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{{Infobox Rebbe
| title =
| image =
| caption =
| full name =Aharon Kotler
| place of birth= [[Svislovitz]], [[Poland]]
| place of death= [[New York City]]
| date of birth = 1891 (5651)
| date of death ={{death date and age|1962|11|29|1891|1|1}} (2 Kislev 5753)
|}}
[[Image:R Kamenets & Kotler.jpg|320px|right|frame|Two [[20th century]] [[Lithuanian Jews|Lithuanian-American]] [[Talmud]]ic rabbis: Rabbi Kotler (on the right) with Rabbi [[Yaakov Kamenetsky]]]]
Rabbi '''Aharon (or Ahroyn, Aaron, Aron) Kotler''' ([[1891]] - [[1962]]) was a prominent leader of [[Orthodox Judaism]] in [[Lithuanian Jews|Lithuania]], and later the [[United States|United States of America]], where he built one of the first [[yeshiva]]s in the US.
==Early life==
[[Rabbi]] Kotler was born in [[Svislovitz]], [[Poland]] in [[1891]]. He studied in the [[Slabodka yeshiva]] in [[Lithuania]] under the "Alter (elder) of Slabodka", Rav [[Nosson Tzvi Finkel (Slabodka)|Nosson Tzvi Finkel]], and Rabbi [[Moshe Mordechai Epstein]]. After learning there, he joined his father-in-law, Rabbi [[Isser Zalman Meltzer]], to run the [[yeshiva]] of [[Slutsk]].
==World war II and move to the USA==
When the communists took over, the yeshivah moved from [[Slutsk]] to [[Kletsk]] in Poland. With the outbreak of [[World War II]], Rabbi Kotler and the yeshivah relocated to [[Vilnius|Vilna]], then the major refuge of most ''yeshivoth'' from the occupied areas. Rabbi Kotler went to the United States via [[Siberia]], but many of his students did not survive the war. He was brought to America in 1941 by the [[Vaad Hatzalah]] rescue organization and guided it during the [[Holocaust]].
In [[1943]], Rabbi Kotler founded [[Bais Medrash Gevoha]] in [[Lakewood, New Jersey]]. After his sudden death in [[1962]], he was succeeded by his son Rabbi [[Shneur Kotler]] as [[rosh yeshiva]] of the [[Lakewood yeshiva]]. Today, this important institution is run by his grandson, Rabbi [[Aryeh Malkiel Kotler]], and three of his grandsons-in-law, Rabbis [[Yerucham Olshin|Olshin]], [[Yisroel Neuman|Neuman]], and [[Dovid Schustal|Schustal]]. Over the years it has grown into the largest institution of its kind in America with nearly five thousand college and advanced-level students.
Rabbi Kotler also helped establish [[Chinuch Atzmai]], the independent religious school system in Israel and was the chairman of the [[Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah]] of [[World Agudath Israel|Agudath Israel]]. He also chaired the Rabbinical administration board of [[Torah Umesorah]] and was on the presidium of the [[Agudas HaRabbonim]] of the U.S. and [[Canada]].
Upon the death of his father-in-law, Rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer, he also inherited his father-in-law's position of rosh yeshiva of [[Etz Chaim Yeshiva]] of Jerusalem. In an unusual arrangement, he held this position while continuing to live in America, and visiting Jerusalem occasionally. Today, his grandson, Rabbi Zevulun Schwartzman, heads a kollel located at Etz Chaim Yeshiva.
==Influence==
Rabbi Kotler was the main proponent of a classic approach to [[Torah study]] that was new to the shores of the USA. In his view, Torah study and the culture built around it had suffered badly from the persecutions of World War II and the decline of character of the generations. This led him to encourage young men to devote themselves to full-time Torah study with financial support from the community. After marriage, [[yeshiva]] students could move on to a post-graduate [[kollel]] program.
Together with Rabbis [[Moshe Feinstein]], [[Yaakov Kamenetsky]], [[Joseph Soloveitchik]] and others, Rabbi Kotler was considered one of the primary leaders of the [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox]] community in the U.S. during the post-war years.
In the summer of [[1937]], at the third convention of the rabbinical leaders of [[Agudath Israel]] held in [[Marienbad]], Rabbi Kotler (together with Rabbi [[Elchonon Wasserman]], Rabbi Rottenberg from Antwerp, and rabbis from [[Czechoslovakia]] and [[Hungary]]) was adamant in rejecting any proposal for a "[[Jewish State]]" on either side of the Jordan River, even if it were established as a religious state. However, Rabbi Kotler had a very realistic approach once Israel was established in 1948. He fully supported the raising of funds for religious schools in Israel. Rabbi Kotler was diametrically opposed to the anti-Zionist views of Satmar. He fully supported the efforts of his father-in-law, R' Isser Zalman, who was living in Israel.
Rabbi Kotler died in [[New York City]] on [[November 29]], [[1962]].
Recently a biographical study of Rabbi Kotler's life and teachings was written by his student Rabbi Yitzchok Dershowitz
==External links==
*[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/kotler.html Jewish virtual library about Aharon Kotler (1895-1963)]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kotler, Aharon}}
[[Category:1890 births]]
[[Category:1962 deaths]]
[[Category:Rosh yeshivas]]
[[Category:Haredi rabbis in the United States]]
[[Category:Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah]]
[[he:אהרון קוטלר]]
[[yi:אהרן קאטלער]]
| title =
| image =
| caption =
| full name =Aharon Kotler
| place of birth= [[Svislovitz]], [[Poland]]
| place of death= [[New York City]]
| date of birth = 1891 (5651)
| date of death ={{death date and age|1962|11|29|1891|1|1}} (2 Kislev 5753)
|}}
[[Image:R Kamenets & Kotler.jpg|320px|right|frame|Two [[20th century]] [[Lithuanian Jews|Lithuanian-American]] [[Talmud]]ic rabbis: Rabbi Kotler (on the right) with Rabbi [[Yaakov Kamenetsky]]]]
Rabbi '''Aharon (or Ahroyn, Aaron, Aron) Kotler''' ([[1891]] - [[1962]]) was a prominent leader of [[Orthodox Judaism]] in [[Lithuanian Jews|Lithuania]], and later the [[United States|United States of America]], where he built one of the first [[yeshiva]]s in the US.
==Early life==
[[Rabbi]] Kotler was born in [[Svislovitz]], [[Poland]] in [[1891]]. He studied in the [[Slabodka yeshiva]] in [[Lithuania]] under the "Alter (elder) of Slabodka", Rav [[Nosson Tzvi Finkel (Slabodka)|Nosson Tzvi Finkel]], and Rabbi [[Moshe Mordechai Epstein]]. After learning there, he joined his father-in-law, Rabbi [[Isser Zalman Meltzer]], to run the [[yeshiva]] of [[Slutsk]].
==World war II and move to the USA==
When the communists took over, the yeshivah moved from [[Slutsk]] to [[Kletsk]] in Poland. With the outbreak of [[World War II]], Rabbi Kotler and the yeshivah relocated to [[Vilnius|Vilna]], then the major refuge of most ''yeshivoth'' from the occupied areas. Rabbi Kotler went to the United States via [[Siberia]], but many of his students did not survive the war. He was brought to America in 1941 by the [[Vaad Hatzalah]] rescue organization and guided it during the [[Holocaust]].
In [[1943]], Rabbi Kotler founded [[Bais Medrash Gevoha]] in [[Lakewood, New Jersey]]. After his sudden death in [[1962]], he was succeeded by his son Rabbi [[Shneur Kotler]] as [[rosh yeshiva]] of the [[Lakewood yeshiva]]. Today, this important institution is run by his grandson, Rabbi [[Aryeh Malkiel Kotler]], and three of his grandsons-in-law, Rabbis [[Yerucham Olshin|Olshin]], [[Yisroel Neuman|Neuman]], and [[Dovid Schustal|Schustal]]. Over the years it has grown into the largest institution of its kind in America with nearly five thousand college and advanced-level students.
Rabbi Kotler also helped establish [[Chinuch Atzmai]], the independent religious school system in Israel and was the chairman of the [[Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah]] of [[World Agudath Israel|Agudath Israel]]. He also chaired the Rabbinical administration board of [[Torah Umesorah]] and was on the presidium of the [[Agudas HaRabbonim]] of the U.S. and [[Canada]].
Upon the death of his father-in-law, Rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer, he also inherited his father-in-law's position of rosh yeshiva of [[Etz Chaim Yeshiva]] of Jerusalem. In an unusual arrangement, he held this position while continuing to live in America, and visiting Jerusalem occasionally. Today, his grandson, Rabbi Zevulun Schwartzman, heads a kollel located at Etz Chaim Yeshiva.
==Influence==
Rabbi Kotler was the main proponent of a classic approach to [[Torah study]] that was new to the shores of the USA. In his view, Torah study and the culture built around it had suffered badly from the persecutions of World War II and the decline of character of the generations. This led him to encourage young men to devote themselves to full-time Torah study with financial support from the community. After marriage, [[yeshiva]] students could move on to a post-graduate [[kollel]] program.
Together with Rabbis [[Moshe Feinstein]], [[Yaakov Kamenetsky]], [[Joseph Soloveitchik]] and others, Rabbi Kotler was considered one of the primary leaders of the [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox]] community in the U.S. during the post-war years.
In the summer of [[1937]], at the third convention of the rabbinical leaders of [[Agudath Israel]] held in [[Marienbad]], Rabbi Kotler (together with Rabbi [[Elchonon Wasserman]], Rabbi Rottenberg from Antwerp, and rabbis from [[Czechoslovakia]] and [[Hungary]]) was adamant in rejecting any proposal for a "[[Jewish State]]" on either side of the Jordan River, even if it were established as a religious state. However, Rabbi Kotler had a very realistic approach once Israel was established in 1948. He fully supported the raising of funds for religious schools in Israel. Rabbi Kotler was diametrically opposed to the anti-Zionist views of Satmar. He fully supported the efforts of his father-in-law, R' Isser Zalman, who was living in Israel.
Rabbi Kotler died in [[New York City]] on [[November 29]], [[1962]].
Recently a biographical study of Rabbi Kotler's life and teachings was written by his student Rabbi Yitzchok Dershowitz
==External links==
*[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/kotler.html Jewish virtual library about Aharon Kotler (1895-1963)]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kotler, Aharon}}
[[Category:1890 births]]
[[Category:1962 deaths]]
[[Category:Rosh yeshivas]]
[[Category:Haredi rabbis in the United States]]
[[Category:Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah]]
[[he:אהרון קוטלר]]
[[yi:אהרן קאטלער]]