Nissim Karelitz

Shmaryahu Yosef Nissim Karelitz (; July 19, 1926 – October 21, 2019) was an Orthodox Jewish rabbi and posek who served as the chairman of the beis din tzedek (rabbinical court) of Bnei Brak.

Biography Karelitz was born in 1926 in Kosava (Kossov), Vilnius province, Poland, presently in Belarus. He came to Israel in 1935 with his parents.

Karelitz was a nephew of Rabbi Avrohom Yeshaya Karelitz, known as the Chazon Ish. (The latter's sister was Karelitz's mother).

Karelitz died in Bnei Brak on October 21, 2019. His funeral was attended by tens of thousands, and the av beis din of the Bnei Brak neighborhood of Ramat Aharon. Karelitz's beit din in Israel performs conversions on people who are residing illegally in the state of Israel. This means several things: (1) The conversion process goes against Israeli law which gives the state more reason to reject such conversions. (2) The converts, who often live many years illegally in Israel, are eventually forced to leave (deportation, or due to lack of financial means to support oneself).

Published works

Chut Shani Hilchos Shabbos Vol. 1 Hilchos Shabbos Vol. 3 Hilchos Yom Tov Hilchos Pesach Hilchos Niddah Hilchos Ribbis Even Ha'ezer Siman 21 Hilchos Shmita ViYovel Vol. 1-2