Pioneering NJ Rabbi Moshe Herson Dies, Was Fixture In Garden State

NEWARK, NJ — Rabbi Moshe Herson, a religious leader who helped establish more than 70 synagogues and Jewish centers across New Jersey – including in Newark – died on Thursday. He was 90.

Herson served as the regional director of Chabad-Lubavitch of New Jersey for more than six decades. His passing was mourned in an obituary on Chabad.org (read it here).

According to the obituary:

“Herson transformed New Jersey’s Jewish landscape over six decades of leadership and was a pioneering force in establishing Chabad-Lubavitch’s large presence across the Garden State. As dean of the Rabbinical College of America in Morristown, N.J., Herson built what is now one of the Jewish world’s flagship educational institutions, ordaining dozens of rabbis each year while overseeing the growth of more than 70 Chabad centers throughout New Jersey … Though he spoke with a distinctive accent that betrayed his Brazilian origins, Herson became one of American Judaism's most effective institution builders in the second half of the 20th century. He was respected by students and supporters alike, and even in his final years, despite serious health challenges, he continued working until the end.”

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