About

Rabbi Mechel Handler

Rabbi Mechel Handler is a product of a “mixed marriage”, half Ashkenasi and half Sefardi. His grandfather, a student of the Arugat HaBosem who was one of the great Hassidic leaders in Europe, had arrived in America in the early 20’s. He was a well-known community activist in the Orthodox community and brought his wife and most of his children from Europe several years before the World War Two. Rabbi Handler’s father studied in Yeshiva Torah VeDaat which was located in Williamsburg at the time. It was there where he met his wife, Leah Arakie Cohen, who was studying in Beit Yaakov of Williamsburg.  She was born in Shanghai, and moved toCalcutta India, until she and her siblings were sent as teenagers to New York to continue their religious Torah education. Her father, David Hai Arakie was a great tzaddik, and had a tremendous effect on Rabbi Handler. Her mother, Hannah Moses, was a very righteous woman, who was related to the Sassoon family from Baghdad, who followed the Ben Ish Hai’s customs and traditions. 


It was in this environment, a merger of two worlds, that Rabbi Handler was born and raised

Rabbi Handler studied in Yeshiva Toras Emes, Mirrer Yeshiva and Yeshiva Chafetz Chaim. After high school, Rabbi Handler continued his Torah studies in Yeshiva Emek Halacha for fifteen years, where he received Semicha from the great Gaon Rabbi Tuvia Goldstein zt”l, who was a student of Rav Elchanan Wasserman zt”l, and very was close with Rabbi Moshe Feinstein zt”land considered one of the leading Halachic codifiers. 


Rabbi Handler married Miriam (Katz) Handler, famous director of women plays for tzedakah that draws thousands of women. She taught at Shulamith High School and Ahi Ezer Torah Center may years ago. She stems from a family of teachers and educators as well, and is considered by Rabbi Handler a great tzaddekis (for marrying him)! Her mother Dr. Susan Katz, was the beloved principal of Shulamith High School, whose parents were both well-known educators; her father Dr. Samuel Goodside was known as the “principal of principals” and her mother, was the beloved principal of Beis Yaakov of Lower East Side for nearly a half a century. 

After four or five children, Rabbi Handler decided to combine his learning with some type of work on the side to support his family. He joined Hatzalah many years earlier, established Hatzalah of Queens in 1980, and in 1984 was hired as the director of the organization. During his26-year tenure, Hatzalah had grown to become the largest volunteer ambulance service in the world. He continued his Torah studies in Yeshiva Emek Halacha in the morning, and volunteered as a Hatzalah dispatcher in his house three nights a week, where he trained himself how to manage with minimal sleep. His mixed background (Yeshivishe, Litvich, Hassidic and Sefardic) was helpful in maintaining a cohesive bond between all the thirteen diverse branches of Hatzalah that represented all segments of the Orthodox community in New York.  With his background in Halacha, Rabbi Handler wrote “Madrich L’Chevra Hatzalah”, a manual of Halachic laws and rules for Hatzalah members. On September 11 2001, Rabbi Handler coordinated the rescue efforts of 120 Hatzalah personnel who responded, and he miraculously survived while standing in front of the South Tower as it collapsed. 


At the time, the holy Mekubal, Rabbi Nissim Peretz zt”l arrived in America to undergo treatments for a serious illness and Rabbi Handler became his devoted student, learning with him many hours a day. Rabbi Peretz, Rabbi of Yeshiva Bet-El in Bnei Brak, was a student of Rabbi Mordechai Sharabi zt”l and was close with Baba Sali zt”l.  Rabbi Handler always had a yearning for Torat HaSod and began studying the works of the Ramchal, Breslev and Chabad, and spent many years learning and teaching the sefarim of Rabbi Itzchak Meir Morgenstern. To devote himself to full time (or more correctly, round the clock) learning, Rabbi Handler retired from Hatzalah twelve years ago, but still maintains his EMT credentials and responds to Hatzalah callson occasion. 


At Rabbi Nissim Peretz’ urging, Rabbi Handler began teaching Torat HaSod to various groups. He also gave classes on a regular basis at Rabbi Moshe Millstein’s Kollel, who he is very close with and has learned in his afternoon Kollel for decades. Rabbi Handler has published several sefarim, both in the revealed aspects of Torah and in Torat HaSod. 


Kollel Hazot was established jointly by Rabbi Eli Manour and Rabbi Handler, who had been learning together prior to that, after several tragedies hit the community. That was eight years ago, and now the Kollel has twenty-two Rabbi’s studying every night from midnight until after Vatikin prayers. These Rabbi’s come from all backgrounds; Ashkenaz, Sefard, Yeshivish, Litvitch, Israeli, Persian, Russian, Moroccan and Syrian, and are all like one family and all pray in accordance with the customs of the Synagogue. 


Rabbi Handler gives classes on Kavanot HaReshash every night at 1:30am (coffee available) and after the summer, the Rabbi will continue his classes in Torat Arizal for the Baalei Battim at 4:50am. Thanks to the generous contribution of Marshal Aronov and Moussa Saad, the Kollel Hazot has one of the best stocked libraries of books on Kabbalah in the world. 


Rabbi Handler and his wife are blessed with eight children, bli ayin hara, and many grandchildren – all spread literally in all four corners of the world (Miami, Los Angles, Toronto, Lakewood, Jerusalem and Tzefat), and yes, even one in Brooklyn!  Their wish is that we all merit to see the coming of Mashiach immediately and move with the entire Synagogue building to Jerusalem.