Rabbi and Mrs. Moshe Kaufman, an exemplary alumnus of Yeshivas Toras Moshe, will be the recipients of the Kesser Torah Award at the upcoming Dinner. An alumnus of the class of 1997, Rabbi Kaufman’s years of shteiging at TOMO were a catalyst to his subsequent achievements, and today he serves as a prominent posek and dayan in Chicago. 

Reb Moshe grew up in Brooklyn. After graduating high school from Yeshivas Tiferes Torah, Reb Moshe wished to learn in Eretz Yisroel. With the encouragement of his parents and his Rebbeim, he arrived in Toras Moshe. 

“It was very exciting to learn in a makom Torah where the simcha of learning was palpable. ”  Moshe recalls. “The Rosh Yeshiva and Rebbeim really cared about everything; they provided all the direction and resources for my ruchniyus, my gashmiyus, and my overall well-being.”

With the Rosh Yeshiva’s guidance and support, Reb Moshe returned to the United States after three years at Toras Moshe. He is married to Bella Tendler, the daughter of Rav and Mrs. Mordechai Tendler.  Rav Tendler was not only the grandson of Rav Moshe Feinstein ztz“l, but was his right-hand assistant for many years. Mrs. Kaufman is an acclaimed mechaneches that has played a key role in enhancing chinuch habonos in Chicago.

Rabbi and Mrs. Kaufman live in Chicago. After more than a decade as a member of the Chicago Community Kollel, Reb Moshe has taken on the role of posek for the Chicago community as a founding member and director of the Midwest Beis Horaah. Reb Moshe has been focused on dealing with shailos from the business world, providing guidance for many of the challenges that face the working ben Torah.

Rabbi Kaufman’s razor sharp ability to analyze sugyos b’iyun, exploring the views of the rishonim, right through to their practical application in halachah, is what enables him to pasken unerringly, and without ambiguity. A stellar talmid of Yeshivas Toras Moshe, Rabbi Kaufman’s development and abilities emerged from the mehalech of our Yeshiva, joining with the derech of his eminent grandfather, Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l. 

To quote Rabbi Kaufman: “I’ve no greater pleasure than learning a sugya b’iyun and coming up with the clarity that allows me to rule halachah l’ma’aseh, the mehalech which I learned in Yeshiva”.

He has also edited the four volumes of the Mesores Moshe, the recorded pesakim and hashkafos of Rav Moshe Feinstein ztz“l, culled from the voluminous notes of his father-in-law. In addition, he has been the general editor for over a dozen seforim published from the writings of Rav Moshe Feinstein ztz”l. Reb Moshe also serves as the Rav of Beis Hakeneses D’Chicago in the Peterson Park area of Chicago.

Yeshivas Toras Moshe is very proud to recognize Rabbi and Mrs. Moshe Kaufman as recipients of the Keser Torah award at the 39th Anniversary Tribute Dinner. We wish them much nachas from their children along with continued success in their many worthy efforts.