Ponevezh yeshiva
Ponevezh Yeshiva, often pronounced Ponevitch Yeshiva, (Hebrew: ישיבת פוניבז) is a world renowned yeshiva located in Bnei Brak, Israel. It was originally established in the town of Panevėžys, Lithuania. The yeshiva has over one thousand students.
As of January 2007 the Roshei Yeshiva are Rabbi Gershon Eidelstein, Rabbi Boruch Dov Povarski and Rabbi Shmuel Markovitz.
History
Prior to the Holocaust the yeshiva was led by Rabbi Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman, the "Ponovezher Rov", who functioned more as the president and chief fundraiser. He selected and appointed Rabbi Elazar Shach to be the academic head and full-time rosh yeshiva who in turn a significant leader of Haredi Judaism in the latter half of the twentieth century.
Faculty
Many other important scholars joined the faculty of Ponovezh, such as Rabbi Shmuel Rozovsky and Rabbi Dovid Povarsky. The yeshiva is presently led by Rabbi Berl Povarsky, Rabbi Gershon Eidelstein and Rabbi Chaim Shlomo Leibovitch. The latter's appointment was disputed by followers of Rabbi Shmuel Markovitz, and a shiur (public discourse) given by him was disturbed by a home-made explosive device on November 19th, 2006.
Internal disputes
During the 1990s the yeshiva was subject to a public disagreement between two of its leaders, Rabbi Shmuel Markovitz (married to a granddaughter of the yeshiva's founder) and Rabbi Eliezer Kahaneman (a grandson of the founder) over the management of the yeshiva, that resulted in heated and even violent confrontations between students of the yeshiva.
Institutions affiliated to Ponevezh Yeshiva
- Kollel Avreichim — located on the grounds of the yeshiva in the Ohel Kedoshim building; intended for married students who have graduated from the yeshiva.
- Yeshivat Ponevezh Le’zeirim — a division for 200 high school students headed by Rabbi Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz and Rabbi Aharon Shteinman.
- Batei Avot — sheltered accommodation established by Rabbi Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman for children rescued form the holocaust, orphans and children from broken homes.
- Grodno Yeshiva - Beer Yaakov — an additional yeshiva located in Beer Yaakov.
- Grodno Yeshiva - Ashdod, also known as Ponevezh Ashdod — an additional yeshiva located in Ashdod.
External links
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