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| ⚫ | ] '''Shneur Kotler''' (] - ]) was the son of the famed ]ic scholar Rabbi ]. Upon the death of his father in 1962, he became the ] of ] in ], ]. | ||
| ⚫ | Born in ], ], where his maternal grandfather Rabbi ] was the rosh yeshiva and rabbi, Rabbi Kotler escaped to ] in 1940. There, he studied under the leading scholars of ], among them Rabbi Meltzer who had moved there previously. | ||
| ⚫ | Rabbi '''Shneur Kotler''' (] |
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| ⚫ | In 1947, after ], he moved to Lakewood to join his father, who had brought his ] there from ]. Rabbi Shneur Kotler assumed the leadership of the yeshiva with his father's death in 1962. Rabbi Shneur Kotler transformed Lakewood into the flagship centre of excellence and fulcrum of the ] yeshiva world. | ||
| ⚫ | Born in ], ], where his maternal grandfather Rabbi ] was the |
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| ⚫ | Whereas his father had actively restricted enrollment to a select group of students, Rabbi Shneur Kotler opened the yeshiva doors to a broader range of students and post-graduate fellows. From a group of approximately 200 students, the yeshiva grew to almost a thousand students by 1981. As more students enrolled, the scope of study broadened to the point where a student could join any number of groups studying all the tractates of the Talmud. | ||
| ⚫ | In 1947, after ], he moved to Lakewood to join his father, who had |
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| ⚫ | Rabbi Kotler sent out groups of married students, pioneers to establish ]s in major communities across America, from ] in the East to ] in the West. The members of these kollels would divide their time between studying Talmud and spreading the experience of Torah learning to the local ]ish populations. There are now Lakewood satellite kollels operating in 30 cities across ]. | ||
| ⚫ | Whereas his father had actively restricted enrollment to a |
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| ⚫ | Rabbi Kotler was active in communal organisations and issues. He held leadership positions as a member of the ] of ] and was on the rabbinical boards of the ] and ]. Rabbi Kotler was also very active in helping Jewish refugees from Russia and ]. | ||
| ⚫ | Rabbi Kotler sent out groups of married students, pioneers to establish |
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| ⚫ | Rabbi Kotler was active in communal organisations and issues. He held leadership positions as a member of the ] of ] and was on the rabbinical boards of the ] and ] |
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| ==Death== | ==Death== | ||
| Rabbi Kotler passed away in 1982 in ], in ]. He was 64 years old. Tens of thousands of mourners assembled at Rabbi Kotler's funeral in Jerusalem; even vaster throngs had attended in America before his final journey. | Rabbi Kotler passed away in 1982 in ], in ]. He was 64 years old. Tens of thousands of mourners assembled at Rabbi Kotler's funeral in Jerusalem; even vaster throngs had attended in America before his final journey. | ||
| He was survived by his wife, Rischel; a sister, Sarah Schwartzman of ]; eight children, and many grandchildren. With his untimely death, his son Rabbi Malkiel Kotler took over the leadership of the yeshiva, assisted by three other grandchildren of Rabbi Aharon Kotler |
He was survived by his wife, Rischel; a sister, Sarah Schwartzman of ]; eight children, and many grandchildren. With his untimely death, his son Rabbi ] took over the leadership of the yeshiva, assisted by three other grandchildren of Rabbi Aharon Kotler, Rabbis ], ] and ]. | ||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
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Revision as of 20:06, 17 July 2006
Rabbi Shneur Kotler (1918 - 1982) was the son of the famed Talmudic scholar Rabbi Aharon Kotler. Upon the death of his father in 1962, he became the rosh yeshiva of Beis Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, New Jersey.
Born in Slutsk, Russia, where his maternal grandfather Rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer was the rosh yeshiva and rabbi, Rabbi Kotler escaped to Mandatory Palestine in 1940. There, he studied under the leading scholars of Jerusalem, among them Rabbi Meltzer who had moved there previously.
In 1947, after World War II, he moved to Lakewood to join his father, who had brought his yeshiva there from Europe. Rabbi Shneur Kotler assumed the leadership of the yeshiva with his father's death in 1962. Rabbi Shneur Kotler transformed Lakewood into the flagship centre of excellence and fulcrum of the Orthodox yeshiva world.
Whereas his father had actively restricted enrollment to a select group of students, Rabbi Shneur Kotler opened the yeshiva doors to a broader range of students and post-graduate fellows. From a group of approximately 200 students, the yeshiva grew to almost a thousand students by 1981. As more students enrolled, the scope of study broadened to the point where a student could join any number of groups studying all the tractates of the Talmud.
Rabbi Kotler sent out groups of married students, pioneers to establish kollels in major communities across America, from Philadelphia in the East to Los Angeles in the West. The members of these kollels would divide their time between studying Talmud and spreading the experience of Torah learning to the local Jewish populations. There are now Lakewood satellite kollels operating in 30 cities across North America.
Rabbi Kotler was active in communal organisations and issues. He held leadership positions as a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudath Israel of America and was on the rabbinical boards of the Torah Umesorah National Society for Hebrew Day Schools and Chinuch Atzmai. Rabbi Kotler was also very active in helping Jewish refugees from Russia and Iran.
Death
Rabbi Kotler passed away in 1982 in Massachusetts General Hospital, in Boston. He was 64 years old. Tens of thousands of mourners assembled at Rabbi Kotler's funeral in Jerusalem; even vaster throngs had attended in America before his final journey.
He was survived by his wife, Rischel; a sister, Sarah Schwartzman of New York; eight children, and many grandchildren. With his untimely death, his son Rabbi Malkiel Kotler took over the leadership of the yeshiva, assisted by three other grandchildren of Rabbi Aharon Kotler, Rabbis Dovid Schustal, Yerucham Olshin and Yisroel Neuman.
References
- New York Times Obituary 1982
- American Jewish Yearbook 1984 obituary
- Haaretz article on the Lakewood yeshiva