Elya Lopian

Eliyahu Lopian (1876 – 21 September 1970), known as Reb Elyah, was a leading rabbi of the Mussar Movement. As a disciple of the Kelm Talmud Torah method, he was known for his strictness with respect to order and self-control.

Biography

Elya Lopian was born in Grajewo, Poland in 1876. In his youth he studied at the yeshiva in Łomża and at the Kelm Talmud Torah of Rabbi Simcha Zissel Ziv. He emigrated to England in 1928, where he served as the rosh yeshiva of the Etz Chaim Yeshiva in the East End of London, working for many years alongside his distinguished colleague Rabbi Nachman Shlomo Greenspan. His wife Soroh Leah Rotman died in 1934, shortly after the engagement of their daughter Lieba to Rabbi Leib Gurwicz.

For many years, Rabbi Lopian had wanted to make his home in the Land of Israel, and spoke a great deal about the Vilna Gaon's intense yet unfulfilled desire to live there. In 1950 he left the Etz Chaim Yeshiva and immigrated to Israel. At first he stayed in the home of his wife's brother, Yisrael Luria, in Jerusalem. That Sukkot, he visited the Brisker Rov, Rabbi Yitzchak Zev Soloveitchik.

Lopian initially refused to lead mussar seminars in Israel and sought to occupy himself with teaching and private moral work. Yet with the blessing of Rabbi Avrohom Yeshaya Karelitz (the ''Chazon Ish''), he agreed to teach and served as Mashgiach Ruchani at the Knesses Chizkiyahu yeshiva located in Zikhron Ya'akov and later Kfar Hasidim), headed by Rabbi Noah Shimonowitz.

From the moment of his arrival, Reb Elya became a magnet for the young men. The yeshiva became firmly established and even drew many young people from neighboring yeshiva high schools such as the Bnei Akiva Kfar HaRo'eh yeshivah and Midrashiat Noam in Pardes Hannah.

Reb Elya died in Israel on 21 September 1970, and was buried in the Mount of Olives Jewish Cemetery.

''Reb Elya Lopian had 13 children:''
* Rabbi Simcha Zissel Lopian of Yeshivat Toras Emes, London;
* Rabbi Avraham Yeshaya Lopian, United States;
* Rebbetzin Leiba Gurwicz, (wife of Rabbi Leib Gurwicz);
* Rabbi Chaim Shmuel Lopian of Sunderland Yeshiva;
* Rabbi Leib Lopian of Gateshead Yeshiva;
* Rabbi Eliezer Lopian of Yeshivat Toras Emes, London;
* Rebbetzin Pearl Klein, London and Jerusalem;

''Rebbetzin Pearl Klein had 8 children'':
* Sarah Leah Orenstein (deceased);
* Fraida Sufrin, London;
* Emanuel Klein, Toronto;
* Trina Klein (deceased);
* Yehudah Klein, Jerusalem;
* Herschel Klein, Kiryat Sefer;
* Mark(Elimelech) Klein, Biyat Vigan;
* Rochel Davis, Manchester;

* Rabbi Benzion (Benzel) Lapian, Willesden (London), Edgware (London) and Hong Kong;
* Rabbi Zvi Hershel Lopian (murdered in the Holocaust);
* Rebbetzin Rochel Vilenski, Jerusalem;
* Yisroel Nochum Lopian, London;
* Rebbetzin Chaya Pinski, Jerusalem;
* Yankel Yoel Lopian, Manchester

''Fraida Sufrin had 14 children:''
* Chava Sarah Spalter, Florida;
* Menachem Mendel Sufrin, Leeds;
* Chana Rivkah Bukiet, Florida;
* Shlomo Simcha Sufrin, Toronto;
* Elimelech Yitzchak Sufrin, London;
* Esther Trina Tager, Johannesburg;
* Baruch Banzion Sufrin, Long Beach;
* Dov Dovid Sufrin, New York City;
* Devorah Leah Kievman, Jerusalem;
* Moshe Eliezer Sufrin, London;
* Faige Sufrin, London;
* Shalom Naphtali Sufrin (deceased);
* Shmuel Eliyahu Sufrin, Los Angeles;
* Yisroel Rafael Sufrin, Melbourne;

''Dov Dovid Sufrin had 6 Children:''
* Tova Raizel Nisnevich, New York City;
* Shalom Noach Sufrin, New York City;
* Eliyahu Rafael Sufrin, New York City;
* Emuna Rina Sufrin, New York City;
* Abigail Bella Sufrin, New York City;
* Mordachai Tzvi Sufrin, New York City;

After his death, a street was named in his honor in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood of Jerusalem.

His works

''Lev Eliyahu'' – Mussar lessons. Edited by his students

References

* ''Reb Elyah: The Life and Accomplishments of Rabbi Elyah Lopian'', David J. Schlossberg, Mesorah Publications Limited, February 1999.

External links

* Lectures given by Reb Elyah Lopian in Yiddish
iawaken.org

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lopian, Elyah
1876 births
1970 deaths
Burials at the Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives
Polish Haredi rabbis
Haredi rabbis in Israel
20th-century English rabbis
Mashgiach ruchani
Rosh yeshivas
Rabbis from London
English Orthodox Jews
20th-century Israeli rabbis
People from Grajewo
Polish Orthodox Jews