Shneur Kotler

Rabbi
Shneur Kotler
Kotler as a young man in the 1940s, while studying at the Hevron yeshiva in Jerusalem
Personal
Born
Yosef Chaim Shneur Kotler

1918
Died24 June 1982(1982-06-24) (aged 63–64)
ReligionJudaism
SpouseRischel Friedman (d. July 2015)
ChildrenMeir Kotler, Aryeh Malkiel Kotler, Isser Zalman Kotler, Yitzchok Shraga Kotler, Aaron Kotler, Sara Yehudis Schustal, Batsheva Krupenia, Esther Reich, Baila Hinda Ribner
Parent(s)Rabbi Aharon Kotler, Rivka Chana Perel Meltzer
DenominationOrthodox
Alma materHevron yeshiva
Jewish leader
PredecessorRabbi Aharon Kotler
SuccessorRabbis Malkiel Kotler, Yerucham Olshin, Dovid Schustal, Yisroel Neuman
PositionRosh yeshiva
YeshivaBeis Medrash Govoha
Began1962
Ended1982
BuriedHar HaMenuchos, Jerusalem

Yosef Chaim Shneur Kotler (1918 – 24 June 1982) was an Ashkenazi Orthodox rabbi from the Lithuanian movement and rosh yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha (also known as the Lakewood Yeshiva) in Lakewood, New Jersey from 1962 to 1982.[1] During his tenure, he developed the Lithuanian-style, Haredi but non-Hasidic yeshiva into the largest post-graduate Torah institution in the world.[2][3] He also established Lakewood-style kollels in 30 cities, and pioneered the establishment of community kollels in which Torah scholars study during the morning and afternoon hours and engage in community outreach during the evenings. Upon his death, he had served as the Lakewood rosh yeshiva for exactly the same amount of time as had his father, Rabbi Aharon Kotler, the founding rosh yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha: nineteen years, seven months, and one day.[4]

  1. ^ Wolpin, Rabbi Nisson (April 2002). Torah Leaders: A treasury of biographical sketches. Mesorah Publications Ltd. pp. 232–247. ISBN 1-57819-773-2.
  2. ^ American Jewish Yearbook 1984. Jewish Publication Society of America. 1983. p. 351. ISBN 0-8276-0235-9.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference book was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Silber, Dovid (February 2003). Noble Lives, Noble Deeds II: Captivating stories and biographical profiles of spiritual giants. Mesorah Publications. pp. 52–53. ISBN 1-57819-794-5.