Bidspirit auction | Rabbi Eliyahu-Dov Berkovsky: Born in

Rabbi Eliyahu-Dov Berkovsky: Born in 1865, he was one of the most brilliant pupils of Mir. Afterwards, he moved on to the Volozhin Yeshiva where he studied under the Netzi“v. From Volozhin he went to Slobodka, where the famous upper-level yeshiva had begun taking shape out of a group of young people who were part of a Torah group. R' Eliyahu-Dov was among the first ten students that learnt in the above group in the synagogue, “Halivyat HaMet”. This was the nucleus of the Musar movement's yeshiva, “Knesset Yisrael” in Slobodka, at the head of which stood the Musar rabbi, Rabbi Noson Tzvi Finkel. Rabbi Berkovsky became active in the Musar movement and filled an important role in this movement. Those were the days when “kolels” and yeshivot were beginning to be established in different cities in the manner prescribed by Rabbi Yosef Yozel. With the approval of R' Yosef Blazer, the town of Lubtch served as the founding place for the first kolel for young married students. At the same time, a kolel was founded in Novogrudek. Some time later, the kolel in Lubtch was dispersed and the one in Novogrudek became the central yeshiva for all the Musar movement yeshivot of the type of R' Yozel Horvitch. He stood for 10 years at the head of the board of directors of the yeshiva in Novogrudek and bore the difficult yoke and heavy responsibility of both the spiritual and financial administration. He made aliyah to Eretz-Israel in the year 1924 and made his home in Tel Aviv, the final station of his life. Rabbi Shlomo HaCohen Aronson, Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv, held Rabbi Berkovsky in high esteem and appointed him head of the rabbinic college and spiritual monitor in the yeshiva for young people, “Yeshivat Tel Aviv”, which was founded on his initiative. Thanks to his hard work and great experience, the yeshiva developed and its prestige spread about in the new Jewish community of Mandatory Palestine. In the year 5695 (1935) he retired from work due to age, but remained connected to the work of the yeshiva, tested students and even set their manners and way of life. Rabbi Eliyahu-Dov Berkovsky passed away in Tel Aviv on 25 Adar I, 1943 at the age of 78