Yaakov Schwei

Aharon Yaakov Schwei (July 9, 1934 – April 24, 2020) was an Orthodox rabbi and a member of the Chabad Hasidic movement. Rabbi Schwei served on the Bais Din Tzedek (Jewish Rabbinical Court) of the Chabad community in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.

Rabbi of Crown Heights As a member of the Crown Heights Beth Din (rabbinical court), Rabbi Schwei was one of the community's Marah D'Asra (Aramaic מרא דאתרא, a title equivalent to "Chief Rabbi"). The rabbinical court is the spiritual and religious body governing the Crown Heights Chabad community. After his death, three rabbis remained serving on the Beth Din: Rabbi Avraham Osdoba, the Av Beth Din (head of court). Rabbi Yosef Heller Rabbi Yosef Braun Each hold the title Marah D'Asra. In recent years, Rabbi Osdoba's authority as sole administrator of the CHK was challenged by others in the community, including supporters of Rabbi Schwei and Rabbi Braun arguing that the arbitration panel (Zabl"a) ruled that it should be run by a board of directors "There is a need to create a new Vaad HaKashrus, which shall be the executive body of the Rabbis and the Vaad Hakohol. The court however remanded this ruling back to the arbitration panel for clarification which is yet to reconvene

Statement on local blogs Both Rabbis Osdoba and Schwei spoke out against several "hate blogs" created by members of the community.

Family Yaakov Schwei's brother, Rabbi Isaac Schwei (1932–1988) was a rabbi in the Chabad community of Montreal (also ordained by Rabbi Aryeh Leib Kramer). They were later joined by the "Central Committee of Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbis in the United States and Canada," also known as Vaad Rabbonei Lubavitch who also banned COTS.

Death On April 24, 2020, Rabbi Schwei died in Brooklyn from complications associated with COVID-19.