I published a tip on this Monday.
Why did R. Pilichowski resign suddenly?
Beth Jacob emails its members today:
Dear Friends:
Rabbi Pilichowski has resigned his position at Beth Jacob effective July 3, 2011. He is currently on vacation with his family until that date. We expect to provide more details following a special meeting of the Board of the Directors called for early next week. We would like to thank Rabbi Pilichowski for his many years of devoted service to our congregation.
We thank you for your patience and assure you we are working diligently to assure an orderly transition of Rabbi Pilichowski’s duties.
Shabbat Shalom,
David West, outgoing president
Hugo Rose, incoming president
Rabbi Uri Pilichowski grew up in Fair Lawn, New Jersey with Rabbi Benjamin Yudin and Rabbi Saul Zucker as his mentors and teachers. He attended Yavneh Academy day school and Frisch High School. He was the youth director in his synagogue in Fair Lawn, led a chesed program for his high school and various other community activities. Rabbi Pilichowski went to Israel to learn Torah at Yeshivat Sha’arei Mevaseret Zion for two years and then became a dorm counselor while continuing his Torah education. After marrying Aliza, Rabbi Pilichowski joined the Meretz Kollel, a Kollel for Israeli men, who upon completing their studies go out and develop communities in Israel and the Diaspora, and Rabbi Pilichowski did just that! After learning in Kollel Meretz, Rabbi Pilichowski began studying in the Kollel of Yeshivat Sha’arei Mevaseret Zion. While learning in Kollel in Eretz Yisrael, Rabbi Pilichowski taught and mentored younger Yeshiva boys. After completing his Rabbinical studies, under the supervision of Rabbi Sinai Adler, he moved to Los Angeles.
As Assistant Rabbi, Rabbi Pilichowski wears many hats. Besides his Rabbinical duties, Rabbi Pilichowski assists his wife Aliza with the youth department. Shabbat can find him running the hashkama minyan and then the best teen minyan in town, while during the week he is usually found at local eateries with the kids. As head of Beth Jacob’s Kollel, Rabbi Pilichowski matches charuvot with kollel members for weekly learning. With all of this, Rabbi Pilichowski finds time for his favorites, teaching Torah at five local schools, Hillel, YULA boys, YULA girls, Maimonides and Torah high.
An Israeli citizen and former member of the Israel Civil Defense, Rabbi Pilichowski prides himself in his involvement with the Pro-Israel community. He writes weekly divrie Torah for AIPAC, and with AIPAC’s help began the first Synagogue teen pro-Israel group. After its initial success, Rabbi Pilichowski was able to partner with YULA, YICC and JSU, to extend the program to teenagers throughout Los Angeles.
Rabbi Pilichowski also enjoys writing; he is the author of three books, a book on time management, called “Eis La’asos L’Hashem,” “The Sedra,” on the weekly Torah portion and “The Moadim,” which discusses the festivals. He writes no less than five weekly columns on topics ranging from parenting advice to practical halachah. He also writes a widely distributed weekly Dvar Torah newsletter for both adults and kids.
