Aaron Moshe Schechter (July 16, 1928 – August 24, 2023) was an American

Haredi Haredi Judaism (, ) is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that is characterized by its strict interpretation of religious sources and its accepted (Jewish law) and traditions, in opposition to more accommodating values and practices. Its members are ...

rabbi. He was the

rosh yeshiva Rosh yeshiva or Rosh Hayeshiva (, plural, pl. , '; 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, primarily the Talmud and th ...

(Dean) of Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin and its post-graduate

Talmud The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...

ical division, Kollel Gur Aryeh. He also served on the presidium of

Agudath Israel of America Agudath Israel of America (; also called the Agudah) is an American organization that represents Haredi Judaism, Haredi Orthodox Jews. It is loosely affiliated with the international World Agudath Israel. Agudah seeks to meet the needs of the Har ...

and was a member of that organization's Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah (Council of Torah Sages).

Early life and education

Aaron Moshe Schechter was born in the New York City borough of

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

,(August 24, 2023
"BD'E: Harav Aharon Schechter, Zt”l, Rosh Yeshivah, Yeshivas Chaim Berlin"
''Hamodia''. Retrieved August 27, 2023. to Yosef and Fruma Rochel. He attended Yeshiva Toras Chaim Elementary School and later studied at Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin for high school, where he became a disciple of Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner. He continued his studies at the Lakewood Yeshiva.

Rabbinic career

Schechter was appointed by Rav Yitzchok Hutner to leadership positions in Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin before his marriage. Rav Aaron was encouraged to write rabbinic literature on a section of ''

Mishneh Torah The ''Mishneh Torah'' (), also known as ''Sefer Yad ha-Hazaka'' (), is a code of Rabbinic Jewish religious law (''halakha'') authored by Maimonides (Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon/Rambam). The ''Mishneh Torah'' was compiled between 1170 and 1180 CE ( ...

'', which he titled ''Avodas Aharon''.

Agudath Israel and Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah

Following Rav Hutner's death in 1980, Rav Aaron became a member of the ''Nesius'' (presidium) of

. Rav Schechter collaborated with Rav Aharon Feldman of Yeshiva Ner Yisrael, and Rav Yaakov Perlow, the

Rebbe A Rebbe () or Admor () is the spiritual leader in the Hasidic movement, and the personalities of its dynasties.Heilman, Samuel"The Rebbe and the Resurgence of Orthodox Judaism."''Religion and Spirituality (Audio)''. UCTV, 20 Oct 2011. web. ...

Novominsk Novominsk is a Hasidic Judaism, Hasidic List of Hasidic dynasties, dynasty, originating in Mińsk Mazowiecki, Poland, and now based in the United States. It also runs a yeshiva known as Yeshivas Novominsk - Kol Yehuda, currently led by Rabbi Yosef ...

, who was appointed ''Rosh Agudas Yisroel'' (head of Agudath Israel of America); both were also early disciples of Rav Hutner, on the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah.

Personal life and death

Rav Aaron Schechter married Shoshana Roisa Leichtung in 1954. She was the Principal of General Studies at Yeshiva of Brooklyn's girls' elementary school for over 20 years. She died on August 4, 2016. Their two sons and three daughters are all connected to Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin. Rav Mordechai Zelig Schechter served as the ''

mashgiach ruchani A mashgiach ruchani (; pl., ''mashgichim ruchani'im''), sometimes mashgiach for short, is a spiritual supervisor or guide. They are usually a rabbi who has an official position within a yeshiva and is responsible for the non-academic areas of yesh ...

'' (spiritual supervisor) until his death (Tishrei 5784). Their eldest daughter Rebbetzin Esther Yormark, a teacher at Beis Yaakov Academy in Brooklyn, is married to Rav Eliyahu Yormark, a teacher in Chaim Berlin. Rebbetzin Nechama Halioua was married to HoRav Shlomo Halioua, who succeeded Rav Schechter as

(dean) until his death on October 27, 2024 (25 Tishrei 5785). Rebbetzin Yehudis Senderovitz is married to Rav Yitzchak Meir Senderovitz, who is also a teacher there. Rabbi Nosson Schechter is a

mohel A ( , Ashkenazi Hebrew, Ashkenazi pronunciation , plural: , , "circumciser") is a Jewish man trained in the practice of , the "covenant of male circumcision". A woman who is trained in the practice is referred to as a ''mohelet'' (plural: ''mo ...

. Rav Aaron Schechter died in Brooklyn on August 24, 2023, at the age of 95.(August 24, 2023
"Petirah of Rav Aharon Schechter ZT"L Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin"
''The Lakewood Scoop''. Retrieved August 27, 2023.

Works

Avodas Aharon

External links

Rabbi Schechter speaks to students on OU radio, December 28, 2006

* ttp://www.oorah.org/endorsements.htm Endorses the outreach ''kiruv'' work of the oorah.org organization
Member of rabbinical committee, ''Vaad L'Hatzolas Nidchei Yisroel''

Video of Rabbi Schechter speaking about reconciling Science and Torah

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schechter, Aaron 1928 births 2023 deaths 20th-century American rabbis 21st-century American rabbis American Haredi rabbis Rosh yeshivas Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Orthodox rabbis from New York City Burials at Beth David Cemetery