Etz Chaim Yeshiva (London)

Etz Chaim Yeshiva was a "Lithuanian" Orthodox yeshiva, now advanced kollel, in Golders Green, London, England.[1] It operated as a yeshiva from the early 1900s through the 1990s, when it repositioned to function as the latter.[2] It has several prominent alumni including Commonwealth Chief Rabbis Immanuel Jakobovits and Jonathan Sacks.

For other institutions with the same name, see Etz Chaim.
Etz Chaim
Address
83/85 Bridge Lane

London
,
NW11 0EE

England
Information
AffiliationOrthodox Judaism, Modern Orthodox

History

The yeshiva was founded in about 1900 in London's East End, where it occupied a campus on Thrawl Street; [3] Rabbi Aharon Hyman was one of the founders. Rabbi Joseph Green was the first Rosh Yeshiva, and Rabbi Moshe Yitzchak Segal, later Rosh Yeshiva in Manchester, served as mashgiach ruchani. [4] During World War I, Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook was associated with the Yeshiva during his stay in London.

Rabbi Nachman Shlomo Greenspan succeeded Rabbi Green as rosh yeshiva from 1918 to 1961. During this period, Rabbi Elyah Lopian was mashgiach ruchani from 1926 - 1950.[5] Rabbi Leib Gurwicz, the latter's son in law and future Rosh Yeshiva at Gateshead, taught in the Yeshiva in the 1940s. Rabbi Hirsch Neumann taught in the yeshiva in the 1920s [6]

Rabbi Greenspan was succeeded by Rabbi Noson Ordman (1906-1996). [7] [8] Born in Tavrik, Lithuania, Rabbi Ordman was a 14 year alumnus of Telz Yeshiva; he came to London in 1936, and headed Etz Chaim for more than 50 years. From 1976 through the early 1980's Rabbi Aharon Pfeuffer led the Yeshiva alongside Rabbi Ordman.

In the 1960's the yeshiva had experienced a decline, with students drawn to Israeli and American yeshivas.[7] Under Rabbi Pfeuffer, however, the Yeshiva saw a re-invigoration, attracting British talmidim studying at Israeli Yeshivas, particularly Mir and Hebron.

The yeshivah continued thereafter with several dozen students. In the 1990's it relocated to Bridge Ln, Golders Green; at the same time it was repositioned so as to function as a specialized bet midrash comprising several advanced kollels and chaburahs — focusing separately on Choshen Mishpat, Yoreh Deah, Seder Tohorot, and in depth Amud Yomi — and was headed by Rabbi Zvi Rabi until he passed away in 2020. [2] Its regular minyan is associated with the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations. [9]

Notable alumni

See also

References
  1. Jeffrey Maynard (2020). The Etz Chaim Yeshiva in Thrawl Street, London
  2. Etz Chaim Kollel profile
  3. London's Jewish East End
  4. See sources in the Hebrew article.
  5. "Great Leaders of our People". Orthodox Union. Archived from the original on 2008-11-12. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
  6. "London Court Recognizes Jewish Divorce Law Applicable to "cohens"". JTA. Retrieved 9 Sep 2022.
  7. Moshe Musman (1996). A Telzer In Europe: HaRav Nosson Ordman zt'l, part ii, Deiah veDibur
  8. Rabbi Nosson Ordman, yeshshem.com
  9. Etz Chaim Yeshiva, jewishgen.org/jcr-uk
  10. "Biography Of The Chief Rabbi". Chiefrabbi.org. Retrieved 2012-04-15.
  11. Article in Mishpacha Magazine: Accompanied by the healing angels

51°35′04″N 0°12′17″W

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