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Published: January 3, 2010

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Visitor Comments: 18

(18) esther, January 12, 2010 1:55 AM

familiar with some of the names that were submitted

Mrs. Raizy Ziegler heads the organization Zichron Shloime which helps families that are confronted with cancer. Rabbi Eli Sussheim runs the the organization Efrat, which prevents abortions in Israel. These individuals contribute greatly to our society.

(17) Anonymous, January 6, 2010 7:42 AM

Congratulations on a profound descision. This really is the best answer possible to a question that stirs our human desires to exalt someone as the "best" when in the grand scheme of life being the best over everyone else is not the point. The question of who is the best is so common it is hard to see it is skewed until you made this decision. Fantastic! And many pithy comments below are wonderful too!

(16) Anonymous, January 5, 2010 4:42 PM

Greatest Jew

The greatest Jew of all time is Homer Simpson. While he may not be Jewish, he should be. He is tolerant accepting of others, recognizes his own faults, devoted husband/father with fralities,and accepts the rulership of Hashem.

(15) Anonymous, January 5, 2010 3:35 PM

why its impossible to choose

In every jewish community in every country in the world there are rabbonim and their wives who do so much for their communities. I am writing from Brazil, and we have a group of Rabbis who help us 24/7, who provide lists of hundreds of approved products so that every jew in any community in Brazil can get kosher food. They have established Yeshivos, and kollels, and shuls (synagogues) and the kiruv they do here is amazing. But no one else in the world knows who they are, and in every country, in every city, these rabbis, their wives and families deserve a tremendous amount of thanks.

(14) moish, January 5, 2010 12:30 AM

Very hard choice!

(13) Chaim Yankel Baruch ben Yisroel Moshe Yekusiel Halevi, January 5, 2010 12:16 AM

Very tough choice!

(12) Anonymous, January 4, 2010 5:10 PM

Clearly not bloggers

I suspect that the ones most upset are the one's who had hoped that their selection would be avered to. Especially since it seems that R. Salomon did not agree with the commenter's assesment of themselves.

(11) aaron, January 3, 2010 9:15 PM

joel mazel

I think joel mazel is greatest jewish man...

(10) ruth, January 3, 2010 7:12 PM

the greatest Jew of the next decade

I agree with so many comments that involve the "greatest". I believe we should never strive for greatness, but we should strive for the joy it gives us, in big, and small ways, to be compassionate, to be kind, to share this often painful and difficult road with each other. There are countless heroes in this world, and the most heroic of them would probably not want the designation of The Greatest. Why? Because it's humility that fuels this story, this entire story. It is the lowly camel driver, the one the rabbi in a hurry to meet the Great Man, fails to recognize, as this man, poorly shod, and dusty with the travails of the trip, is left behind, as inconsequential. No one knows the soul of a human being except God, and nobody has a right really, to accept the title of Greatest. I am saying that humility is the key that opens all doors and that there are so many downtrodden people who are just so great, each and every single day, and many of them are Jews and many of them, are not, but this is about UNITY and a one ness that transcends all and brings us to awe.

(9) batya berlinger, January 3, 2010 6:59 PM

But who won?

Although Rabbi Salomon's take is true, and is something to think about, I'd still like to know how the voting went. It would be very interesting to learn who, orwhat organization, got the most votes, as a gauge of the aish,com readership's thinking processes.

(8) Robert Rubin, January 3, 2010 6:29 PM

Do what was advertised

I would agree with the post of Harry Maryles. While everyone has excellent points to make, the Rabbi advertised the project and frankly should make a selection or have a group make the selection. We can all learn from the choice and the story behind it. No one should be offended by the process and you can always disagree with the selection or even the process but let's get real.

(7) Rivka, January 3, 2010 5:33 PM

Well done!

Can't argue-Rabbi Salomon is correct. Hope we all remember to praise and thank all those we nominated so they know their impacts. It was an honor and pleasure to read all the nominations.

(6) Keren, January 3, 2010 5:25 PM

We are all responsible!

Thank you for the encouragement and motivation. As jews we are all responsible for making a difference in our corner of the world. How can I save the world if I don't focus on my own family and their needs first? How will I be remembered by them when I am gone? Will they be better people because of my actions? So much work, so little time.

(5) Rosen, January 3, 2010 5:23 PM

hung jury?

Since there doesn't seem to be one specific Jew or an individual who made a significant contribution to the Jewish people, I hope this was beyond a "hung jury". Is it idolatry, at least in a sense to nominate just one individual or group that has contributed to being the greatest Jew or hero for the Jew of the decade?....As for the world being created for just me and any other individual, I tend to have a hard time believing that, because I or anyone else cannot always get people's undivided attention, particularly when it comes to customer service falling short of one's expectations, even if the service claims "satisfaction guaranteed" but fall short such as soliciting things one doesn't want/need or "requiring" a $5 min. for a credit or debit card purchase, even though it is a violation of contract by the credit card companies, especially Visa and Mastercard...All in all, I don't disagree with Rabbi Soloman this week, because he acknowledges that everyone and everything G-d creates has a significance one way or the other.

(4) Reuven, January 3, 2010 4:50 PM

Greatest Jew of the Decade? How UnJewish Is that??

The whole idea that any of us are "greater" than any other is just antithetical to my understanding of Judaism. ALL Jews and Jewish souls are a piece of the Divine. All of us are equally as precious, as wonderful, as close to HaShem as the next. None of us are prophets or kings on the level of our sages and avot. So none of us are better than any other. Some might accomplish more or be more famous. But Greater?? Absolute schtus! nonsense!

(3) jason, January 3, 2010 3:39 PM

Not a copout at all!

Rabbi Salomon took the only honest approach which a number of people submitted. Who is he to choose the greatest jew of the decade? Only the Almighty truly knows the value of every Jew.

(2) Harry Maryles, January 3, 2010 3:32 PM

Copout

Copout. Nice muusar but I submit that we can make a judgment about who made the biggest impact on the Jewish people in the last decade. Yes, of course God is the ultimate Judge of that. But since he isn't talking to us right now, we have no way of knowing who His choice is. If we would think that choosing someone that God might disagree with is a problem, then how can anyone say who the Gadol HaDor is? And yet it's quite clear that in every geneartion someone rises to the top to become the Gadol HaDor. He is chosen - not by God - but by man. The same thing can be done here. This choice has aboslutely no Halachic or Hashkafic significance. It is simply an assesment by some based on various parameters about who made the biggest impact. No more and no less.

(1) Chavi, January 3, 2010 3:03 PM

Why the greatest Jew?

Why does anyone have to strive to be the greatest Jew? Moishie has to strive to be the best Moishie he can be, and Shoshana has to strive to be the best Shoshana she can be. There is no competition between people here for the title of best. Each person needs to only compete with his own prior record and try to best that record. Rav Zundel said, "When I get up to Shomayim, I will not be asked "Why weren't you like Moshe Rabbeinu?" I wasn't given Moshe Rabbeinu's set of skills and strengths! But I will be asked "Zundel, why weren't you Zundel? Why weren't you the best Zundel that you could be, given your own, personal set of skills and strengths?" That's what it's all about.

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About the Author

Rabbi Yaakov Salomon

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Rabbi Yaakov Salomon, C.S.W. is a noted psychotherapist, in private practice in Brooklyn, N.Y. for over 25 years. He is a Senior Lecturer and the Creative Director of Aish Hatorah's Discovery Productions. He is also an editor and author for the Artscroll Publishing Series and a member of the Kollel of Yeshiva Torah Vodaath.

Rabbi Salomon is co-author, with Rabbi Noah Weinberg, of the best selling book "What the Angel Taught You; Seven Keys to Life Fulfillment," (Mesorah), and is also the co-producer of the highly-acclaimed film, "Inspired."

Click here to order Yaakov Salomon's new book, Salomon Says: 50 Stirring and Stimulating Stories.

In these marvelous stories -- brimming with wit, understanding, a touch of irony and a large helping of authentic Torah perspective -- we will walk with a renowned and experienced psychotherapist and popular author through the pathways of contemporary life: its crowded sidewalks, its pedestrian malls, and the occasional dead end street. This is a walk through our lives that will be fun, entertaining -- and eye-opening. In our full -- sometimes overfull -- and complex lives, Yaakov Salomon is a welcome and much-needed voice of sanity and reason.

His speaking, writing and musical talents have delighted audiences from Harvard to Broadway and everything in between. Rabbi Salomon shares his life with his wife, Temmy, and their unpredictable family.

Results: Greatest Jew of The Decade

Choosing was no simple task.

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