The Roshei Yeshiva

After the petira of Rav Chaim of Volozhin in 1821, his son Reb Itze’le became head of the Yeshiva.

When Reb Itze’le died in 1849, Rabbi Eliezer Fried was appointed head of the Yeshiva, with Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin, known as the Natziv, as his assistant.

Unfortunately, Rabbi Fried died soon after, in 1854, whereupon Rabbi Berlin became the new head along with Rabbi Joseph Ber Soloveichik, who was the assistant Rosh Yeshiva. Rabbi Soloveichik left in 1865 to become a rabbi in Slutsk.

Yeshiva Eitz Chaim Volozhin closed in 1892 due to the Russian government’s demand for the introduction of certain secular studies. Rabbi Berlin refused to comply and was forced to close the yeshiva.

Rabbi Refael Shapiro, the son-in-law of Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin, reopened the Yeshiva in 1899, albeit on a smaller scale until 1939.

Prominent Alumni

Rav Shmuel Alexandrov

Rav Meir Bar-Ilan זצ"ל

Rav Zelig Reuven Bengis זצ"ל

Rav Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin זצ"ל

Rav Baruch Halevi Epstein זצ"ל

Rav David Cohen זצ"ל

Rav Moshe Mordechai Epstein זצ"ל

Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzinski זצ"ל

Isser Zalman Meltzer זצ"ל

Rav Shmuel Mohilever זצ"ל

Rav Yitzhak Isaac Halevy (Rabinowitz) זצ"ל

Rav Yitzchak Yaacov Reines זצ"ל

Rav Menachem Rissikoff זצ"ל

Rav Zundel Salant זצ"ל

Rav Refael Shapiro זצ"ל

Rav Shimon Yehuda Hakohen Shkop זצ"ל

Rav Elchonon Wasserman זצ"ל

Rav Kalman Zev Wissotsky זצ"ל

Rav Kalman Zev Wissotzky

Rav Shmuel Yitzchak Hillman זצ"ל

Rav Jacob Joseph זצ"ל

Rav Chaim Mordechai Katz זצ"ל

Rav Chaim Mordechai Katz

Rav Abraham Isaac Kook זצ"ל

Rav Moshe Landynski זצ"ל

Rav Boruch Ber Leibowitz

Rav Aryeh Levin זצ"ל

Rav Chaim (Halevi) Soloveitchik זצ"ל