By COLlive reporter
Rabbi Binyomin Jacobs, a Chabad Rabbi who served as a Shliach in the Netherlands, was introduced this week as the new Chief Rabbi of 11 provinces in the country.
As reported on COLlive, the election was held in November 2008 at a meeting of the Council of the Inter-Provincial Chief Rabbinate.
In his new position, Jacobs (59), who served the Dutch Jewish Community for more than 25 years, will be frequently consulted from around the country for solving problems and providing social assistance.
The appointment of Jacobs may be regarded as an expression of appreciation for all the good work that Jacobs has been doing for decades for the benefit of Netherlands Jewry, a local newspaper reported.
Rabbi Jacobs was born in 1949 in Amsterdam as a descendant of an old Dutch-Jewish family, with ancestors from Sneek, Maryborough, Hastings and Groningen.
He graduated from Yeshivas in France and Israel, where he obtained the rabbinical Smicha ordination. In addition to his work at the IPOR he is the rabbi of the Sinai Center, where he is responsible for the spiritual care in this sole Jewish psychiatric institution in Western Europe and is a board member of the Rabbinical Center of Europe.
Jacobs lives with his wife in Amersfoort. They have children and grandchildren in Holland, Britain, Israel, Canada and the United States.
Interesting to note: A Chiefrabbi is inaugurated by the president of the Dutch Jewish communities and by the oldest Rov of the country. In this case the oldest Rov in function that also inaugurated Rabbi Jacobs was his spiritual mentor Rabbi Jitschak Vorst who is the other Head-Shliach (and the first shliach) to the Netherlands. Isn’t this a major fulfilment in what the Rebbe told both of them to build up Dutch Jewry from WITHIN the existing jewish structure. Though Rabbi Vorst and Rabbi Jacobs mentioned chabad very carefully in their speeches it was very interesting to hear that it… Read more »
r, jacobs are you not the mashgiach in the yeshiva in london? well good luck there! i remeber the good times in that yeshiva
Its very nice to see Lubavitch doing so much and being recognized fir it in the local communty i am sure this gives the Rebbe lts of nachs
Your doing wonderful work for the shul and community, YANKEL SCHAPIRO. May you continue to do only good work in your shlichus in Holland and continue giving nachas to the Rebbe and your family.
Hi yaky great to see u!