Gedaliah Anemer

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Rabbi Gedaliah Anemer, also known as Rav Gedaliah Ben Zev HaKohen (March 19, 1932 – April 15, 2010), was an Orthodox Jewish Rabbi and founder of the Yeshiva of Greater Washington, where he served as Rosh Yeshiva for 45 years. He was a disciple of Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Bloch. Anemer headed the Rabbinical Council of Greater Washington and led the Vaad HaKashrus.

Gedaliah Anemer was born in Akron, Ohio.^[1] At a time when it was uncommon for Jews in middle America to be shomer Shabbos, his father, Reb Zev, declined an offer to own a Coca-Cola franchise because it would’ve required him to work on Shabbos. After his father was killed by a drunk driver, his mother Rivkah raised Anemer and his siblings on her own.^[2]

Anemer received his early education at Mesivtha Tifereth Jerusalem in New York, where he formed a close bond with Reb Moshe Feinstein. During that period, the yeshivah did not offer Shabbos meals, so Anemer often dined at Reb Moshe's home. From 1944 to 1956, he studied at Telshe Yeshiva, where he distinguished himself in Shas and Shulchan Aruch. He was a close talmid of Eliyahu Meir Bloch.^[1] Years after leaving Telshe, Anemer remained close to Mordechai Gifter.^[2]

Anemer received his semikhah in 1952 and soon after became the Rosh Yeshiva of the Boston Rabbinical Seminary, a collaborative effort between Lakewood Yeshiva and Telshe Yeshiva.^[1] Soon after, Anemer and his rebbetzin moved to Washington, D.C, where he worked as the rabbi of Young Israel Shomrai Emunah. He later relocated the congregation to the Kemp Mill area of Silver Spring, Maryland, laying the foundation for a new Jewish community.^[2][3]

In the early days of Washington and Silver Spring, the Jewish community was too small to support a fully kosher business, and hiring a mashgiach was not economically viable. As the community grew, the demand for kosher establishments increased, and so Anemer was asked to lead the Vaad HaKashrus of Washington. Anemer declined the salary that came with the role and chose to allocate the funds towards hiring a supervisor for the mashgichim instead.^[2] In 1963, Anemer founded the Yeshiva of Greater Washington.^[4]

Anemer died of a stroke on April 22, 2010. He was 78.^[3] To ensure Anemer could be buried in Israel during the short period of time before Shabbos, state troopers escorted his body to the airport. Upon arrival in Israel, Anemer's students lined the streets, paying their final respects.^[2]