Harry J. Kaufman

Rabbi Harry (Yehoshua Heschel) Kaufman (1923-) was born in Tarnopol, Poland and arrived in America at age six on the Lower East Side. He studied at Yeshiva Torah Vodaath and, in 1948, received semikhah from Rabbi Moshe Feinstein. Concurrently with his Yeshiva studies, the future Rabbi Kaufman earned an undergraduate degree from Columbia University. From 1948 -1969, Rabbi Kaufman served Beth Sholom Congregation in Washington, DC. As President of the Rabbinical Council of Greater Washington, Rabbi Kaufman was a member of President Nixon’s first inaugural committee. Upon being invited to the prayer service that would precede the inauguration, he declined, explaining that he could not enter a church. As a result, the service was moved to the auditorium of the State Department and Rabbi Kaufman did participate. After Beth Sholom, Rabbi Kaufman served as rabbi of the Young Israel of Montreal where he is a Dayan of the Beth Din of Montreal, a member of the Vaad Harabonim of Montreal, and a past President of the Rabbinical Council of Montreal. He holds a doctorate from London University in London Ontario. In 2015, he published Ohr Yehoshua, containing his original thoughts on the parashah and festivals.