Shmuel Kamenetsky (born November 1924) is an American

Haredi Haredi Judaism ( he, ', ; also spelled ''Charedi'' in English; plural ''Haredim'' or ''Charedim'') consists of groups within Orthodox Judaism that are characterized by their strict adherence to ''halakha'' (Jewish law) and traditions, in oppos ...

rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as '' semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form o ...

. He is the co-founder and

rosh yeshiva Rosh yeshiva ( he, ראש ישיבה, pl. he, ראשי ישיבה, '; Anglicized pl. ''rosh yeshivas'') is the title given to the dean of a yeshiva, a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primar ...

(dean) of the Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia. He is also a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah (Council of Torah Sages).

Biography

Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky was born in Tytuvėnai, Lithuania to

Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as ''semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of ...

, then that town's rabbi. After the family's emigration in 1937, he attended

Eitz Chaim Day Schools Eitz Chaim Schools ( he, ישיבת עץ חיים) is a private, Orthodox Jewish elementary school in Toronto and Thornhill, Ontario, Canada. The school receives funding from the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, primarily based on the amount o ...

in Toronto, then studied at Ner Israel Rabbinical College under his father's cousin, Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman. He went on to study at

Lakewood Yeshiva Beth Medrash Govoha ( he, בית מדרש גבוה, Sephardi pronunciation: ''Beth Midrash Gavoha''. lit: "High House of Learning"; also known as Lakewood Yeshiva or BMG) is a Haredi Jewish Lithuanian ''yeshiva'' in Lakewood Township, New Jersey ...

, becoming a primary student of

Aharon Kotler Aharon Kotler (1892–1962) was an Orthodox Jewish rabbi and a prominent leader of Orthodox Judaism in Lithuania and the United States; the latter being where he founded Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood Township, New Jersey. Early life Kotler w ...

, from whom he received rabbinic ordination. In the mid-1950s, as part of the Lakewood Yeshiva's effort to establish out-of-town yeshivas, Kamenetsky and Dov Schwartzman were sent to found the Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia. In 1955, Schwartzman departed to open his own yeshiva in Israel, and Kamenetsky called upon

Elya Svei Elya Svei (March 19, 1924 ('' Taanis Esther 5684'') – March 26, 2009 ('' Rosh Chodesh Nisan 5769'')) was a Russian-born American Haredi Jewish rabbi and '' rosh yeshiva'' (dean) of the Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia together with Rabbi ...

to serve as co-rosh yeshiva. This arrangement continued until Svei's death in March 2009. Rabbi Kamenetsky is a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of

Agudath Israel of America Agudath Israel of America ( he, אגודת ישראל באמריקה) (also called Agudah) is an American organization that represents Haredi Orthodox Jews. It is loosely affiliated with the international World Agudath Israel. Agudah seeks to ...

and serves on the rabbinical board of organizations including Chinuch Atzmai (Torah Schools for Israel),

Torah Umesorah The Torah (; hbo, ''Tōrā'', "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. In that sense, Torah means the s ...

, the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation, and the

Association for Jewish Outreach Professionals The Association for Jewish Outreach Programs, (formerly the Association for Jewish Outreach Professionals), also known by its abbreviation AJOP, is an Orthodox Jewish network which was established to unite and enhance the Jewish educational work o ...

(AJOP). His opinion is frequently sought and quoted on current issues such as

same-sex attraction Same sex may refer to: * A phrase used in the discussion of sex Sex is the trait that determines whether a sexually reproducing animal or plant produces male or female gametes. Male plants and animals produce smaller mobile gametes (spe ...

child molestation Child sexual abuse (CSA), also called child molestation, is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include engaging in sexual activities with a child (whethe ...

obesity Obesity is a medical condition, sometimes considered a disease, in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it may negatively affect health. People are classified as obese when their body mass index (BMI)—a person's ...

and dieting, smoking, and drinking alcohol to excess on

Purim Purim (; , ; see Name below) is a Jewish holiday which commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman, an official of the Achaemenid Empire who was planning to have all of Persia's Jewish subjects killed, as recounted in the Book ...

. Rabbi Kamenetsky and his wife Temi believe that vaccines are more harmful than the diseases they prevent. He said, "I see vaccinations as the problem. It's a hoax. Even the

Salk vaccine Polio vaccines are vaccines used to prevent poliomyelitis (polio). Two types are used: an inactivated poliovirus given by injection (IPV) and a weakened poliovirus given by mouth (OPV). The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends all child ...

is a hoax. It is just big business". He has supported the idea that a child cannot be refused entry into a school for refusing to vaccinate. During the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

, Kamenetsky denied that he ever instructed anyone to refuse to take the vaccine, stating that a letter publicized to this effect was a forgery. In a rebuttal letter, he stated his opinion that each individual should ask his own doctor. In July 2020, Kamenetsky endorsed the Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign, stating "Yes, I think people should vote for him. He’s done a good job. It’s '' hakaras hatov''."

Personal

Kamenetsky's wife, Temi, was the daughter of Mordechai Brooks, a ''

hazzan A ''hazzan'' (; , lit. Hazan) or ''chazzan'' ( he, חַזָּן , plural ; Yiddish ''khazn''; Ladino ''Hasan'') is a Jewish musician or precentor trained in the vocal arts who helps lead the congregation in songful prayer. In English, this ...

''. She grew up in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, New York, and died on January 10, 2022.(January 10, 2022
"BDE: Petirah of Rebetzin Temi Kamenetsky, A'H, Wife of Maran HaGaon Shmuel Kamenetsky, Shlita"
''Baltimore Jewish Life''. Retrieved January 11, 2022.

References

External links

Audio lectures by Rabbi KamenetskyAudio lectures by Rabbi Kamenetsky
* ttps://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&svnum=10&hl=en&q=Shmuel+Kamenetsky Pictures of Rabbi Kamenetskybr>Rabbi Kamenetsky visiting a yeshiva in Israel
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kamenetsky, Shmuel 1924 births 20th-century American rabbis 21st-century American rabbis American Haredi rabbis Beth Medrash Govoha alumni Lithuanian emigrants to the United States Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Rabbis from Pennsylvania Rosh yeshivas Living people