Chief Chaplain of the NYPD, Torah Scholar, and Advocate for Jewish Officers
My final image of Rabbi Dr. Alvin Kass remains vivid: steadying himself with a walker, smiling as he waved to the NYPD crowd during the recent High Holiday briefing. His familiar humor and warmth filled the room with life. It was the first time he used a walker on stage – and as he exited, he paused, turned back, and waved one last time. That gentle, dignified farewell became his final blessing, a moment that captured the grace, humility, and faith that defined his nearly six decades of service.
“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our Lord shall endure forever.” — Yeshayahu HaNavi
These timeless words encapsulate Rabbi Kass’ enduring legacy: a man who seamlessly united intellect, compassion, and civic duty to shape the moral and spiritual fabric of New York City.
Born December 23, 1935, in Paterson, New Jersey, to Joseph and Ida Kass, Jewish immigrants from Poland, Alvin Kass displayed a deep love of learning from an early age. After earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history from Columbia University, he was accepted to Harvard Law School. Yet just two weeks before classes began, he chose another path. “I decided to minister to people’s spiritual needs rather than legal ones,” he later recalled. He enrolled at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he received ordination in 1962, later earning a doctorate from NYU and a Doctor of Divinity degree from JTS. Soon after ordination, he served as a US Air Force chaplain – his first experience merging faith and service.
He was the NYPD’s moral heart. Appointed in 1966, a week before his 31st birthday, Rabbi Kass became the youngest chaplain in NYPD history – and ultimately its longest-serving member and employee of any kind. To him, holiness was not confined to the synagogue; it was found in precincts, patrol cars, and at the kitchen tables of grieving families. His humility and empathy embodied kiddush Hashem – sanctifying G-d’s name through presence, compassion, and action. At his job interview, he famously arrived with a handball bag in tow, prompting the chief of detectives to quip, “A rabbi who plays handball – that’s a good fit for the NYPD.”
Rabbi Kass became not only a counselor and morale booster, but also a fierce advocate for Jewish officers, ensuring that they could observe Shabbos and Yom Tov without compromising their careers. As spiritual director of the Shomrim Society, he strengthened bonds between law enforcement and the Jewish community. His leadership paved the way for generations of frum officers to serve proudly while staying true to Torah.
He also made headlines for his wit and courage – once resolving a 1981 hostage crisis with two pastrami sandwiches. “Leave the gun, take the pastrami,” Commissioner Jessica Tisch later remarked.
On Motza’ei Shabbos, February 11, 2023, at Congregation Od Yosef Chai in Kew Gardens Hills, Rabbi Kass addressed the NYPD Shomrim Society at its annual melaveh malkah, urging officers to carry the serenity of Shabbos into their daily work. His message of faith and duty resonated deeply within the Orthodox law-enforcement community.
Serving under eight mayors, he became the first Jewish chaplain of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. He ministered through tragedy – comforting families of the 23 fallen officers on September 11, 2001, two of them Jewish, and he conducted Rosh HaShanah services for first responders at LaGuardia Airport. Reflecting years later, he wrote in The Forward: “We can’t comprehend what He’s doing very often, but presumably He knows what He is doing, and we submit. That really is the essential message of Judaism, in the face of evil.”
Commissioner Tisch called him “the NYPD’s spiritual heart – a source of strength, guidance, and faith for generations of officers and their families.” She recalled his blessing at each Police Academy graduation: that New York be “a place where people of every race, religion, color, and creed can pursue their individual destinies untrammeled, unafraid, and in obedience to Thy will.”
Beyond the badge, Rabbi Kass’s life was defined by teaching, mentorship, and pastoral sensitivity. He believed that faith demanded engagement – not withdrawal – from the world. He championed the inclusion of Jewish officers like David Durk and upheld the legacy of Asser Levy, affirming that Jewish identity and public service have long walked hand in hand.
In 1963, he married Miryom S. Arnold, a beloved teacher and his lifelong partner in faith and family. Miryom passed away peacefully on October 20, 2017, at age 77. She was remembered as a devoted wife to Rabbi Alvin; mother to Sarah, Lewis, and Danny; mother-in-law to Sarah and Debby; and a devoted grandmother. A dedicated educator and gifted pianist, she taught English, Hebrew, music, and math with grace and passion. Family and friends recall her as the embodiment of kindness and love. Together, they built a home filled with music, learning, and chesed, raising three children and rejoicing in their grandchildren.
At his funeral, mourners spoke not only of the chaplain but of the man himself. His son Dr. Daniel Kass shared that when comforting dying patients, he often asks, “What would Alvin K. say right now?” His son Dr. Lewis Kass honored his father in verse, recalling his humor and courage – from the pastrami story to the long days at Ground Zero. Sarah Kass spoke of Shabbos dinners and late-night conversations, a bond rooted in love and laughter. Together, their words revealed a man whose public mission and private life were inseparable.
When the haunting melody of Keil Malei Rachamim filled the sanctuary, the NYPD Honor Guard stood at attention for their rabbi in blue. His presence united faith and service, intellect and heart, leaving an indelible mark on his city and his people. His legacy endures in the NYPD, in his congregations, and in the countless lives he touched through acts of kindness and faith.
In 2025, the Jewish Theological Seminary honored Rabbi Kass with the Pastoral Care Leadership Award at its annual Center for Pastoral Education fundraiser. Surrounded by family, colleagues, and NYPD leadership, he expressed “a tremendous sense of thanksgiving and nostalgia.” Chancellor Shuly Rubin Schwartz praised him as one who “honored JTS every day through his sacred work as a chaplain, rabbi, friend, and family member.” Chancellor Emeritus Ismar Schorsch added, “Just months ago, JTS honored him in a luncheon that brought out half the NYC police force. I lament the passing of my brilliant classmate, steadfast man of faith, and heroic public servant.”
Rabbi Dr. Alvin Kass, interred beside his beloved wife at Cedar Park Cemetery in Paramus, is survived by his children, grandchildren, extended family, and the many officers and New Yorkers whose lives he inspired. Few individuals have lived a life so fully devoted to others. He will forever watch over the city and the department he loved.
May the memory of Rabbi Dr. Alvin Kass, Avraham HaKohen ben Yosef Tovakaya, forever be a blessing.