Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah (, "Council of great Torah

ages Ages may refer to: *Advanced glycation end-products, known as AGEs *Ages, Kentucky, census-designated place, United States * ''Ages'' (album) by German electronic musician Edgar Froese *The geologic time scale, a system of chronological measuremen ...

) is the supreme

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 of t ...

nical policy-making council of the

Agudat Yisrael Agudat Yisrael (; Ashkenazi Hebrew: ''Agudas Yisroel'') is a Haredi Judaism, Haredi Jewish political party in Israel. It began as a political party representing Haredi Judaism, Haredi Jews in Poland, originating in the Agudath Israel movement ...

and

Degel HaTorah Degel HaTorah () is an Ashkenazi Haredi political party in Israel. For much of its existence, it has been allied with Agudat Yisrael, under the name United Torah Judaism. History Degel HaTorah was founded in 1988, as a splinter from Agudat Isr ...

movements in Israel; and 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 ...

in the United States. Members are usually prestigious

Roshei Yeshiva Rosh yeshiva or Rosh Hayeshiva (, 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 the Torah ...

(heads of

yeshiva A yeshiva (; ; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are studied in parallel. The stu ...

s) or

Hasidic rebbes Hasidism () or Hasidic Judaism is a religious movement within Judaism that arose in the 18th century as a spiritual revival movement in contemporary Western Ukraine before spreading rapidly throughout Eastern Europe. Today, most of those affi ...

, who are also usually regarded by many

Haredi Jews 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 ...

to be the

Gedolim ''Gadol'' or ''godol'' (, plural: ''gedolim'' ) (literally "big" or "great" in Hebrew) is used by religious Jews to refer to the most revered rabbis of the generation. Usage The term ''gadol hador'' refers to the "great/est (one of) the generatio ...

("great/est") sages of

Torah Judaism Torah Judaism refers to schools of thought in Judaism perceived to be most adherent to the Torah and ''mitzvot.'' The term is often used by Orthodox Jewish groups to refer to their own system of beliefs. These ''mitzvot'' include both the biblica ...

. Before

the Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...

, it was the supreme authority for the

World Agudath Israel World Agudath Israel (), usually known as the Aguda, was established in the early twentieth century as the political arm of Ashkenazi Torah Judaism. It succeeded ''Agudath Shlomei Emunei Yisroel'' (Union of Faithful Jewry) in 1912. Its base of s ...

in Europe.

Name

The component words of the name are transliterated in a variety of ways. This is frequently done as Moetzet, and less frequently as Gedolai and ha-Torah or ha Torah. The phrase is regularly shortened to Moetzes or The Moetzah.

History

Europe

Prior to

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, only one such body existed, the

. The Council of Torah Sages was established following the establishment of Agudath Israel in

Katowice Katowice (, ) is the capital city of the Silesian Voivodeship in southern Poland and the central city of the Katowice urban area. As of 2021, Katowice has an official population of 286,960, and a resident population estimate of around 315,000. K ...

in 1912. It was decided at the time that two councils would be set up for the movement: a council of homeowners, and a council of rabbis, composed of leading rabbis from around the world.

United States

The Moetzes of

serve as religious decisors, leadership, and political and policy liaisons with state and federal government agencies on behalf of many American Haredi Jews. The council, consisting primarily of

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 ...

s and Hasidic rebbes, directs Agudath's policies and leadership. Formerly known as the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, the body was founded in 1948. It sets all major policies, and guides the organization according to its precepts of

Da'as Torah Rabbinic authority in Judaism relates to the theological and communal authority attributed to rabbis and their pronouncements in matters of Jewish law. The extent of rabbinic authority differs by various Jewish groups and denominations throughout ...

Israel

The Moetzes of

likewise constituted the

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

Ashkenazic Ashkenazi Jews ( ; also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim) form a distinct subgroup of the Jewish diaspora, that emerged in the Holy Roman Empire around the end of the first millennium CE. They traditionally speak Yiddish, a language t ...

Haredi community's religious policy leadership, and exercises strong control over political matters for strongly observant

Israelis Israelis (; ) are the Israeli citizenship law, citizens and nationals of the Israel, State of Israel. The country's populace is composed primarily of Israeli Jews, Jews and Arab citizens of Israel, Arabs, who respectively account for 75 percen ...

, such as joining government coalitions. Prior to

's late 1980s break from

Agudat Israel Agudat Yisrael (; Ashkenazi Hebrew: ''Agudas Yisroel'') is a Haredi Jewish political party in Israel. It began as a political party representing Haredi Jews in Poland, originating in the Agudath Israel movement in Upper Silesia. It later be ...

(because of the dominance of the Polish Hasidic groups), there was only one Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah in Israel. With the breakaway of the Lithuanian/"yeshivish" faction (led by Rabbi Rabbi Elazar Shach), two separate, at times complementary, councils were created. The Haredi

Sephardi Jews Sephardic Jews, also known as Sephardi Jews or Sephardim, and rarely as Iberian Peninsular Jews, are a Jewish diaspora population associated with the historic Jewish communities of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) and their descendant ...

of Israel had also at one time followed the leadership of the Moetzet of Agudat Yisrael when it was still a body that generally spoke for most of Israel's Haredim. Eventually, however, the Haredi Sephardim broke with their Ashkenazi counterparts (again because of the dominance of the Polish Hasidic groups), and established the

Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah (; lit., "Council of iseTorah Sages") is the rabbinical body that has the ultimate authority in the Israeli ultra-Orthodox Sephardic and Mizrahi Shas Party. History The council was established along with the establi ...

("Council of

ise Ise may refer to: Places *Ise, Mie, a city in Japan **Ise Grand Shrine, a Shinto shrine located in Ise, Mie * Ise Ekiti, a city in Nigeria * Ise, Norway, a village in Norway *Ise Province, an ancient province of Japan *River Ise, a tributary of the ...

Torah Sages"), which in turn became the source for the formulation and expression of the policies and agenda of the

Shas Shas () is a Haredi Judaism, Haredi religious List of political parties in Israel, political party in Israel. Founded in 1984 by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, a former Israeli Sephardic Jews, Sephardi chief rabbi, who remained its spiritual leader until ...

political party in the Israeli

Knesset The Knesset ( , ) is the Unicameralism, unicameral legislature of Israel. The Knesset passes all laws, elects the President of Israel, president and Prime Minister of Israel, prime minister, approves the Cabinet of Israel, cabinet, and supe ...

. Rabbi

Ovadiah Yosef Ovadia Yosef (, ; September 24, 1920 – October 7, 2013) also known as Maran (Hebrew: מרן) "Our Master", was an Iraqi-born Talmudic scholar, hakham, posek, and the Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel from 1973 to 1983. Also known as Gadol Yisra ...

became the main leadership figure of this council.

Members – Europe

(Kattowitz),

German Empire The German Empire (),; ; World Book, Inc. ''The World Book dictionary, Volume 1''. World Book, Inc., 2003. p. 572. States that Deutsches Reich translates as "German Realm" and was a former official name of Germany. also referred to as Imperia ...

in 1912 appointed to the council were Rabbi

Avraham Mordechai Alter Avraham Mordechai Alter (, , ; 25 December 1865 – 13 June 1948), was also known as the ''Imrei Emes'' after the works he authored. He was fourth Rebbe of the Hasidic dynasty of Ger. The Ger Rebbe, from 1905 until his death in 1948. A participa ...

(1866–1948) Rebbe of Ger (Chairman), Rabbi Sholom Dovber Schneerson Rebbe of

Chabad Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (; ; ), is a dynasty in Hasidic Judaism. Belonging to the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) branch of Orthodox Judaism, it is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements, as well as one of ...

, Rabbi

Chaim Soloveitchik Chaim (Halevi) Soloveitchik (Yiddish: חיים סאָלאָווייטשיק, ), also known as Chaim Brisker (1853 – 30 July 1918), was a rabbi and Talmudic scholar credited as the founder of the Brisker method of Talmudic study within Judaism ...

, Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac Halevy, Rabbi

Meir Simcha of Dvinsk Meir Simcha of Dvinsk (also known as Meir Simcha Ha-Kohen, 1843 – 14 August 1926) was an Orthodox rabbi in the Russian Empire and Latvia. A leader of the Jewish community in Daugavpils, he is known for his writings on Maimonides' Mishneh Tora ...

, Rabbi

Chaim Ozer Grodzinski Chaim Ozer Grodzinski (; August 24, 1863 – August 9, 1940) was a '' Av beis din'' (rabbinical chief justice), ''posek'' (halakhic authority), and Talmudic scholar in Vilnius, Lithuania in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for over 55 years. ...

, Rabbi Itzela of Ponevezh, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Breuer, Rabbi Ze'ev Feilchenfeld of

Posen Posen may refer to: Places Europe * Poznań (German: ''Posen''), city in Poland * Grand Duchy of Posen, autonomous province of Prussia, 1815–1848 * Province of Posen, Prussian province, 1848–1918 * Posen (region), the south-western part of t ...

, Rabbi

David Zvi Hoffmann David Zvi Hoffmann (November 24, 1843, Verbó, Austrian Empire – November 20, 1921, Berlin) (), was an Orthodox Rabbi and Torah Scholar. He headed the Yeshiva in Berlin, and published a research on the Pentateuch and Mishna, both in r ...

, Rabbi Kopel Reich of

Budapest Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...

. At the great congress in

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

in 1923, the Council included: the

Chofetz Chaim The ''Sefer'' ''Chofetz Chaim'' (or ''Chafetz Chaim'' or ''Hafetz Hayim'') (, trans. "Pursuer of Life") is a book by Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan, who is also called "the Chofetz Chaim" after it. The book deals with the Jewish laws of speech. The ...

, the Gerrer Rebbe, Rabbi Yisroel Friedman the Chortkov Rebbe, Rabbi

, Rabbi

Meir Arik Rabbi Meir Arik (1855–1925) was a famous Galician Torah scholar. Biography Arik was a talmid of the "Kochav MiYaakov," R. Yaakov Weidenfeld. He was so highly respected by the leading Rabbis of his generation that following the death of Rabb ...

, Rabbi

Yitzchak Zelig Morgenstern Yitzchak Zelig Morgenstern of Kotzk-Sokolov (Hebrew: יצחק זליג מורגנשטרן, מסוקולוב, Yiddish: זעליג מארגענשטערן, מסאקאלאוו, of Sokolov; 1866 – 16 October 1939 (3 Cheshvan 5700)) was an Admor and R ...

the Admor of Sokolov, Rabbi

Mordechai Yosef Elazar Leiner Mordecai (; also Mordechai; , IPA: ) is one of the main personalities in the Book of Esther in the Hebrew Bible. He is the cousin and guardian of Esther, who became queen of Achaemenid Empire, Persia under the reign of Ahasuerus (Xerxes I). Mord ...

the Admor of Radzin, Rabbi Meir Dan Plotzky, Rabbi

Moshe Mordechai Epstein Moshe Mordechai Epstein (7 March 1866–28 November 1933) was rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Knesseth Yisrael in Slabodka, Lithuania and is recognized as having been one of the leading Talmudists of the twentieth century. He is also one of the founder ...

, Rabbi Meir Shapira of Lublin, Rabbi Avraham Mendel Steinberg of Brod, Rabbi Kalman Weber of Piestany, and Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Breuer. In 1937, the members of the Council were: Rabbi

, Rabbi

Yitzchak Menachem Mendel Danziger Yitzhak( ()) is a male first name, and is Hebrew for Isaac. Yitzhak may refer to: People *Yitzhak ha-Sangari, rabbi who converted the Khazars to Judaism *Yitzhak Rabin (1922–1995), Israeli politician and Prime Minister *Yitzhak Shamir (1915–2 ...

Aleksander Alexander () is a male name of Greek origin. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here are A ...

, Rabbi

Dovid Bornsztain Dovid Bornsztain (1876 – 17 November 1942), also spelled Borenstein, Bornstein and Bernstein, known as the Chasdei Dovid, was the third Rebbe of the Sochatchov Hasidic dynasty. He succeeded his father, Rabbi Shmuel Bornsztain, as Rebbe up ...

of Sochatchov, Rabbi Avraham Yaakov Friedman of Sadigura, Rabbi Mordechai Shalom Yosef Friedman of Przemysl, Rabbi

Elchonon Wasserman Elchonon Bunim Wasserman (; ; 18746 July 1941) was a prominent rabbi and rosh yeshiva (dean) in prewar Europe. He was one of the closest students of Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (the Chofetz Chaim) and a noted Talmid Chacham. In the interwar perio ...

, Rabbi Aharon Levin, Rabbi

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. ...

, Rabbi Ben Zion Yoezer (Rabbi of

Turda Turda (; , ; ; ) is a Municipiu, city in Cluj County, Transylvania, Romania. It is located in the southeastern part of the county, from the county seat, Cluj-Napoca, to which it is connected by the European route E81, and from nearby Câmpia ...

and President of the Federation of the Association of Ultra-Orthodox Communities in

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

), Rabbi Dov Ber

Av Beit Din The ''av beit din'' (), abbreviated ( ''avad''), was the second-highest-ranking member of the Sanhedrin during the Second Temple period and served as an assistant to the nasi. The av beit din was known as the "Master of the Court;" he was consid ...

of Ozarkov, Rabbi Moshe Blum Av Beit Din of Zamosc, Rabbi Zalman Sorotzkin, Rabbi

Yehuda Leib Tsirelson Yehuda Leib Tsirelson (1859 in Kozelets, Chernihiv Oblast – 1941 in Kishinev, Soviet Union) was the Chief Rabbi of Bessarabia, a member of the Romanian parliament, and a prominent Jewish leader and posek. Biography Yehuda Leib Tsirelson was ...

, Rabbi Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky, Rabbi Menachem Ziemba, Rabbi Mordechai Rotenberg, Rabbi of

Antwerp Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...

, Rabbi

Akiva Sofer Akiva ben Joseph (Mishnaic Hebrew: ; – 28 September 135 CE), also known as Rabbi Akiva (), was a leading Jewish scholar and sage, a '' tanna'' of the latter part of the first century and the beginning of the second. Rabbi Akiva was a leadin ...

, and Rabbi

Shmuel Dovid Ungar Rabbi Shmuel Dovid Ungar (23 November 1885 – 9 February 1945), also known as Rabbi Samuel David Ungar, was the rabbi of the Hungarian city of Nyitra (now Nitra, Slovakia) and dean of the last surviving yeshiva in occupied Europe during Wor ...

. The council's president was Rabbi

Members – Israel

Past members

* Yehuda Ades, rosh yeshiva of Kol Yaakov etired*

Pinchas Menachem Alter Pinchas Menachem Alter (; July 3, 1926 – March 7, 1996), also known as the ''Pnei Menachem'' (), after the works he authored, was the seventh rebbe of the Hasidic Judaism, Hasidic dynasty of Ger (Hasidic dynasty), Ger, a position he held from ...

, Rebbe of Ger (Chairman) ied 1996*

Simcha Bunim Alter Simcha Bunim Alter (; April 6, 1898 – July 8, 1992), also known as the ''Lev Simcha'' (), after the works he authored, was the sixth Rebbe of the Hasidic dynasty of Ger, a position he held from 1977 until his death. In 1980, he instituted ...

, Rebbe of Ger (Chairman) ied 1992*

Yisrael Alter Yisrael Alter (, ; October 1895 – 20 February 1977), also known as the ''Beit Yisrael'', after the works he authored, was the fifth Rebbe of the Hasidic dynasty of Ger, a position he held from 1948 until 1977. Biography Yisrael Alter was bo ...

, Rebbe of Ger (Chairman) ied 1977*

Shlomo Zalman Auerbach Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (; July 20, 1910 – February 20, 1995) was an Orthodox Jewish rabbi, posek, and rosh yeshiva of the Kol Torah yeshiva in Jerusalem. The Jerusalem neighborhood Ramat Shlomo is named after Auerbach. Biography Auerbach was ...

, Rosh Yeshiva of

Kol Torah Kol Torah is a yeshiva in the Bayit Vegan neighborhood of Jerusalem. History Yeshivas Kol Torah was founded in 1939 by Yechiel Michel Schlesinger (1898–1948), born in Hamburg, Germany and Boruch Kunstadt, a dayan from Fulda, Germany. It w ...

ied 1995*

Gershon Edelstein Yerachmiel Gershon Edelstein (; 18 April 1923 – 30 May 2023) was a Soviet Union, Soviet-born Israeli Haredi Judaism, Haredi rabbi who was rosh yeshiva of the Ponevezh Yeshiva, president of the Vaad HaYeshivos, Vaad Hayeshivos, and the spiritua ...

, rosh yeshiva of the Ponevezh Yeshiva (Chairman)

ied 2023 IED may refer to: Devices * Improvised explosive device, an explosive device often used in unconventional warfare * Instantaneous electrical detonator, used to trigger an explosive device * Intelligent electronic device, in the electric power i ...

Yosef Shalom Eliashiv Yosef Shalom Elyashiv (; 10 April 1910 – 18 July 2012) was a Haredi rabbi and ''posek'' (arbiter of Jewish law) who lived in Jerusalem. Until his death at the age of 102, Rav Elyashiv was the paramount leader of both Israel and the Diaspora ...

, prominent Posek (Co-Chairman) ied 2012*

Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi (; 27 March 1929 – 26 October 2023) was an Israeli Haredi (ultra-orthodox) rabbi, and a leader of the non-Hasidic Lithuanian Jews. He was the Rosh Yeshiva (dean) of Ateres Yisrael in Bayit Vegan in Jerusalem, and a me ...

, rosh yeshiva of Ateres Yisrael

Aryeh Finkel Aryeh Finkel (; 1931–2016) was a Haredi Judaism, Haredi rabbi and rosh yeshiva of the Mir Brachfeld branch of the Mir Yeshiva (Jerusalem), Mir Yeshiva. Before assuming his post at the new yeshiva branch in 2005, he served as the ''Mashgiach Ruch ...

, Rosh Yeshiva of Mir-Brachfeld ied 2016* Nosson Tzvi Finkel, Rosh Yeshiva of

Mir ''Mir'' (, ; ) was a space station operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001, first by the Soviet Union and later by the Russia, Russian Federation. ''Mir'' was the first modular space station and was assembled in orbit from 1986 to ...

ied 2011* Avraham Yaakov Friedman, 3rd Rebbe of Sadigura ied 1961* Avraham Yaakov Friedman, 5th Rebbe of Sadigura ied 2013* Yisroel Moshe Friedman,

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. ...

of Sadigura

ied 2020 IED may refer to: Devices * Improvised explosive device, an explosive device often used in unconventional warfare * Instantaneous electrical detonator, used to trigger an explosive device * Intelligent electronic device, in the electric power ...

Moshe Yehoshua Hager Moshe is the Hebrew version of the masculine given name Moses (given name), Moses. Bearers include: * Moshe Arens (1925–2019), Israeli politician * Moshe Bar (disambiguation), Moshe Bar, several people * Moshe Bejski (1921–2007), Israeli judge ...

(Chairman 1980–2012) ied 2012*

Levi Yitzchak Horowitz Levi Yitzchak HaLevi Horowitz (born 3 July 1921, Boston, died 5 December 2009, Jerusalem) was a rabbi and the second rebbe of the Boston (Hasidic dynasty), Boston Hasidic Dynasty founded by his father, Pinchos Dovid Horowitz. He was the first Amer ...

, Rebbe of

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

ied 2009*

Chaim Kanievsky Shemaryahu Yosef Chaim Kanievsky (; January 8, 1928 – March 18, 2022) was an Israeli Haredi rabbi and ''posek''. He was a leading authority in Haredi Jewish society on legal and ethical practice. Known as the '' Gadol HaDor'' ("greatest of his ...

, (Chairman) ied 2022*

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 Kosa ...

ied 2019*

Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz (; 1913 – 27 June 2011) was an Israeli Haredi Torah leader and rosh yeshiva in Bnei Brak for over 70 years. He was a '' maggid shiur'' at Yeshivas Tiferes Tzion from 1940 to 2011 and rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Ponovezh L� ...

ied 2011*

Isser Zalman Meltzer Isser Zalman Meltzer (; February 6, 1870 – November 17, 1953),Isser Zalman Meltzer "Even HaEzel" (1870 - 1953) was a Jewish rabbi, rosh yeshiva and posek. He was known as the "Even HaEzel", after the title of his commentary on Rambam's ''Mishn ...

(Chairman) ied 1953*

Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg (;‎ 1 October 1910 – 20 March 2012) was a Polish-born, American-raised, Israeli Haredi rabbi and rosh yeshiva who, from 1965, made his home in the Kiryat Mattersdorf neighborhood of Jerusalem.Zuroff, Avraham. ''Ra ...

ied 2012*

Yitzchok Scheiner Rabbi Yitzchok Scheiner (; November 5, 1922 – January 31, 2021) was an Israeli–American rabbi who was the ''rosh yeshiva'' of the Kamenitz yeshiva of Jerusalem. Early life and education He was born in May 1922 in Pittsburgh to immigrants fr ...

, rosh yeshiva of the Yeshiva Kamenitz ied 2021* ied 2001*

Elazar Menachem Shach Elazar Menachem Man Shach (, Elazar Shach; January 1, 1899 O.S. – November 2, 2001) was a Haredi rabbi who headed Lithuanian Orthodox Jews in Israel and around the world from the early 1970s until his death. He served as chair of the Counc ...

ied 2001* Yitzchak Isaac Sher ied 1952*

Aharon Yehuda Leib Shteinman Aharon Yehuda Leib Shteinman (), also Shtainman or Steinman (November 3, 1914 – December 12, 2017), was a Haredi Judaism, Haredi rabbi in Bnei Brak, Israel. Following the death of Yosef Shalom Eliashiv, Yosef Shalom Elyashiv in 2012, he wa ...

ied 2017*

Yochanan Sofer Yochanan Sofer (; January 1, 1923 – February 22, 2016) was the rebbe of the Erlau (Hasidic dynasty), Erlau dynasty. He was born in Eger, Hungary, where his father and grandfather were also rebbes. After surviving the Holocaust, he founded a yeshi ...

Erlau Erlau is a municipality in the district of Mittelsachsen in Saxony in Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps t ...

ied 2016* Zalman Sorotzkin (Chairman) ied 1966* Yisroel Don Taub ied 2006* Avrohom Yehoshua Heschel Twerski ied 1987*

Dov Yaffe Dov Yaffe (; 1928–2017) was a Polish-born Israeli rabbi, mashgiach, and leader of the Musar movement. Youth He was born at Vilna in June 1928. In 1935, at age 7, he moved with his parents to the Land of Israel and settled in Tel Aviv whe ...

, of Kfar Chasidim ied 2017* Binyamin Zilber

ied 2008 IED may refer to: Devices * Improvised explosive device, an explosive device often used in unconventional warfare * Instantaneous electrical detonator, used to trigger an explosive device * Intelligent electronic device, in the electric power ...

Baruch Weisbecker Baruch Weisbecker (; 21 November 1940 – 2 February 2024) was an Israeli rabbi, the rosh yeshiva of Beit Mattityahu in Bnei Brak, and a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah.

, rosh yeshiva of Beit Matityau Yeshiva in Bnei Brak

ied 2024 IED may refer to: Devices * Improvised explosive device, an explosive device often used in unconventional warfare * Instantaneous electrical detonator, used to trigger an explosive device * Intelligent electronic device, in the electric power i ...

* Ben Zion Rabinovich,

of Biala (Hasidic dynasty)

Current members (Agudat Yisrael)

* Yaakov Aryeh Alter,

Ger (Hasidic dynasty) Ger (Yiddish: גער, also Gur, adj. Gerrer) is a Polish Hasidic dynasty originating from the town of Góra Kalwaria, Poland, where it was founded by Yitzchak Meir Alter (1798–1866), known as the "Chiddushei HaRim". Ger is a branch of Pe ...

* Shmuel Barzovski,

Slonim (Hasidic dynasty) Slonim is a Hasidic Judaism, Hasidic List of Hasidic dynasties, dynasty originating in the town of Slonim, which is now in Belarus. Today, there are two Slonimer factions. Slonim, based in Jerusalem, and the Slonim community in Bnei Brak. They ...

Nachum Dov Brayer Nachum Dov Brayer (; born April 15, 1959) is the Rebbe of the Boyan (Hasidic dynasty), Boyan Hasidic Judaism, Hasidic List of Hasidic dynasties, dynasty. He is the grandson of the former Boyaner Rebbe of New York, Rabbi Mordechai Shlomo Friedman. ...

Boyan (Hasidic dynasty) Boyan () is a Hasidic dynasty named after the town of Boiany in the historic region of Bukovina, now in Ukraine. The Hasidut is headquartered in Jerusalem, with communities in Beitar Ilit, Bnei Brak, Manchester, Australia, Beit Shemesh, London, ...

* Eliezer Hager,

of Seret-Vizhnitz (Hasidic dynasty) * Yisroel_Hager_(the_second),

Vizhnitz (Hasidic dynasty) Vizhnitz is the name of a Hasidic dynasty founded by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Hager. Vizhnitz (ויז׳ניץ or וויזשניץ) is the Yiddish name of Vyzhnytsia, a town in present-day Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It i ...

Menachem Mendel Hager Rabbi Menachem Mendel Hager (; born November 28, 1957) is one of the two Grand Rabbis of the Viznitz (Admor Mviznitz) Hasidic dynasty in Bnei Brak and a current member of Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah (Council of great Torah Sages) of the Agudat Yisr ...

of Vizhnitz-Merkaz (Hasidic dynasty) *

Zvi Elimelech Halberstam Zvi Elimelech Halberstam (, ; born 1952) is the present Sanz Rebbe of Netanya, Israel. He is also known as the Sanzer Rebbe. He is the eldest son of Rabbi Yekusiel Yehudah Halberstam, the first Sanz-Klausenberger Rebbe, who in his will divided the ...

Klausenburg (Hasidic dynasty) Klausenburg, also known as Sanz-Klausenburg, is a Hasidic dynasty that originated in the Transylvanian city of Cluj-Napoca (, ), today in Romania. At the behest of Rabbi Yekusiel Yehudah Halberstam, Klausenburger Rebbe from 1927 to 1994, the m ...

Mayer Alter Horowitz Mayer Alter Horowitz is an American Hasidic rabbi. Since 2009, he has been the Bostoner rebbe of Jerusalem. Early life and education Horowitz was born in Boston, the son of Levi Yitzchak Horowitz, the second Bostoner rebbe, and Raichel Unger Le ...

Boston (Hasidic dynasty) Boston is a Hasidic dynasty, originally established in 1915 by Rabbi Pinchas David Horowitz, a scion of the Nikolsburg Hasidic dynasty. Following the custom of European Chassidic Courts, where the Rebbe was called after the name of his city, th ...

* Yissachar Dov Rokeach,

Belz (Hasidic dynasty) Belz () is a Hasidic Judaism, Hasidic List of Hasidic dynasties, dynasty founded in the town of Belz in Western Ukraine, near the Poland, Polish border, historically the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland. The group was founded in the early 19th centu ...

* Chaim Shaul Taub,

Modzitz (Hasidic dynasty) Modzitz, or Modzhitz, is the name of a Hasidic Judaism, Hasidic group within Orthodox Judaism that derives its name from ''Modrzyce'', one of the boroughs of the town of Dęblin, Poland, located on the Vistula River. Followers of this group are ...

Current members (Degel HaTorah)

* Meir Tzvi Bergman, rosh yeshiva of the

Yeshiva Rashbi A yeshiva (; ; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are studied in parallel. The studyin ...

* Dov Lando, rosh yeshiva of Slabodka yeshiva *

Dovid Cohen David is a common masculine given name of Hebrew origin. Its popularity derives from the initial oral tradition (Oral Torah) and recorded use related to King David, a central figure in the Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, and foundational to Judaism, and ...

, rosh yeshiva of Chevron Yeshiva *

Moshe Hillel Hirsch Moshe Hillel Hirsch (; born Milton Hirsch October 26, 1936) is the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Slabodka in Bnei Brak, Israel. He is a native of the United States who studied at Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood under the Talmudic tutelage of Rabbi Ah ...

, rosh yeshiva of

Slabodka yeshiva Slabodka yeshiva may refer to: * Hebron Yeshiva, a branch of the Slabodka Yeshiva in Hebron, relocated afterward to Jerusalem * Slabodka yeshiva (Bnei Brak), a branch of the Slabodka yeshiva in Bnei Brak * Yeshivas Knesses Yisrael (Slabodka) Ye ...

* Berel Povarsky, rosh yeshiva of the Ponevezh Yeshiva *

Moshe Yehuda Shlesinger Moshe is the Hebrew version of the masculine given name Moses. Bearers include: * Moshe Arens (1925–2019), Israeli politician * Moshe Bar, several people * Moshe Bejski (1921–2007), Israeli judge * Moshe Brener (born 1971), Israeli basketbal ...

, rosh yeshiva of

Yitzchak Zilberstein Yitzchok Zilberstein (, also spelled Silberstein) (born 1934) is a prominent Orthodox rabbi, posek (Jewish legal authority) and expert in medical ethics. He is the '' av beis din'' of the Ramat Elchanan neighborhood of Bnei Brak, the Rosh Kollel o ...

, Rav of

Ramat Elchanan The glossary of Hebrew toponyms gives translations of Hebrew terms commonly found as components in Hebrew toponyms. B E G H I K M N R T See also * List of Hebrew p ...

New members (2020)

Source: * Tzvi Drebkin, rosh yeshiva of the

Grodno Yeshiva Yeshiva Shaar HaTorah – Grodna, often referred to as the Grodna Yeshiva or simply as Grodna, was an Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox Jewish yeshiva in the Belarusian city of Grodno, then under Russian Empire, Russian rule. Founded during World W ...

Be'er Ya'akov Be'er Ya'akov () is a city in central Israel, near Ness Ziona and Rishon Lezion. The town has an area of 8,580 dunams (~8.6 km2), and had a population of in 2019. History Be'er Ya'akov was established in 1907 on 2,000 dunams of land purch ...

Yitzchok Hecker Yitzchok is a given name, which is the Hebrew pronunciation of the name Isaac, one of the patriarchs of the Israelites. Notable people with the name include: *Yitzchok Adlerstein, American rabbi *Yitzchok Breiter, Polish Ukrainian rabbi *Yitzchok E ...

, rosh yeshiva of the Grodno Yeshiva in Be'er Ya'akov * Aviezer Piltz, rosh yeshiva of Tifrach * Avrohom Yitzchok Hakohein Kook, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Maor Hatalmud in

Rehovot Rehovot (, / ) is a city in the Central District (Israel), Central District of Israel, about south of Tel Aviv. In it had a population of . Etymology Israel Belkind, founder of the Bilu (movement), Bilu movement, proposed the name "Rehovot ...

* Aryeh Levy, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva S'char Sochir *

Shraga Shteinman Shraga (Talmudic Aramaic: ) is a Jewish given name (meaning "candle" in Talmudic Aramaic) and may refer to: * Samuel ben Uri Shraga Phoebus, Polish rabbi and Talmudist of Woydyslaw in the second half of the 17th century * Shraga Bar (born 1948), fo ...

, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Orchos Torah * Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim

Members – United States

Past members

* Simcha Bunim Ehrenfeld * Yitzchok Feigelstock *

Dovid Feinstein Dovid Feinstein (; 1929 – November 6, 2020) was an American rabbi and ''halachic'' authority. He served as the rosh yeshiva (dean) of the Mesivtha Tifereth Jerusalem yeshiva elementary and high school and kollel, inheriting the position afte ...

Moshe Feinstein Moshe Feinstein (; Lithuanian pronunciation: ''Moishe Fainshtein''; ; March 3, 1895 – March 23, 1986) was a Russian-born American Orthodox Jewish rabbi, scholar, and ''posek'' (authority on ''halakha''—Jewish law). He has been called ...

(Chairman) *

Mordechai Shlomo Friedman Mordechai Shlomo Friedman (15 October 1891 in Boiany, Ukraine – 2 March 1971 in New York City), sometimes called Solomon Mordecai Friedman, was the Boyaner Rebbe of New York for over 40 years. In 1927 he left Europe to become one of the first H ...

of Boyan *

Mordechai Gifter Mordechai Gifter (October 15, 1915 - January 18, 2001) was an American Haredi rabbi. He was the rosh yeshiva (dean) of the Telz Yeshiva in Cleveland. He was a staunch opponent of Zionism. Gifter studied in yeshivas in Lithuania, and held seve ...

Refael Reuvain Grozovsky Refael Reuvain Grozovsky (; 1886, Minsk, Belarus – 1958, United States) was a leading Orthodox rabbi, Jewish religious leader and rosh yeshiva ("dean") known for his Talmudic analytical style. Early years He was the son of Rabbi Shimshon Groz ...

* of Kapischnitz *

Shlomo Heiman Shlomo Heiman (1892–1944) known informally as "Reb Shlomo", was a rabbi, Talmudist, and rosh yeshiva. He led some of the most prominent yeshivas in Europe and the United States. Early life Shlomo Heiman was born in Paritsh, Minsk in Belar ...

(Chairman) *

* Moshe Horowitz ( Bostoner Rebbe of New York) *

Yitzchak Hutner Yitzchak Hutner (; 1906November 28, 1980), also known as Isaac Hutner, was an American Orthodox rabbi and rosh yeshiva (dean). Originally from Warsaw, Hutner was the long-time dean of Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin in Brooklyn, New York, an older ins ...

Yaakov Kamenetsky Yaakov Kamenetsky (February 28, 1891 – March 10, 1986), was a prominent rabbi, rosh yeshiva, ''posek'' and Talmudist in the post-World War II American Jewish community. Biography Yaakov Kamenetsky was born at a folwark called Kalyskovka owned ...

* Chaim Mordechai Katz *

(Chairman) *

Shneur Kotler Yosef Chaim Shneur Kotler (1918 – 24 June 1982) was an Ashkenazi Orthodox rabbi from the Lithuanian movement and rosh yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha (also known as the Lakewood Yeshiva) in Lakewood, New Jersey, from 1962 to 1982. During his t ...

* Avrohom Chaim Levine *

Avraham Yaakov Pam Avraham Yaakov Pam (1913 – August 16, 2001) was the ''rosh yeshiva'' of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas in Brooklyn, New York. Biography Rabbi Pam began his career at Yeshiva Torah Vodaas in 1938, when was appointed '' maggid shiur'' (Talmudic lectu ...

* Nochum Mordechai Perlow of Novominsk *

Yaakov Perlow Yaakov Perlow ( ‎; November 16, 1930 – April 7, 2020) was an American Hasidic Judaism, Hasidic rabbi and rosh yeshiva, and Rebbe of the Novominsk List of Hasidic dynasties, Hasidic dynasty. From 1998 until his death in 2020, he was presiden ...

(Chairman) *

Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman (1900 – July 11, 1987) was a Russian-born American Talmudic scholar and rabbi who founded and served as ''rosh yeshiva'' (yeshiva head) of Yeshivas Ner Yisroel in Baltimore. Early life Ruderman was born to a Hasidic ...

Gedalia Schorr Gedalyahu HaLevi Schorr (27 November 1910 – 2 July 1979; 7 Tammuz 5739), also known as Gedalia Schorr, was a prominent rabbi and rosh yeshiva. He was called the "first American Gadol" (Torah giant) by Rabbi Aharon Kotler. Rabbi Meir Shapiro, ...

Eliezer Silver Eliezer Silver (; February 15, 1882Social Security Death Index - February 7, 1968 ) was the President of the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the U.S. and Canada and among American Jewry's foremost religious leaders. He helped save many thousands of ...

(Chairman) *

Joseph B. Soloveitchik Joseph Ber Soloveitchik ( ''Yosef Dov ha-Levi Soloveychik''; February 27, 1903 – April 9, 1993) was a major American Orthodox rabbi, Talmudist, and modern Jewish philosopher. He was a scion of the Lithuanian Jewish Soloveitchik rabbinic ...

''Hapardes'', September 1941, p. 16
/ref> * Baruch Sorotzkin *

Yisroel Spira Yisroel Spira (November 12, 1889 – October 30, 1989), the Bluzhover Rebbe, was a senior member of Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, and a Holocaust survivor. His experiences in the Nazi concentration camps were the basis for the book ''Hasidic Tales o ...

of Bluzhev *

Elya Svei Elya Svei (; March 19, 1924 (''Taanis Esther 5684'') – March 26, 2009 (''Rosh Chodesh Nisan 5769'')) was an American Haredi Judaism, Haredi Jewish rabbi and co-''rosh yeshiva'' (with Shmuel Kamenetsky) of the Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia ...

Mendel Zaks Menachem Mendel Yosef Zaks (; 1898–1974) (commonly known as Rabbi Mendel Zaks) was an Orthodox Jewish rabbi in Belarus and the United States, best known for being the ''Rosh Yeshiva'' of the Raduń Yeshiva and being the son-in-law to Yisrael Mei ...

Aaron Schechter Aaron Moshe Schechter (July 16, 1928 – August 24, 2023) was an American Haredi rabbi. He was the rosh yeshiva (Dean) of Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin and its post-graduate Talmudical division, Kollel Gur Aryeh. He also served on the presidium of ...

Current members

Elya Brudny Elya Brudny (born 1948) is an American Haredi rabbi. He serves as rosh yeshiva (dean)Donn, Yochonon (August 22, 2019Rav Elya Brudny Warns of 'Un-American' Regulation of Yeshivos in NY" '' Yated Ne'eman''. Retrieved August 6, 2023. in the Mir Yesh ...

* Hillel David *

Aharon Feldman Rabbi Aharon Feldman (; born 1932) is an Orthodox Jewish rabbi and rosh yeshiva (dean) of Yeshivas Ner Yisroel (Ner Israel Rabbinical College) in Baltimore, Maryland. He has held this position since 2001. He is also a member of the Moetzes Gedole ...

* Yosef Chaim Frankel ( Rebbe) * Aharon Dovid Goldberg * Yaakov Horowitz ">Linsk_(Hasidic_dynasty).html" ;"title="Linsk (Hasidic dynasty)">Yaakov Horowitz (American Rabbi) (Rosh Yeshivas Beis Meir) * Shmuel Kamenetsky * Aryeh Malkiel Kotler * Shlomo Eliyahu Miller * Yerucham Olshin * Yosef Harari Rafulhttps://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PiFXXqM4giI/UnP4MR_pIaI/AAAAAAAAA98/PfaNxQansJQ/s1600/Moetzes+tpv.jpg *

Yitzchok Sorotzkin Avrohom Yitzchok Sorotzkin (born October 1945) is a prolific writer and former Rosh Yeshiva of Telshe yeshiva who delivers the most advanced Talmudic lecture at the Mesivta of Lakewood. He is a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah (Council of Tor ...

Shimon Yehuda Svei Shimon () is the original Hebrew pronunciation of the names Simon and Simeon. Among individuals, Shimon can refer to: Given names * Shimon Agranat (1906-1992), Israeli judge and President of the Israeli Supreme Court * Shimon Amsalem (born 1966), ...

References

{{Authority control Agudat Yisrael Rabbinical organizations