Tammuz 17 is also the yahrtzeit of Rabbi Shmuel Yaakov Weinberg (1923-1999), dean of the Ner Israel Yeshiva in Baltimore. Rabbi Weinberg descended from the Slonimer chassidic dynasty. As a youth, he studied in Tiberias, Israel where his mother's relatives lived, and later in New York under Rabbi Yitzhak Hutner. Rabbi Weinberg married the daughter of Rabbi Yaakov Yitzhak Ruderman, whom he later succeeded as dean of Ner Israel.

 Rabbi Weinberg was known for his unwavering commitment to truth, his masterful logic, and his painstaking clarity in revealing the nuance of every word in the Torah and in Maimonides' code of law. He lived with the reality of the modern world through the lens of Torah, and had supreme confidence in the Torah's ability to stand up against any philosophy or scientific theory. He produced generations of Jewish leaders, and was the mentor of his younger brother, Rabbi Noah Weinberg, the dean and founder of Aish HaTorah. Practically, all of the Persian Rabbis in the United States are students of Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg.

 What most people don't know about Rabbi Weinberg is his dedication to Iranian Jews worldwide. It all started before the Iranian Revolution when Ner Israel began a Rabbinic Training Program for the Iranian Community. The idea was for Rabbi's to be ordained and return to Iran and serve the different communities scattered around the country. All associated costs were absorbed by Ner Israel.

Hashem had a different plan. When the revolution happened, there were a few young Persian Yeshiva students attending. Despite all of the pain and suffering the revolution caused, this was the perfect situation for young Iranian Jews. Being that the Yeshiva had the proper infrastructure in place (i.e. English speaking students that could serve as councilors) they expanded the program ten fold. Over the few years after the revolution, the Yeshiva took in hundreds of our youth.

Under the guidance of the Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Weinberg, many of these students became the amazing Rabbis they are today. His direct style and his conviction for the truth was passed on to his students all around the globe.Many of the Persian Jewish Organizations in Los Angeles and all over the Country are where they are today because of our Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Shemuel Yaakov Weinberg. He took an interest to all aspects of our community. Although, I was a child when Rabbi Weinberg came to visit LA (he stayed at our home quite a few times), I saw his interest in everyone. From his discussions with community leaders about various issues that were facing Los Angeles Persian Jews, to the problems of the individuals who came to seek his council. He really cared.