Elyakim Schlesinger
British Orthodox rabbi (1921–2026)
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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]
Rabbi Elyakim Schlesinger | |
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| Head of the Rabbinical Board of the Committee for the Preservation of Jewish Cemeteries in Europe | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 23 November 1921 Vienna, Austria |
| Died | 4 February 2026 (aged 104) London, England |
| Relations | Jacob Rosenheim (grandfather) |
| Occupation | Rabbi, Rosh Yeshiva |
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]
