Aryeh Malkiel Kotler (born April 1951) is a

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 ...

rabbi and

rosh yeshiva Rosh yeshiva ( he, ראש ישיבה, pl. he, ראשי ישיבה, '; 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, primar ...

(dean) of

Beth Medrash Govoha Beth Medrash Govoha ( he, בית מדרש גבוה, Sephardi pronunciation: ''Beth Midrash Gavoha''. lit: "High House of Learning"; also known as Lakewood Yeshiva or BMG) is a Haredi Judaism, Haredi Jewish Misnagdim, Lithuanian ''yeshiva'' in Lake ...

Lakewood, New Jersey Lakewood Township is the most populous township in Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. A rapidly growing community as of the 2020 U.S. census, the township had a total population of 135,158 representing an increase of 41,415 (+45.5% ...

, one of the largest

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 s ...

s in the world. He is a member of the

Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah (, "Council of great Torah ages) is the supreme rabbinical policy-making council of the Agudat Yisrael and Degel HaTorah movements in Israel; and of Agudath Israel of America in the United States. Members are usually pr ...

(Council of Torah Sages) of

Agudath Israel of America Agudath Israel of America ( he, אגודת ישראל באמריקה) (also called Agudah) is an American organization that represents Haredi Orthodox Jews. It is loosely affiliated with the international World Agudath Israel. Agudah seeks to ...

Biography

Aryeh Malkiel Kotler was born to

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

and his wife, Rischel (née Friedman). He is the second of 9 children. The elder Kotler was the

(dean) of

and son of the yeshiva's founder,

Aharon Kotler Aharon Kotler (1892–1962) was an Orthodox Jewish rabbi and a prominent leader of Orthodox Judaism in Lithuania and the United States; the latter being where he founded Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood Township, New Jersey. Early life Kotler w ...

. On his father's side, Kotler is the great-grandson of

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 ...

. Upon the death of his father in 1982, Kotler was named co-rosh yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha along with Dovid Schustal,

Yeruchem Olshin Yerucham Olshin is an Orthodox rabbi and a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah (Council of Torah Sages). He is one of the four ''roshei yeshiva'' (deans) of Beth Medrash Govoha,Goldberg, Rabbi Hillel. "The Traffic is Edgy, Rav Olshin Is Not". ' ...

, and

Yisroel Neuman Yisroel Tzvi Neuman (born April 1947 in Baltimore, to his parents Jaye and Sarah (nee Silverman)) is an Orthodox rabbi and one of the four roshei yeshiva (deans) of Beth Medrash Govoha (the Lakewood Yeshiva) in Lakewood, New Jersey. He shares this ...

, who are all married to grandchildren of Aharon Kotler. At that time, the yeshiva had an enrollment of approximately 800 students, which has since grown to approximately 6,300. Kotler is a member of the

(Council of Torah Sages) of

Family

Kotler's first wife Hinda was the daughter of

Yechiel Michel Feinstein Yechiel Michel Feinstein (27 June 1906 – 17 May 2003) was a Haredi rabbi and rosh yeshiva in Israel and the United States. Biography Yechiel Michel Feinstein was born to Avrohom Yitzchok Feinstein in the town of Uzda, Lithuania, a town nea ...

and Lifsha, the granddaughter of

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 ...

. When Kotler traveled from their home in Israel to the US to visit his ailing father, his wife refused to join him. While Kotler was in the US his father died, and Kotler succeeded him as rosh yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha. Hinda Kotler refused to join her husband in Lakewood or accept a (Jewish divorce document) without a rabbinical court in Israel hearing the case; she refused to submit to an American rabbinical court. Kotler was issued a rarely used exemption known as a (permission of 100 rabbis). This allowed him to take a second wife upon the depositing of the divorce document for the first wife with the rabbinical court. Several months later he married his second wife, Chana Leah Tikotzky.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kotler, Malkiel 1951 births People from Lakewood Township, New Jersey Rabbis from New Jersey American Haredi rabbis Rosh yeshivas Beth Medrash Govoha Beth Medrash Govoha alumni Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Living people