Rav Gedaliah ben R' Avrohom zt"l
Today, 7 Tammuz, is the yahrtzeit of our revered Rosh Hayeshiva, Moreinu Horav Gedaliah ben Rav Avrohom Schorr zt"l.
For a biography on Horav Schorr with pictures which appears in "AMERICA'S YESHIVA" Click Here.
Horav
Gedaliah joined Yeshiva Torah Vodaath when his family moved to
Williamsburg. He quickly became the heart and soul of the Bais Medrash,
where his brilliant “kushyos” generated excitement with regard to the
sugyos the Yeshiva was learning. When he was twenty one years old, Rav
Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz zt"l appointed him to a position in the
Mesivta, despite his unmarried status. His talmidim, many were only a
few years his junior, were drawn to him, and accorded him great
respect.
When
World War II broke out Europe's Jewry was on the brink of extinction,
but in America little was being done to save it. Rav Schorr worked
closely with Elimelech "Mike" Tress, and the others involved in
the hatzoloh efforts, saving thousands of lives. Scores of people still
remember the Shabbos when Horav Schorr received a report about
exterminations and the need for immediate rescue efforts. He spoke to
the minyan until every single person there was weeping and was
determined to give the rescue mission top priority. On a sub-freezing
Shabbos in January, he walked from Williamsburg to Boro Park to make an
appeal. He arrived numb and frozen - but the freezing in the ghettos was
far worse; and so he walked. He sold his one personal treasure, a
Vilna Shas he had purchased in Europe, and contributed the money to the
rescue effort.
Upon
the passing of Reb Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz in 1948, Rav Schorr was
appointed Menahel Ruchni of Torah Vodaath, a post he maintained for
31 years. After the passing of Horav Reuven Grozovsky zt"l in 1958, he
also became Rosh Yeshiva of Beis Medrash Elyon, the post-graduate
division of Torah Vodaath.
Y'hei Zichro Boruch!
Rabbi Yitzchok Gottdiener
Executive Director
Yeshiva & Mesivta Torah Vodaath
718-941-8000x210
ryg@torahvodaath.org
