Elyakim Schlesinger

Rabbi
Elyakim Schlesinger
Head of the Rabbinical Board of the Committee for the Preservation of Jewish Cemeteries in Europe
Personal details
Born(1921-11-23)23 November 1921
Vienna, Austria
Died4 February 2026(2026-02-04) (aged 104)
London, England
RelationsJacob Rosenheim (grandfather)
OccupationRabbi, Rosh Yeshiva

Elyakim Schlesinger (Yiddish: אליקים שלעזינגער; 23 November 1921 – 4 February 2026) was an Austrian-born British Orthodox rabbi[1][2] and rosh yeshiva in London.[3] He was an international authority[1] and served as the President,[2] Chairman,[1] and Head of the Rabbinical Board[2] of the Committee for the Preservation of Jewish Cemeteries in Europe.[1][2] He was a grandson of Moreinu Jacob Rosenheim, one of the founders of World Agudath Israel.[4]

Biography

Schlesinger was born in Vienna on 23 November 1921, to Rabbi David and Bela Schlesinger. He emigrated to Mandatory Palestine with his family in 1931. In 1944 he married Yehudis, the daughter of Rabbi Moshe Blau. He was very close to Rabbi Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky, Rabbi Avrohom Yeshaya Karelitz (the Chazon Ish), and the Brisker Rav. In around 1947, shortly after his marriage, he moved to London, England. He then opened a yeshiva named Yeshivah HaRama where he delivered lectures to its students until his death in 2026. In the last few years of his life he held the title of 'world's oldest Rosh Yeshivah'. His wife died in 2019 after 74 years of marriage.[5]

Schlesinger died in Stamford Hill, London on 4 February 2026, aged 104.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Greenberg, Eric J. (11 July 2003). "Death Camp Dispute". The Jewish Week. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Frankfurter, Yitzchok (9 December 2015). "In the Shadows of Vilna's Ancient Alleyways". Ami Magazine. No. 246. pp. 86–96.
  3. ^ Friedman, Yoel (13 February 2019). "Rabbis in Parliament". Ami Magazine. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  4. ^ https://yated.com/reb-zev-nochum-schlesinger-zae%c2%9dl/
  5. ^ "אבל ברמה: אשת זקן ראשי הישיבות נפטרה". בחדרי חרדים (in Hebrew). Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  6. ^ "אבל כבד בעולם התורה: הגאון רבי אליקים שלזינגר זצ"ל ר"י הרמה בלונדון". bhol. 4 February 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.