Avrohom Gurwicz

Rabbi Avrohom Gurwicz
Rav Avrohom giving a speech
Title	Gateshead Rosh Yeshiva
Personal life
Born	1939 (age 85–86) London, United Kingdom
Parent(s)	Leib and Liba Gurwicz
Alma mater	Gateshead Talmudical College
Religious life
Religion	Judaism
Denomination	Orthodox Judaism
Jewish leader
Predecessor	Rabbi Leib Gurwicz
Position	Rosh yeshiva
Yeshiva	Gateshead Talmudical College
Began	October 1982

Avrohom Gurwicz is a British Orthodox rabbi and Talmudic scholar. Since 1982 he has been the rosh yeshivah of Gateshead Talmudical College, a yeshiva in Gateshead, England, where he has been giving the largest shiur in Europe with approximately 400 students attending, for approximately half a century. Additionally, he is the president of Gateshead Community Kollel, ^[1] established 2021.

Biography

Gurwicz was born in London, United Kingdom, in 1939. He is the second son of Rabbi Leib Gurwicz, the previous Gateshead rosh yeshivah. ^[2] He is the grandson of Rabbi Elyah Lopian and son-in-law of Reb Elyah's son, Rabbi Leib Lopian. ^[3] Through his father's mother, he is a descendant of the Vilna Gaon.

In the mid-1950s, he spent several years as a student at Yeshivas Brisk in Jerusalem, where he developed a close relationship with the Brisker Rav. In 1963, he became a maggid shiur at Gateshead Yeshiva. His marriage to his first cousin, the daughter of Rabbi Leib and Tzipa Lopian, ^[4] was finalised after a Goral HaGra performed by their mutual grandfather, Rabbi Elya Lopian. In his early years, he also studied in Gateshead Kolel. ^[5]

Gurwicz is a brother-in-law (through his sister Sarah) and cousin to Rabbi Tzvi Kushelevsky, head of the Heichal Hatorah beTzion yeshiva in Jerusalem. ^[3] Among his sons-in-law is Rabbi Nissan Kaplan, the rosh yeshiva of Daas Ahron and former maggid shiur in the Mir yeshiva in Jerusalem. ^{[6] [7]}

Following the death of both his father, Rabbi Leib Gurwicz, and his father-in-law, Rabbi Leib Lopian, he ascended to the position of Rosh Yeshivah of Gateshead Yeshiva. He delivers a daily Gemara shiur in Yiddish, beginning each one with a mussar lesson from Chovos Halevavos. ^[5]

In February 2025, Gurwicz announced that the Haredi community should leave the United Kingdom should the Schools Bill be passed. ^{[8] [9]} In March 2025, he supported voting in the World Zionist Congress elections for the Eretz Hakodesh party. ^{[10] [11]}

Works

• Anfei Erez, 4 volumes on various sugyas (topics) in Shas.
• Ve'anafeha Arzei El on the Torah and Jewish holidays; he has also published for his students his lectures in note form on various tractates (Leket Ha'aros).
• Leket Hearos, notes from the shiurim he has given.

References

1. "Our Precious Responsibility". www.charityextra.com. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
2. "Tefillos Requested for Rav Avrohom Gurwicz, shlita". Baltimore Jewish Life . Retrieved 19 March 2025.
3. Farnell, Ashley (15 November 2006). "Newcastle Upon Tyne". Orthodox Union. Retrieved 9 January 2011.
4. Yated Ne'eman staff (5 September 2005). "Rebbetzin Tziporah Lopian, Gateshead". Dei'ah VeDibur. Archived from the original on 28 October 2006. Retrieved 9 January 2011.
5. Damen, David (27 May 2025). "Guardian of the Gate". Mishpacha Magazine . Retrieved 29 May 2025.
6. Bernstein, Dovid (29 March 2009). "Harav Nissin Kaplan in Los Angeles". matzav.com. Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2011.
7. "Sparks from the Mir". Daf Yomi Review. 2010. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
8. Ben-David, Daniel (19 February 2025). "Head of Gateshead Yeshiva tells Strictly Orthodox community to leave the UK if the Schools Bill passes". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 17 March 2025.
9. Rosenberg, Michelle (20 February 2025). "'Leave the UK if yeshiva changes become law', says leading rabbi". Jewish News. Retrieved 17 March 2025.
10. Isaacson, Gila (17 March 2025). "Rabbi Avrohom Gurwicz: Voting in WZC is an obligation (chiyuv)". JFeed. Retrieved 17 March 2025.
11. "HaRav Avrohom Gurwicz, Rosh Yeshivas Gateshead: "It's a Chiyuv to Have a Say in the WZO"". www.theyeshivaworld.com. 16 March 2025. Retrieved 17 March 2025.