Jacob Joseph

Rabbi Jacob Joseph
Rabbi Jacob Joseph
Title	Chief Rabbi
Personal
Born	1840 Krozhe, Kovno, Russian Empire
Died	July 28, 1902 New York City, United States
Nationality	Lithuanian, American
Notable work(s)	Le'Beis Yaakov
Alma mater	Volozhin yeshiva
Known for	Chief Rabbi of New York City's Association of American Orthodox Hebrew Congregations
Occupation	Rabbi
Senior posting
Post	Rabbi of Vilon (1868) Rabbi of Yurburg (1870) Rabbi of Zhagory Chief Rabbi of Vilna (1883) Chief Rabbi of New York City (1888–1902)

Jacob Joseph (Hebrew: יעקב יוסף 1840 – July 28, 1902) served as chief rabbi of New York City's Association of American Orthodox Hebrew Congregations, a federation of Eastern European Jewish synagogues, from 1888 until his death in 1902. Born in Krozhe, a province of Kovno, he studied in the Nevyozer Kloiz under Rabbi Yisrael Salanter and in the Volozhin yeshiva under the Netziv. In Volozhin, he was known as "Rav Yaakov Charif" (Rabbi Jacob Sharp) because of his sharp mind.

He became successively rabbi of Vilon in 1868, Yurburg in 1870, and later in Zhagory. His fame as a preacher spread, so that in 1883 the community of Vilna selected him as its maggid.

The Rabbi Jacob Joseph School, also known as RJJ, is named after him and a playground is named after and honors the memory of a great-grandson of Rabbi Jacob Joseph who carried his name.