Aaron Schechter

American Haredi rabbi (1928–2023)

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Rabbi

Aaron Morris Schechter

Schechter in the late 1970s

Personal life
Born| (1928-07-16)July 16, 1928

Brooklyn, New York, U.S.

Died| August 24, 2023(2023-08-24) (aged 95)
Spouse| Shoshana Roisa Leichtung
Children| Mordechai Zelig Zt"l, Nosson, Esther, Nechama, Yehudis
Religious life
Religion| Judaism
Denomination| Haredi
Jewish leader
Predecessor| Yitzchak Hutner
Successor| Shlomo Halioua
Position| Rosh Yeshiva
Yeshiva| Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin

Aaron Moshe Schechter (July 16, 1928 – August 24, 2023) was an American Haredi rabbi. He served as rosh yeshiva (Dean) of Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin and the postgraduate Kollel Gur Aryeh. He also served on the presidium of Agudath Israel of America and was a member of that organization's Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah (Council of Torah Sages).[1][2]

## Early life and education

[edit]

Aaron Moshe Schechter was born in Brooklyn,[3] New York City,[3] to Yosef and Fruma Rochel.[4] He attended Yeshiva Toras Chaim Elementary School and later studied at Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin for high school, where he became a disciple of Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner. He continued his studies at the Lakewood Yeshiva.[5]

## Rabbinic career

[edit]

Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin

Schechter was appointed to leadership positions at Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin by Rabbi Yitzchok Hutner prior to his marriage.

### Agudath Israel and Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah

[edit]

Following Rabbi Hutner's death in 1980, Aaron became a member of the Nesius (presidium) of Agudath Israel of America.[6]

## Personal life and death

[edit]

Aaron Schechter married Shoshana Roisa Leichtung in 1954. She was the Principal of General Studies at Yeshiva of Brooklyn's girls' elementary school for over 20 years. She died on August 4, 2016.[7] They had five children.

Rabbi Aaron Schechter died in Brooklyn on August 24, 2023, at the age of 95, following a period of declining health.[3][8] Agudath Israel of America described him as “a true exemplar of da’as Torah” and noted his role in transmitting the teachings of his mentor, Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner.[9]

## Works

[edit]

* Avodas Aharon

## External links

[edit]

* Rabbi Schechter speaks to students on OU radio, December 28, 2006
* Participates in conference concerning conversions, February 7, 2007
* Endorses the outreach kiruv work of the oorah.org organization Archived February 26, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
* Member of rabbinical committee, Vaad L'Hatzolas Nidchei Yisroel
* Video of Rabbi Schechter speaking about reconciling Science and Torah

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Six Gedolim Added To Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah Of Agudas Yisroel". TheYeshivaWorld.com. September 14, 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
2. ^ "Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah Call on Community to Achieve Improvements; New Chavrei HaMoetzes Welcomed". Hamodia. September 14, 2020. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
3. ^ a b c (August 24, 2023) "BD'E: Harav Aharon Schechter, Zt”l, Rosh Yeshivah, Yeshivas Chaim Berlin" Archived 2023-10-03 at the Wayback Machine, Hamodia. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
4. ^ (August 16, 2023) "Tefillos for Rav Aharon Schechter", matzav.com. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
5. ^ Dershowitz, Yitzchok (2005). A Living 'Mishnas Rav Aharon': The Legacy of Maran Rav Aharon Kotler. Feldheim, Jerusalem.
6. ^ ecomLauncher.com (2023-09-19). "COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS". jewishecho (in Russian). Retrieved 2025-07-16.
7. ^ Hoffman, Rafael (August 4, 2016). "Rebbetzin Shoshana Schechter, A'h". Hamodia. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
8. ^ (August 24, 2023) "Petirah of Rav Aharon Schechter ZT"L Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin", The Lakewood Scoop. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
9. ^ "Agudas Yisroel Mourns the Loss of HaRav Aharon Schechter". Agudath Israel of America. Retrieved 2025-07-16.

* v
* t
* e

Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah

Europe
World Agudath Israel|

| Past members|

* Avraham Mordechai Alter
* Meir Arik
* Dovid Bornsztain
* Shlomo Zalman Breuer
* Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky
* Meir Simcha of Dvinsk
* Moshe Mordechai Epstein
* Avraham Yaakov Friedman
* Chaim Ozer Grodzinski
* Yisrael Meir Kagan
* Aharon Kotler
* Yitzchak Zelig Morgenstern
* Meir Dan Plotzky
* Yitzhak Yaakov Rabinovich
* Sholom Dovber Schneersohn
* Meir Shapiro
* Chaim Soloveitchik
* Zalman Sorotzkin
* Yehuda Leib Tsirelson
* Shmuel Dovid Ungar
* Elchonon Wasserman
* Menachem Ziemba

|

Israel
Agudat Yisrael
Degel HaTorah|

| Past members|

* Pinchas Menachem Alter
* Simcha Bunim Alter
* Yisrael Alter
* Shlomo Zalman Auerbach
* Yosef Shalom Eliashiv
* Aryeh Finkel
* Nosson Tzvi Finkel
* Avraham Yaakov Friedman
* Avraham Yaakov Friedman
* Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi
* Yisroel Moshe Friedman
* Levi Yitzchak Horowitz
* Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz
* Isser Zalman Meltzer
* Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg
* Yitzchok Scheiner
* Elazar Menachem Shach
* Yitzchak Isaac Sher
* Yochanan Sofer
* Zalman Sorotzkin
* Dov Yaffe
* Shabsi Yogel
* Aharon Yehuda Leib Shteinman
* Gershon Edelstein
* Baruch Weisbecker

|

Present members|

* Yaakov Aryeh Alter
* Nachum Dov Brayer
* Menachem Mendel Hager
* Yisroel Hager
* Zvi Elimelech Halberstam
* Mayer Alter Horowitz
* Yissachar Dov Rokeach
* Moshe Hillel Hirsch
* Dov Lando
* Baruch Dov Povarsky
* Yitzchok Zilberstein
* Eliezer Yehuda Finkel

United States
Agudath Israel of America|

| Past members|

* Dovid Feinstein
* Moshe Feinstein
* Mordechai Shlomo Friedman
* Mordechai Gifter
* Refael Reuvain Grozovsky
* Shlomo Heiman
* Levi Yitzchak Horowitz
* Yitzchok Hutner
* Yaakov Kamenetsky
* Chaim Mordechai Katz
* Aharon Kotler
* Shneur Kotler
* Avraham Yaakov Pam
* Yaakov Perlow
* Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman
* Gedalia Schorr
* Eliezer Silver
* Joseph B. Soloveitchik
* Baruch Sorotzkin
* Yisrael Spira
* Elya Svei
* Mendel Zaks
* Aaron Schechter

|

Present members|

* Elya Brudny
* Hillel David
* Aharon Feldman
* Yosef Chaim Frankel
* Aharon Dovid Goldberg
* Yaakov Horowitz
* Shmuel Kamenetsky
* Malkiel Kotler
* Shlomo Miller
* Yerucham Olshin
* Yosef Harari Raful
* Yitzchok Sorotzkin
* Shimon Yehuda Svei

Category

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* United States
* Israel

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