabbi Rivlin who had  invited Mel Lastman to a speech at the Sunday Morning Lecture series.  When Mr. Lastman appeared, he asked when Rabbi Rivlin: when do I speak?  Rabbi Rivlin responded: People come here to listen, not to speak.

And speak he did.  He reached many hearts of the young and old with his phonecalls, his humour, his outreach.  He will be remembered by thousands of Jews whose lives he has touched with his faithfulness, care and encouragement.