Rav Ralbag is a scion from a long line of Rabbonim going back 24 generations.  The Rav was born and raised in New York City.  He graduated the RJJ Elementary School followed by MTA, simultaneously attending the Roshei Yeshiva’s shiuruim with students four years his senior at Yeshiva Rabbeinu Yitzchak Elchanan – RIETS.

 

Afterwards, he left for Eretz Yisrael to learn in Chevron Yeshiva in Yerushalayim.  The Rav received his first Semicha – “Yoreh Yoreh Yodin Yodin” from the Chevron Yeshiva Roshei Yeshiva before he was 20 years old.  The Rav learned at Chevron Yeshiva from 1964-1975 except for a two-year period in the U.S.  In 1968 he married the Rebbetzin, Fanny Halberthal, from Antwerp, Belgium.  In 1969 the Rav received an M.A. in Psychology from Fordham University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

In 1975 the Rav received further Dayanus Semicha from the Yeshiva, the Badatz of the Ashkenazim Perushim in Yerushalayim, Roshei Yeshiva, Dayonim, and Rabbonim Roshiyim.  Those who gave the Rav Semicha include Rav Moshe Chevroni, Rav Eliezer Platchinsky, Rav Ovadia Yosef, Rav Avraham Rosenthal, and, most essential for the Rav, his grandfather, HaRav Aron Yehuda Arak.

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In 1975, at the age of 28, Rav Ralbag became the Rav of the City and Beth-Din of Amsterdam, Holland where there were 10,000 Jews in the Ashkenazik Kehilla.  The Rav was also Co-Chairman of the Dutch National Committee to free Jews of the Soviet Union, a committee of particular importance when Holland served as Israel’s embassy in the U.S.S.R.

In 1983, the Rav became our Mora D’asra at the Young Israel of Avenue K.  He is recognized as a world famous expert on Even HoEzer, Ishus, Gitten, Agunos, etc., and heads a Beth-Din on the Agudas HaRabbonim – the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the U.S.A. and Canada dealing with all those issues.  The Rav is active in the “freeing” of Agunos and is regularly consulted on issues of Gittin all over the world.  The Rav works closely with the Batei Dinim in Eretz Yisrael, and his Psokim and Gittin are immediately recognized by the Chief Rabbinate.  At the same time, he heads the national and international Triangle-K Kashrus Organization.

 

The Rav has published numerous Halachik responses on a wide variety of topics in Rabbinical journals such as HaPardes, Moriah, and HaMaor, as well as a major responsum on the Eruv in Amsterdam in the prestigious Noam#21 (1979) series.