Early life and career
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Yosef Yitzchak Jacobson was born to Gershon Jacobson, a journalist, in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. His family was Chabad Hasidic. He began his studies in Oholei Torah, later moving on to Tomchei Temimim,[citation needed] a yeshiva located in Chabad's World Headquarters ("770").
In 1990, at the age of 17, Jacobson was recruited by his older brother Simon to join the team that prepared the public addresses of Menachem Mendel Schneerson for publication.[citation needed] Orthodox Jews being prohibited from using recording devices on Shabbat and Jewish Holidays, they were charged with memorizing these 5 hour long talks and later transcribing them, in a role known as choizer or meiniach.[1]
As a senior fellow, Jacobson taught Talmud, Kabbalah, and Hasidic philosophy at Chabad Lubavitch Rabbinical Seminary Chovevei Torah.[2]
Jacobson was initially tested on his semikhah (rabbinic ordination) by Pinhas Hirschprung as well as by Zalman Labkowsky. Having to still complete a last part of his test, Jacobson returned to 770 in 2011 to get tested and receive his rabbinical ordination through Labkowsky.[3]
In 2005, Jacobson followed in the footsteps of his father, becoming editor-in-chief of the Yiddish weekly Algemeiner Journal, which he contributed to for a number of years.[2] He was a mashpia (spiritual mentor) at the Chovevei Torah Yeshiva in Crown Heights, and a teacher at the Ohr Chaim Learning Center in Monsey, New York.[citation needed]
