Aharon Kotler

Aharon Kotler (February 2, 1892 – November 29, 1962) was a Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) rabbi and a prominent leader of Orthodox Judaism in Lithuania and in the United States, where he founded Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood Township, New Jersey.

Early life Kotler was born Aharon Pines in Sislevitch, near Minsk, Russian Empire in 1892. He was orphaned at the age of 10 and adopted by his uncle, Yitzchak Pines, a rabbinic judge in Minsk, who sent him to study in the yeshivah in Krinik under the tutelage of Rav Zalman Sender Kahana-Shapiro. He then studied in the Slabodka yeshiva in Lithuania under Nosson Tzvi Finkel, and Moshe Mordechai Epstein, where he became known as an exceptional scholar.

In 1943, Kotler founded Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood Township, New Jersey, with 15 students. while the surrounding Lakewood community supports a network of more than 100 other yeshivas and approximately 200 synagogues for an Orthodox population estimated at more than 66,000.

Upon the death of his father-in-law, Kotler inherited the latter's position of rosh yeshiva of Etz Chaim Yeshiva of Jerusalem. In an unusual arrangement, he held this position while continuing to live in the United States, and visiting Jerusalem occasionally. Today, his grandson, Zevulun Schwartzman, heads a located at Etz Chaim Yeshiva.

Activism

Following his arrival in the United States, Kotler joined the presidium of the Vaad Hatzalah, working feverishly to save rabbis and yeshiva students who were trapped in Europe. Along with Eliezer Silver, Avraham Kalmanowitz and others, he worked day and night, using both private and government channels to try and save lives. A committed anti-Zionist, Kotler also helped establish Chinuch Atzmai, the independent religious school system in Israel, and was the chairman of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudath Israel. He chaired the Rabbinical administration board of Torah Umesorah, and was on the presidium of the Agudas HaRabbonim of the U.S. and Canada. Stephen Klein and Zev Wolfson.

Death Kotler died at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City on November 29, 1962. A funeral service at the Congregation Sons of Israel Kalwarier on Manhattan's Lower East Side drew 25,000 mourners, with 200 officers from the New York City Police Department assigned to the event. Kotler was buried in Israel on Har HaMenuchot.

Works Shu"t Mishnas R' Aharon, responsa Mishnas Rabbi Aharon on various tractates of the Talmud

Notable students Yitzchak Abadi (born 1933), in Lakewood, New Jersey Philip Berg (1927–2013), dean of the Kabbalah Centre Shlomo Brevda (1931–2013), maggid and Vilna Gaon scholar Shlomo Carlebach (musician) José Faur (1934–2020), Sepharadi , teacher and scholar Moshe Heinemann, in Baltimore Leib Heyman, Rav Beis Knesses HaGra, Jerusalem Israel Moshe Hillel Hirsch, rosh yeshiva Slabodka Yeshiva in Bnei Brak Shmuel Kamenetsky, rosh yeshiva Talmudical Academy of Philadelphia (1935–2018), chief rabbi of Bnei Brak Shlomo Leifer of Nadvorna Shlomo Miller, rosh kollel and in Toronto Yechiel Perr (born 1935), rosh yeshiva Yeshiva of Far Rockaway Elyakim Rosenblatt, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Kesser Torah Gedalia Schorr (born 1910), rosh yeshiva of Torah Vodaas Meir Stern, rosh yeshiva Yeshiva Gedola of Passaic Elya Svei (1924–2009), rosh yeshiva Talmudical Academy of Philadelphia Yisroel Taplin, International Date Line scholar