Rabbi Joseph Tendler of Ner Israel Rabbinical College - Baltimaore, Maryland.  Letter from ...

Rabbi Joseph Tendler of Ner Israel Rabbinical College - Baltimaore, Maryland.  Letter from 1969

Harav Yosef Tendler zt’l, Rosh Mechinas Ner Yisrael of Baltimore, MD. Rav Tendler was one of the first ten American-born talmidim of Rav Aharon Kotler zt’l, at a time when “Lakewood” had only 24 students. Rav Aharon Kotler zt’l asked Rav Yosef to be one of the four students who assisted him in preparing his shiur, and appointed him to review the shiur for the sake of the other American-born talmidim. When just 32 years old, Harav Tendler was appointed “temporary” menahel of Ner Israel’s Mechinah and remained in that post for 47 years. He was a brilliant teacher and charismatic role model, utterly devoted to his talmidim, molding thousands of American boys into bnei Torah. He brought the spirit of Rav Aharon Kotler zt’l to Baltimore, and inspired his thousands of talmidim to reach for higher levels in Torah and service of Hashem. Together with the Rosh Yeshivah, Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman, and Rabbi Naftali Neuberger, Rav Tendler was instrumental in saving Iranian Jewry for Torah life during the dangerous years after the Shah’s downfall. Rav Tendler’s greatest love was learning Torah, and he was often found, for hours on end, sitting at his desk engrossed in Torah study. During his summer vacations, he relaxed by sitting for many hours outdoors with a Gemara, excitedly focused on his learning.