Central Rabbinical Congress
The Central Rabbinical Congress (in full: Central Rabbinical Congress of the US and Canada, commonly abbreviated to CRC; ) is a rabbinical organization that is a consortium of various Haredi Jewish groups, with offices in Brooklyn, New York. History In the aftermath of World War II, when thousands of Jewish survivors arrived in the United States and began the process of rebuilding the dozens of communities which were decimated in the Holocaust, this organization was founded in 1953, with the stated goal of serving as an umbrella rabbinical body to unite the newly transplanted Haredi communities, and to provide said communities with all of their religious needs. The organization was founded by the rebbe of Satmar, Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum, alongside Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Greenwald of Tzehlim, Rabbi Yosef Greenwald of Pupa, Rabbi Shimon Yisroel Posen of Shopron, Rabbi Yonasan Steif of Vien, and Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum of Siget, who later assumed the title of rebbe of Satmar. These Rabbis formed the executive board of the organization. The organization established a special panel to maintain and enforce traditional Jewish law, called Vaad L'Chizuk Hadas (in Hebrew: ועד לחיזוק הדת), led by Rabbi Rafael Blum of Kashau (Hasidic dynasty), Rabbi Hillel Lichtenstein of Krasna, Rabbi Yakov Lebowitz of Kapish, and Rabbi Moshe Bick of Mezhbizh. An advisory board named Vaad L'inyonei Hora'ah (in Hebrew: ועד לעניני הוראה), was directed by Rabbi Naftali Hertzka Henig of Sharmash. The first dean was Rabbi Mordcha Shabse Berkowitch, who served until 1979. Throughout the years, the organization grew exponentially, and quickly turned into one of the most recognized rabbinical organizations, currently having over 300 communal rabbis as members, representing a reported collective constituency of over 250,000 people throughout the US and Canada. The kashrus division was founded in 1975 by Rabbi Rotenberg, the Voideslove Rav. In 1980 Rabbi Yidel Gruber was appointed for the general development of the kashrus department. Rabbi Gruber resigned in about 1998. The current activities of the organization include a Kashrus division, a Beth Din, co-ordinating big rabbinical conventions and assemblies, addressing Jewish issues of importance to the general Jewish population. The executive director of the entire Organization Rabbi Yitzchok Glick a/k/a Rabbi Bela Gluck, who has served in this position for over 50 years, assisted by the first Beth Din secretary Rabbi Shabse Mordche Berkowitz, being replaced in 1979 by Rabbi Yishay Buchinger as secretary until his passing then by Rabbi Mattes Berkowitz as secretary, and Chaim Shlomo Ilowitz as co-ordinator. Kasher supervision With many Jews arriving from Europe, whose Kashrut standards differed from those generally accepted in America, the need for a kosher certification agency was felt, and the organization established a division to supervise food industry establishments and grant hechshers, which was led by Rabbi Yissachar Ber Rottenberg of Wodzislaw and Rabbi Asher Babad of Tartikov. One of the first major Kashrus projects was the founding of a Shechita, to produce poultry and beef in line with the high standards of these communities. This division certifies hundreds of food