BS”D
Twentieth century? We are in the 57th century. Thirty more years to go before we can pick the greatest Jew of the century.
The decade referred to here is (I hope) 5760 – 5769 (which happens to coincide with the secular decade).
And my choices are: (since there really is no clear choice):
1) Rav Yaakov Horowitz, for bringing certain issues to light in a way that is non-condemning and non-confrontational, and for working to make “the system” better rather than destroying it.
2) Lipa Schmeltzer. He is a baal chesed who is mesameach Yidden, and he showed how to act properly when confronted with a challenge from Daas Torah. He has also revived Yiddish in a way that it cannot be confused with the Yiddish of the maskilim or the “Forvetz” crowd of old.
3) R’ Pinchas Lipschutz (sp?) for his askanus that reaches across “party lines”.
4) (he is only at the bottom of the list because he could have won last decade as well); Harav Yitzchok Dovid Grossman (Migdal Ohr) – for true chessed and ahavas Yisroel and for being able to do what he does and cooperate with everyone without straying one inch from the path of Torah and from the ways of his distinguished family. Rav Grossman shlit”a and Rav Lau shlit”a probably do the most to show people what real Torah Jews are.
EDITED