At a special general meeting held by the members of the Adass
Israel Kehilla in Melbourne Rabbi Yehuda Katz, the Rosh
Kollel of Kollel Beis Yosef was appointed as Dayan and Moreh
Tzedek of the Kehilla.
The new Dayan will continue in his current position as well
as undertake additional responsibilities including assisting
his father-in-law, Rabbi Avrohom Zvi Beck, the Rav of the
kehilla in various matters including psak,
dinei Torah, kashrus and chinuch.
Rabbi Katz who hails from Kiryas Tosh in Canada became head
of the Kollel Beis Yosef following the departure of
the previous Rosh Kollel, Rabbi Eliezer Dovid Friedman who
has since assumed the position as Rav of the Belz Kehilla in
London.
Rabbi Friedman spent six years leading the Kollel which has
developed into an important mokom Torah where
approximately 20 b'nei Torah - amongst them several
outstanding talmidei chachomim and mechabrei
seforim spend their days and nights al Hatorah v'al
Hoavodah.
Rabbi Katz is known as an exceptional talmid chochom
and a moreh horoah muvhak who studied and had
shimush under leading Rabbonim including the late
Debreciner Rav Rabbi Moshe Stern zt"l, and
yblch"t Rabbi Shmuel Wosner, shlita Rabbi
Fischel Herskovitz shlita, Rabbi Yecheskel Roth
shlita, his father-in-law Rabbi Beck shlita,
Rabbi Moshe Halberstam of the Edah Hacharedis and Rabbi
Yaakov Yitzchok Neuman Rav of the Belz Kehilla in Montreal
Rabbi Meumann was the first Rav of the Melbourne Adass
Kehilla immediately after its establishment after the 2nd
World War and who in fact was responsible for making and
implementing the Takonos Hakehilla which ensured that Adass
Israel in Melbourne and all its associated institutions and
organizations continued in the path of the traditional
kehillos of pre-war Europe - bederech haChasam
Sofer vetalmidov zichronom livrocho.
The new Dayan had previously assisted his brother Rabbi
Avrohom Katz shlita - son-in-law of the Tosher Rebbe
shlita - who is Dayan in Kiryas Tosh, where he was
also served as maggid shiur in the local yeshiva.
He also served as Moreh Horoah in Montevideo for some
time after Rabbi Beck accepted the call to Melbourne.
Besides his kollel responsibilities, Rabbi Katz has
been giving a daily gemora shiur which is probably the
best attended daily shiur in town.
It is attended by people of all ages who enjoy a tanug
ruchni vegashmi from his outstanding hasboroh
which is interspersed with halocho lemaaseh and
divrei mussar and chasidus.
His regular halachic shiur k'loli on various topics
and inyone d'yoma always ensure a full beis
hamedrash. Additionally, Rabbi Katz gives a monthly
halocho shiur to all members of the Melbourne Chevrah
Hatzolo.
The combination of his vast knowledge, yiras Shomayim,
and pleasant personality ensured that the Dayan was appointed
virtually unanimously by all members of the
kehilla.
This is the first time that the kehilla has appointed
a dayan which has become necessary with the growth both in
numbers of families as well facilities and institutions
associated with the kehilla. The news of the
appointment was welcomed by all members of the Melbourne
community as a step which will no doubt expand and strengthen
the gevulei hakedusha throughout Australia.
A spontaneous LeChaim in the beis hamedrash of the
kehilla, where many arrived to extend mazel tov
wishes was attended by a large crowd including a group of
prominent visitors, who happened to be in Melbourne for an
important klal matter, Rabbi Yisroel Hager, son of the
Viznitzer-Monsey Rebbe shlita, Rabbi Avrohom Boruch
Rosenberg, Rosh Beis Din in Monsey and Rabbi Efraim Stein,
son of the Faltishaner Rov zt"l.
Greetings upon this appointment have also been received from
gedolei Yisroel world-wide and the kehilla is
indeed looking forward to going mechayil el choyil
under the leadership of its highly-esteemed Rav shlita
and the newly appointed Dayan shlita.
