Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman

Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman (1901-1987) was a prominent Talmudic scholar and Rabbi who founded and served as Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Ner Israel in Baltimore.

He was born in Dolhinov, Russia, where his father Rabbi Yehuda Leib Ruderman was the rabbi. He studied in Yeshivas Knesses Yisrael in Slobodka, under the "Alter", Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel, and the rosh yeshiva, Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Epstein, receiving Semicha from the latter in 1926.

Among Rabbi Ruderman's distinguished colleagues in Slobodka were his second cousin Rabbi Yaakov Kaminetsky, Rabbi Reuven Grozovsky, Rabbi Aharon Kotler and Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner.

Building Torah in America

In 1930, Rabbi Ruderman joined his father-in-law Rabbi Sheftel Kramer at the latter's yeshiva in New Haven, Connecticut. In 1933, he moved to Baltimore, where he was he immediately offered a rabbinical post. Rabbi Ruderman accepted the position on the condition that he be permitted to open a yeshiva using the synagogue facilities; he named the new yeshiva "Ner Yisroel", or "Ner Israel".

The yeshiva grew quickly, and Rabbi Ruderman approached the renowned Rabbi Shimon Schwab, at the time rabbi of another Baltimore congregation, and invited him to join the faculty. Rabbi Schwab gave the first-year shiur (class) in Ner Israel for several years, until he moved to Washington Heights.

Rabbi Ruderman led the yeshiva for 54 years until his passing and, together with his brother-in-law, Rabbi Naftoli (Herman) Neuberger, built it into one of the largest yeshivas in America, producing thousands of rabbis, educators and learned laymen.

Rabbi Ruderman was also involved in many aspects of Jewish communal life outside of the Yeshiva. He was a member of the Council of Torah Sages of Agudath Israel and the chairman of the Rabbinic Advisory Board of Torah Umesorah.

Death

Rabbi Ruderman's death on July 11, 1987, the 14th of Tammuz, followed less than 18 months after the passing of Rabbi Yaakov Kaminetsky and Rabbi Moshe Feinstein. Rabbi Ruderman was one of the last surviving "Roshei Yeshiva" (yeshiva heads) who came to America from Lithuania early in the 20th century.

Works

Around 1926, Rabbi Ruderman published his only written work, "Avodas Levi". Posthumously, his students have published two volumes of his teachings: ethical insights based on the weekly parsha named "Sichos Levi", and lectures on the 19th century work "Minchas Chinuch" and other Talmudic and halachic insights in "Mas'as Levi".