I was a Freshman at Rambam Mesivta on May 2, 1993 when they held a הַסְפֵּד for Rav Yosef Dov Soloveichik ז״ל, who had passed away a few weeks before. One of the two speakers was Rabbi Jay Marcus, Rabbi of the Young Israel of Staten Island. I knew that Rav Reuven Feinstein had a yeshiva in Staten Island but that was all that I knew about Judaism on the other side of the Verrazzano Bridge. He talked about how he took his first two sons to see Rav Soloveichik before their Bar Mitzvahs but I had no idea that this was a hint of what was ahead for me. I also didn’t know that Rav Ari and Mindy were there nor did I know that it was a week before the wedding Rav Elie and Devora nor did I know about the Yeshiva that they were planning to start.

A few years later, I was a תַּלְמִיד at ישיבת ראשית ירושלים when it was located in the Old City of Jerusalem. During my time in the Yeshiva, Rabbi Jay Marcus was still at the helm of the Young Israel of Staten Island but he was still very much involved with the Yeshiva and its students by coming to Israel as visitor several times per year and running the Yeshiva’s American Office. His first trip my year was with the group flight at the beginning of the year. On the first Friday of my year, the Yeshiva took us to the ‘men only’ beach in Netanya. Rav Jay came along, connected with us and bought us treats at the beach convenience store. Shortly thereafter, we were introduced to his abilities as a tour guide when he gave us a tour of the Kotel Tunnels (years later he gave a Kotel Tunnels tour for George Pataki, Rudy Giuliani and Mike Bloomberg). A few months later, he was back for a Shabbaton in רחובות with Rav Simcha Kook ז״ל, the city’s Chief Rabbi. He introduced me and others to Rav Kook not just with our name but with a few words about the family. On Shabbos afternoon, Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook — brother of the Chief Rabbi and Rosh HaYeshiva of the local Yeshiva — gave a shiur in Hebrew with Rav Jay serving as the Interpreter. Knowing that he was the Rabbi of a synagogue with a large membership, I would think to myself ‘He probably knows us better than he knows some of the people at the Young Israel of Staten Island.’ Rav Jay articulated this feeling better that I did when he said that the relationship between a Rebbe and a Talmid is closer than the relationship between a Pulpit Rabbi and the Members of the Congregation. Over the course of my year, Rav Jay gave a series of shiurim about the first few questions that one is asked when he gets up to heaven. The תַּלְמִידִים were not just his sons’ תַּלְמִידִים but his תַּלְמִידִים as well.

After my time in the ישיבה the connection was kept up. I spent several Shabbosim in Staten Island either for Reishit Shabbatons or for visits to my friend Moish Schmerler, who lived in Staten Island for many years. I got to visit Rav Jay and Barbara at 29 Dewhurst Street, where they lived until they made עלִיָּה.

I was able to travel to Israel and be at Reishit for ראש השנה and יום כִיפּוּר several times after my time in the Yeshiva. The ימים נוראים davening at Reishit led by Rav Ari — Rav Jay’s oldest son — is one of the greatest things that I have ever experienced and the opportunity to re-experience it was something that I cherished. By 2002, Rav Jay was living in Israel and a big part of the action. When there was break in the action, I felt comfortable approaching him with what was on my mind. One year, he invited me and other singles to his apartment for the break-fast meal after יום כִיפּוּר to try to facilitate שִדּוּכִים. In 2006, my wife and I got engaged in Israel during סוכות חוֹל הַמּוֹעֵד. That night we had a small celebration. After my wife said ‘Yes,’ one of my phone calls was to Rav Jay and he conveyed the news and time an venue of the celebration to rest of the clan. At the party, Rav Jay spoke. One thing that he mentioned was the last פסוק in פרשת תּוֹלְדוֹת. He left this world on the Thursday preceding פרשת תּוֹלְדוֹת, which also happens to be Rav Ari’s Bar Mitzvah Parsha. He pointed out that we learn from this פסוק that the one’s wedding day is another יום כִיפּוּר. “This year you will have two Yom Kippurs” he said. Then he gave everyone a good laugh by saying “Rav Ari is not davening on the second יום כִיפּוּר!” When it was time for מעריב was the one who knew which way was towards Jerusalem. After the party, one of my brothers was driving to Jerusalem and Rav Jay was able to give him directions.

The last time that I saw Rav Jay was during the summer of 2022, after he had been very sick and almost died during the pandemic. He was walking with a cane but his warmth and enthusiasm were as great as I remembered from years earlier.

הרב יעקב צבי בן הרב יוסף יחזקאל

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