Rabbi Chaim Yaakov Goldvicht (September 1924 – February 7, 1994) was the founding Rosh yeshiva of Israel's first

Hesder Hesder ( he, הסדר "arrangement"; also Yeshivat Hesder ) is an Israeli yeshiva program which combines advanced Talmudic studies with military service in the Israel Defense Forces, usually within a Religious Zionist framework. The program all ...

yeshiva A yeshiva (; he, ישיבה, , sitting; 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 st ...

Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh ( he, ישיבת כרם ביבנה, lit. ''Vineyard in Yavne Yeshiva'') is a youth village and major yeshiva in southern Israel. Located near the city of Ashdod and adjacent to Kvutzat Yavne, it falls under the jurisdict ...

, commonly known as KBY. A world-renowned scholar and teacher, Rabbi Goldvicht was also the author of ''Asufat Ma'arachot'', a collection of thoughts on Torah and

Jewish holiday Jewish holidays, also known as Jewish festivals or ''Yamim Tovim'' ( he, ימים טובים, , Good Days, or singular , in transliterated Hebrew []), are holidays observed in Judaism and by JewsThis article focuses on practices of mainstre ...

s. Rabbi Goldvicht's thousands of students have gone on to hold prominent posts in the Jewish and secular world.

Biography

Chaim Yaakov Goldvicht was born in 1924 and grew up in

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

. He studied at the Etz Chaim Yeshiva under Rabbi

Isser Zalman Meltzer Isser Zalman Meltzer ( he, איסר זלמן מלצר) (February 6, 1870 – November 17, 1953),Isser Zalman Meltzer "Even HaEzel" (1870 - 1953) was a famous Lithuanian Jewish and Belarusian Orthodox rabbi, rosh yeshiva and posek. He is also kn ...

. He was also close to Rabbi

Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik Yitzchok Zev Halevi Soloveitchik (Hebrew: יצחק זאב הלוי סולובייצ'יק), also known as Velvel Soloveitchik ("Zev" means "wolf" in Hebrew, and "Velvel" is the diminutive of "wolf" in Yiddish) or the Brisker Rov ("rabbi of/from ...

, the "Brisker Rav." After marrying, he learned in

Slabodka yeshiva (Bnei Brak) Slabodka Yeshiva is a branch of the Hebron Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, Israel, founded by Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac Sher. A yeshiva (; he, ישיבה, lit. "sitting"; pl. , ''yeshivot'' or ''yeshivos'') is a Jewish institution that focuses on the study of ...

, where he was mentored by the "Chazon Ish", Rabbi

Avrohom Yeshaya Karelitz Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz (7 November 1878 – 24 October 1953), also known as the Chazon Ish () after his magnum opus, was a Belarusian-born Orthodox rabbi who later became one of the leaders of Haredi Judaism in Israel, where he spent his ...

, leader of Israel's

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 ...

community. Rabbi Goldvicht died in

on the 7th of Adar Alef, at the age of 69. He and his wife Miriam are survived by two children.

Rabbinic career

In 1954, the heads of

Bnei Akiva Bnei Akiva ( he, בְּנֵי עֲקִיבָא, , "Children of Akiva") is the largest religious Zionist youth movement in the world, with over 125,000 members in 42 countries. It was first established in Mandatory Palestine in 1929. History B ...

turned to Rabbi Goldvicht, then studying and teaching in a

kollel A kollel ( he, כולל, , , a "gathering" or "collection" f scholars is an institute for full-time, advanced study of the Talmud and rabbinic literature. Like a yeshiva, a kollel features shiurim (lectures) and learning ''sedarim'' (sessions); ...

in Bnei Brak, if he would accept the position of Rosh Yeshiva for a new

Religious Zionist Religious Zionism ( he, צִיּוֹנוּת דָּתִית, translit. ''Tziyonut Datit'') is an ideology that combines Zionism and Orthodox Judaism. Its adherents are also referred to as ''Dati Leumi'' ( "National Religious"), and in Israel, the ...

yeshiva -

. Before accepting, Rabbi Goldvicht asked the Chazon Ish for his advice. According to one account, the Chazon Ish told him: “If he Religious Zionistswant to learn Torah, we need to help them.” Rabbi Goldvicht took a critical part in establishing the

yeshiva program with the

Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...

, and KBY became the first Hesder yeshiva, combining Torah study with active service in the Israeli army. In recognition of his contribution, he was awarded the

Israel Prize The Israel Prize ( he, פרס ישראל; ''pras israél'') is an award bestowed by the State of Israel, and regarded as the state's highest cultural honor. History The Israel Prize is awarded annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state cer ...

in 1991, on behalf of the entire Yeshivat Hesder movement.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Goldvicht, Chaim Yaakov Rosh yeshivas 20th-century rabbis in Jerusalem 1924 births 1994 deaths Haredi rabbis in Israel