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Lithuanian Haredi Judaism is one of the major factions of ultra-Orthodox Judaism, distinct from other Haredi groups (most notably the Hasidim) in philosophy and culture. Largely to defined by their loyalty to their yeshivas, they are often seen as the perpetuation of Eastern Europe's Yeshiva Movement, and are thus synonymously known as the "Lithuanian yeshiva" community, often dubbed "Yeshivish". Originating primarily from the Eastern Europe's Lithuania, Belarus, and Poland, the Lithuanian Haredim, known in Yiddish Litvishe Jews or Litvaks, or in Hebrew as Lita'im, currently live in communities throughout the world, with hubbubs in Israel and Northeastern United States.

Lithuanian Haredi life is largely defined by their emphasis on Torah study, which they understand to be the epitome of a Jew's existence. Hence, the yeshiva (a school centered around Torah study) is a major part of their lifestyle. All boys attend yeshiva throughout their childhood and adolescent years, after which they marry and generally continue studying in a yeshiva-like program for married men, called kollel, for several years; while remaining in kollel is seen as the ideal option, most men leave after several years to work in order to support their families; although they often remain connected to their yeshivas/kollelim even after joining the workforce. Meanwhile, girls attend bais yaakov schools through eleventh/twelfth grade, often followed by one or two years in a post-high school seminary, after which they marry and support their husbands and family, either through working or as a housewife.

Litvishe-Yeshivish Jews are similar to the Yersushalmi Jews (the Jerusalemite Jews who descent from the Old Yishuv, for example the Perushim and the Neturei Karta), as they both originate in Lithuania, however the Litvishe-Yeshivish Jews did not hold on to all old Lithuanian customs – most notably the dress – as the Yerushalmi Jews did; and adapted new practices in the times of the yeshiva and musar movements.

Terms
It must be established that group to presented in this article, the Lithuanian-Yeshiva sect of Haredi Judaism, is not a specific sect as much as it is simply a blanket-term to describe all those Haredim who don't fall into any other categories, named they are not Hasidic, Sephardic, or Yerushalmi. Therefore, while some may shy away from being called "Yeshivish" and others won't want to be called "Lithuanian" or "Litvishe," they are still part of this general community of non-Hasidic and non-Jerusalemite Ashkenazi Jews. Other terms used to describe people in this group are "Balebatish" (or about individuals, a singular balebos or plural baalebatim), describing those Jews who in general more worldly and less yeshiva-influenced than the typical Yeshivish Jew; and "Heimish," a term used to describe those who descend from Hasidim and although don't live a complete Hasidic lifestyle, hold on to some Hasidic customs. A Heimish Jew might not fall under the category of "Litvishe" as he hails from a Hasidic environ, yet might be called "Yeshivish," as that is his general way of life. There are others in this community who may shy away from the title "Haredi" or "ultra-Orthodox" altogether, and stick to being labeled as "Orthodox" alone. They too would fall into this sect of the overall Lithuanian Haredi community

It is worth quoting Rabbi Chaim Mintz, a well-known Haredi rabbi, mashgiach ruchani at Yeshiva of Staten Island and founder of the Oorah outreach organization, who writes that the primary difference between Haredi Jews and those who identify simply as "Orthodox" is externalities of dress and stringencies. However, he goes on to stress that both ultra-Orthodox and "plain" Orthodox Jews adhere to the Torah and are equally Orthodox, following "the laws handed down to us from Mount Sinai, and explained by the Sages of the Talmud."

Philosophy
Litvishe philosophy follows that of general Orthodox Judaism, and more specifically, Haredi Judaism. These beliefs of a person's purpose in this world and how to fulfill it are rooted in the Mishnah and Talmud and enumerated in Musar literature, most distinctly in Mesillat Yesharim, written by Ramchal (Amsterdam, 1740). Ramchal writes that God created the the world and humans (which were created with both with a body and a soul) in order to give humans the opportunity to delight in His divine presence. In order to do this, God created two worlds, the physical world that people live (known as "This World"; i.e. the Universe), and the World to Come where only the souls will live. Humans are required to toil with their bodies, doing the 613 mitzvot, in This World, in order for their souls to be enter the World to Come and gain the pleasures of the Shekhina.

While all agree that a major part of this service that a person must do to acquire the World to Come is Torah learning, the Litvishe sect, citing passages from the Mishnah, Talmud, and many later works, puts an even greater emphasis on this ideal, so much so that a man is encouraged to devote his entire life involved in Torah study while being supported (either financially or as a housewife) by his wife. And although it is accepted that a man supports his family by working, he still must set aside time every day for Torah study.

This outlook of Torah's centrality in the Litvishe community manifests itself in several places. For example, communities are often centered around a yeshiva (see ); their political in parties in Israel are named Degel HaTorah (Flag of Torah) and Bnei Torah (Sons of Torah); and the frequency of kollel families (see ).

Yeshiva
The yeshiva is a major part of life for Litvishe, leading to the term "Yeshivish" being used to describe its adherents. More than just a school, yeshivas, and more specifically, the Yeshiva Movement founded by Rabbi Chaim Volozhiner, promote an entire lifestyle and culture, which is found in many aspects of life, from dress and speech to thought processes and stringencies. The influence of the yeshiva varies between communities, yet the status quo is that it is an important factor in proper Jewish living.

Studies
In-depth Torah study, known as iyun, is seen as the most important way to learn, as opposed to quickly reading through the material. Although there is benefit to learning quickly, in that one picks up more ideas, it is not viewed as the main part of learning.

The following is a quote from Rabbi Yosef Shalom Eliashiv (leader of the community from 2001-2012):

"The epitome of Torah is learning in-depth. One cannot rule in halachah without delving into the utmost depths of the sugya (topic). One who learns a sugya without delving deeply into cannot derive any conclusions from it and cannot rule in halachah according to what he infers, as he does not understand what is before him."

Meanwhile, Rabbi Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik urged students to cover ground, and not to learn slowly. Likewise, he was opposed to students spending a long time learning the works of Acharonim (recent Rabbinic commentators), saying the bulk of study should be the actual reading of the Talmud with the commentaries of Rashi and Tosafot. Quote:

"The fact that [students] only learn 7 blatt (folios of Talmud) a semester is coming from the yetzer hara (evil inclination). When I was in yeshiva, we learned sixty blatt a semester... [And] spending days on understanding Acharonim is incorrect. The maximum should be two hours... The rule is, one must learn Rishonim (the earlier Rabbinic writers), but only 'take a look' at Acharonim."

Another facet of Lithuanian Yeshiva study which has since been imitated by Hasidic yeshivas as well is a focus on lomdus, an analytical approach to learning where students delves into the topic they're studying to clarify which characteristics that specific case has; they are then able to differentiate this individual case from others based on their differing characteristics. This style of study was popularized by Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik during his tenure as rosh yeshiva in the Volozhin Yeshiva, and perpetuated by his students and so on, hence it is also known as the "Brisker method." Major sefarim (Torah books) that use this analytical approach are the works of Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik; his son Rabbi Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik; and his students Rabbi Boruch Ber Leibowitz. Later works using this approach were published based on the teachings of Rabbis Aryeh Leib Malin, Nochum Partzovitz, Shraga Moshe Kalmanowitz, and Chaim Shlomo Leibowitz [HE]. This method was also used by Rabbi Naftoli Trop, evident in his magnum opus Chiddushei HaGranat.

Kollel
The idea of kollel, an institution for married men to learn Torah instead of a profession (similar to an unmarried yeshiva student) while getting payed, is found throughout Orthodox Judaism, among Hasidim and even in certain Modern Orthodox circles. However its regularity in the Litvishe-Yeshiva community makes it different from other sects of Orthodoxy. Popularized in the United States by Rabbi Aharon Kotler and in Israel by Rabbi Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz, their are currently thousands of "kollel families" throughout the world, where the husband is part of a kollel.

Since all kollel support is brought in from donations, the kollels often pay meager salaries that are not enough support a family, and the wife therefore must work and make her own salary; they often must spend time at home with taking care of their kids alone as their husbands are studying. These women, known as "kollel wives," are recognized in Yeshiva circles as "extraordinary" and as "nashim tzidkaniyos" (righteous women) as they let their husbands study all day, something which Jewish law does not require of them. On their own volition, with a respect for Torah study, kollel wives agree to support their families in order for their husbands to learn Torah.

Technology
The Yeshiva community, and the Haredi world as a whole, has been very wary of many modern technological advances for a number of reasons. For one, electronic devices, and specifically cellphones, and more specifically smartphones, distract people from what they are supposed to be doing. In the Haredi world, where a person is supposed to devote his whole life to religious service, these distractions are seen as intolerable. There is a second issue in that a person can access inappropriate material, which according to Torah law, includes literature of any foreign beliefs; literature of any ideas other counter to the Torah (including atheism and some forms of liberalism); lashon hara (slander about another Jew); or for a man, pictures of immodest women or recordings of a woman singing. This access is found on the internet, or through multimedia texting, email, and whatsapp, hence they all pose issues for religious Jews. There is also the issue of videos which play inappropriate material.

In the Haredi world, cellphone models predating the smartphone, including flip phones and slide phones, are popular, as these phones are less likely to have internet access and are harder to use, making them less addictive. Those who carry cellphones are encouraged, upon entering a synagogue or study hall, to leave their phones outside, or to shut them off.

Much was done in recent years to counter the influence of these modern technologies. There are many companies and non-profit organizations dealing with these issues, for example: there are several companies offering internet filters, although many say even filtered internet isn't good as their are still ways to access the blocked sites; there are companies that are producing phones with Haredi sensitivities in mind, either with limited internet access, or with "talk and text" or "talk only" options onl;. there are many other "kosher" devices on the market, including the all Jewish internet radio NakiRadio and radio and video free mp3 players. There is also a large industry producing all-Jewish films to substitute for secular movies which don't meet Haredi standards. However, there are those who don't watch Haredi movies either, seeing it as a distraction.

Zionism
The position of the Lithuanian Haredim in regards to Zionism has always been hostile, although in recent years, it's manifestation differed between different factions. There are two basic issues that the Haredim have with Zionism. One, that its leaders were sworn heretics, anti-Torah and Judaism, who's goal was transform Judaism from a religion to a country. And second, there is a basic belief that God forbid the Jews from taking the land of Israel from other nations until the coming of the Messiah, hence the entire idea of Jewish state is viewed as against the Torah, even had it been established by religious Jews (see Three Oaths). There is also an additional problem that the Haredim had with Zionism, in that it antagonized the Palestinian and greater Muslim world against Jews. Because of these issues, Haredi Judaism took an antagonistic stance against Zionism, although some groups are considered more extreme than others.

The Lithuanian-Yeshiva community was originally united with several Hasidic groups to form the Agudat Yisrael political. They had decided at the founding of the State of Israel that it was in their best interests to participate in the new government in the same fashion as they had done with the Orthodox Jewish Agudath Israel party in the secular countries in Europe. Their position was set forth by their rabbis, and most clearly by then-chairman of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah (Agudath Israel's Rabbinic council) of America, Rabbi Reuven Grozovsky.

Rabbi Grozovsky proclaimed that as long as Zionism was a mere movement, without any power, one must not bend to them or their ideals, as they were anti-Torah and Judaism. However, once it morphed into the State of Israel, not participating in their government would in essence be relinquishing all of the community's influence to the anti-religious Zionists, which would be (quote), "assisting [the secularists] to rule over us with even greater strength." Hence, Rabbi Grozovsky urged the Haredim to participate in the elections. Despite this, the Agudists, and within them the Lithuanian-yeshiva community, maintained their staunch anti-Zionist position, so far that Rabbi Grozovsky wrote that both the Litvishe and the Neturei Karta (the most extreme faction of anti-Zionist Haredim, who support a Palestinian State) share basic beliefs. About the Neturei Karta, Rabbi Grozovsky wrote, "...for at the heart of the matter is, we are all on one side of the awesome battle [against the Zionists], and we [both] hate one side....And in truth, the only arguments [between us and the Neturei Karta] are the tactics used and the understanding of the situation."

In 1988, the Lithuanian-Yeshiva sect of Agudat Yisrael broke off and founded their own party, Degel HaTorah. However, in national Knesset elections, they would rejoin under the banner of the United Torah Judaism party, known colloquially by their electoral symbol, the Hebrew letter Gimmel (ג‎).

In 2012, after the death of the community's leader Rabbi Yosef Shalom Eliashiv, there was a disagreement within the community on how to continue their relations with the government. While the Degel HaTorah party would continue, under the leadership of Rabbi Aharon Yehuda Leib Shteinman, to participate in Knesset elections (alongside Agudat Yisrael), a faction of the party broke off to establish a new party, Bnei Torah. Known as the Jerusalem Faction, or colloquially by their electoral symbol Etz (עץ), this group was led by Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach and took more extreme measures than the general Lithuanian community had until then. In addition to skipping Knesset elections, the Jerusalem Faction also ignores the government's draft law for all men; although neither group send their sons to the army, and instead furthere their yeshiva education, the Gimmelniks are sure to receive draft exemptions while the Etzniks ignore the entire process.

Sociolects
Since World War II, it has become the norm among most of Lithuanian Yeshiva community to speak the language of the country they're living in, be it Hebrew in Israel or English in America, as opposed to speaking a language unique to their community, as was done in Eastern Europe before World War II, when the Jews spoke Yiddish (Hasidic and Yerushalmi Jews retain this custom of talking Yiddish). Although in the earlier years following World War II, the Litvishe did retain their Yiddish speaking to an extant, it has gotten less common in later years. In yeshivas, it was the norm for shiurim (classes) to be given in Yiddish, and although many yeshivas do retain this tradition, there are many others that have since changed to giving there classes in the national language.

However, a new dialect/sociolect has developed in the community spoken especially by yeshiva students and alumni. Called Yeshivish, it is primarily English yet numerous Yiddish, Hebrew, and Aramaic words are used, either to substitute for English words or when there is lack of the appropriate term in English. In addition, speaking in Yeshivish can also change the grammar and make-up of some sentences. Many terms used are borrowed from the Talmud. Another version of Yeshivish is spoken in Israel; similar to English Yeshivish, the dialect of Israel's yeshiva community is primarily in Modern Hebrew although speakers ted to pronounce certain words in an Ashkenazic pronunciation.

Masculine
Men's dress in the Lithuanian Haredi community generally consists of a white shirt, a dark suit, a velvet yarmulke, and a wide brimmed fedora (also called a kneitch hat [HE]); tzitzit garments are usually underneath one's shirts with the strings hanging over the waist of the his pants. Rabbis, rosh yeshivas, and other leaders often wear frock coats instead of a suit jacket; and in place of a fedora, wear "up-hats" (also called a kapelush hat [HE]) a similar yet stiffer hat, which's brim does not go down; or a homburg hat. In fact, the Chazon Ish ruled that general populace as well should wear long jackets or frock coats, and there are those in Israel is follow this ruling. Similarly, Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky ruled that all men should wear up-hats, and his followers adhere to this dress code. The general population wears ties only on Shabbat, holidays, and celebrations, while most Rabbis wear a tie every day.

As for haircuts, there are different styles popular throughout the various yeshivas. It is customary for men and boys to cut their hair very short and simple while leaving their payot (hair growing at the temples) as longer tufts, tucking them behind their ears. However, there are many who grow the hair at the front of their heads a little longer, thus being able to comb it; this is especially common in the yeshivas emulating Lithuania's Slabodka Yeshiva (such as the Chevron Yeshiva and Yeshiva Chafetz Chaim) which preached about the gadlus ha'adam [HE], literally the "greatness of man," the idea that a person is inherently great and should thus treat himself as such. The custom in the Brisker dynasty, followed by many of the Soloveitchiks and their students, is grow very large payot. Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky urged his family and followers to keep their payot in front of their ears.

Feminine
Women and girls wear long skirts and long sleeve shirts or dresses, similar to Hasidic women. One major difference between Litvishe and Hasidic women is found after marriage: Jewish law requires married women to cover their hair. It is acceptable among most Litvishe circles for women to wear wig, while many Hasidic communities require their women to wear kerchiefs or at least a hat on top of their wig.

Politics
In the United States, the Litvishe-Yeshiva community is unique in the overall Jewish community in that Jews in the US are known to be Democrats, while the Litvishe tend to align themselves with the GOP. This is due to the Republican Party's conservatism, defending school choice and their deep support for Israel.

In Israel, he Litvishe Haredim in Israel have tended to take a right-wing stance as well, and join right-wing coalition blocs, led by the Likud, in all Knesset elections. Despite this, there are many differences of opinion between the Haredim and the Likud. The Haredim have always been against settling in the Israeli-occupied territories, namely the West Bank, as it antagonizes the Arabs; and are against the Israeli draft law.

Communities
There are numerous groups within the Lithuanian Haredi community, each with their unique characteristics in addition to the general Yeshiva ideology and culture. These communities are often centered around a yeshiva and composed of that yeshiva's students who adhere its ideology and teachings. This is a list of notable communities.

Chug Chazon Ish
Chug Chazon Ish חוג חזון איש is a community in Bnei Brak, Israel that adheres to the teachings of Rabbi Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz, the Chazon Ish; its members are known colloquially as Chazonish'niks. Its members were originally absorbed into the larger Lithuanian community, and centered around Kollel Chazon Ish and the Lederman Synagogue [HE] in Bnei Brak; among these early adherents were Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky (the Steipler) and his son Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky; Rabbi Nissim Karelitz; Rabbi Gedalia Nadel; and Rabbi Yaakov Edelstein. However, in the 1970/80s, the Chug Chazon Ish community was formed, independent of the greater Lithuanian community. This partial breakaway was led by Rabbi Chaim Shaul Greineman who established a new synagogue in Bnei Brak. Since Rabbi Greineman's death, Rabbi Dov Landau, the rosh yeshiva of the Slabodka Yeshiva, has been recognized as their new leader. Therefore, many Chazonish'niks send there sons to the Slabodka Yeshiva.

Jerusalem Faction
While the the Lithuanian Haredi community was had been united since the inception of the State of Israel, in 2012, following the death of chief Rabbinic authority Rabbi Yosef Shalom Eliashiv, the Jerusalem faction of the community, led by Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach, broke off when a dispute surfaced over how to relate with the Zionist government. Rabbi Auerbach took a much harsher approach than the general Lithuanian community, telling his followers not to vote in Knesset elections or to obtain draft exemptions. They participate in municipal elections with their own party, Bnei Torah; and print an independent newspaper, Hapeles. This division, felt throughout Israel, is especially displayed in the Ponevezh Yeshiva, where the yeshiva is currently divided into two separate institutions, one following the Jerusalem Faction and one the general Lithuanian ideology. Following the death of Rabbi Auerbach, the faction has been led by his son, Rabbi Ezriel Auerbach; Rabbi Baruch Shmuel Deutch [HE]; Rabbi Yisrael Yitzchak Kalmanowitz; and Rabbi Tzvi Friedman [HE].

Brooklyn
For decades the center of Torah study and yeshivas in the United States, the yeshiva community in Brooklyn, nowadays centered in the Midwood, Kensington, and Bensonhurst neighborhoods, blossomed in the years following World War II. Already home to yeshivas, notably Yeshiva Torah Vodaath, Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin, and Yeshiva Torah Temimah, these yeshivas grew exponentially after the war. At the same time, the students of the Mir Yeshiva in Europe who had escaped the Holocaust, came to Brooklyn, where they formed the new Mir Yeshiva and Yeshiva Beth Hatalmud. The yeshivas were led by renowned rosh yeshivas including Rabbis Yaakov Kamenetsky; Avraham Yaakov Pam; Avraham Kalmanowitz; Shmuel Berenbaum; Yitzchak Hutner; Aharon Schechter; Leib Malin; and Lipa Margolies.

In recent years, the community has seen a drastic decline, as young families are attracted to the newer Lakewood community in New Jersey. Meanwhile, the community centered around Yeshiva Chaim Berlin, which adheres to a unique ideology centered around the teachings of the Maharal, remains strong, with many of their graduates joining their kollel with the offer of subsidized housing. The Flatbush Kollel Network, which includes three kollels, was recently established as well; while Yeshiva Torah Vodaath recently introduced a new beth medrash program run by Rabbi Yitzchak Lichtenstein; and a yeshiva for advanced students, Yeshivas Beis Hillel, was established in Kensington.

Lakewood
Likely the largest Litvishe-Yeshivish community in the United States, the Lakewood community was founded with the establishment of the Beth Medrash Govoha (BMG) yeshiva. Describing the yeshiva, Ali Botein-Furrevig (author of The Heart of the Stranger: A Portrait of Lakewood's Orthodox Community) called it "the centerpiece and crowning glory of Jewish life in Lakewood." Even further, NJ.com writes that to Orthodox Jews, BMG is akin to the elite Princeton and Yale universities in the secular world; while the Asbury Park Press calls it the "Harvard University for Jewish religious study." And it is precisely this institution that turned the small township of Lakewood in one of New Jersey's fastest growing towns and the center of the United States' Orthodox Jewish Yeshiva community.

Originally a kollel in White Plains, New York, Rabbi Aharon Kotler took the helm in 1943, moving it to Lakewood, New Jersey, where it functioned both as a kollel as well as a beis medrash (undergraduate school). It soon became recognized as an elite yeshiva, yet still didn't exceed 180 students by the time of Rabbi Kotler's death in 1962. However, under the leadership of his son, Rabbi Shneur Kotler, the yeshiva grew exponentially, number approximately a thousand students by the time of his death twenty years later in 1982. Rabbi Shneur Kotler, was succeeded by his son Rabbi Malkiel, as well as three other relatives of his (Rabbis Yerucham Olshin, Yisrael Neuman, and Dovid Schustal). Under their leadership, the yeshiva grew to number 2,900 undergraduate students and 3,800 graduate students, totaling 6,700 students, its student body exceeding all American yeshivas by far.

Chafetz Chaim
An international community centered in Queens, NY, Yeshiva Chafetz Chaim (officially Yeshiva Rabbeinu Yisrael Meir HaKohen or Rabbinical Seminary of America (RSA)) was founded by Rabbi Dovid Leibowitz in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in 1933. Rabbi Leibowitz died in 1941 and was succeeded by his son, Rabbi Henoch Leibowitz. Under Rabbi Henoch Leibowitz's leadership, the yeshiva relocated to Queens in 1955, first to the Forest Hills neighborhood, and in 2003 to its current location in Kew Gardens Hills, Queens. Over time, the yeshiva expanded, opening up branches throughout the United States, Canada, and Israel, with close to forty associated yeshivas, day schools, and kollels.

Chafetz Chaim largely distances themselves from the greater yeshiva community, as they have a unique approach to musar, Torah study, and lifestyle in general, based on the the approach of the Slabodka Yeshiva in Lithuania, which had been outlined by Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel (the Alter of Slabodka). While both intensive analytic Talmud study ("lomdus") and character improvement are focuses in the the yeshiva world at large, Chafetz Chaim places a much greater emphasis on character improvement. There is also a focus on gadlus ha'adam [HE], literally the "greatness of man," the idea that a person is inherently great and should thus treat himself as such. In general, Chafetz Chaim has adopted external American culture more than other communities; for example, it is acceptable for students to wear colorful clothing, as opposed to a while shirt and black pants.

Zilberman's
One unique community is the Zilberman community of Jerusalem's Old City. They stand out within the greater Lithuanian community by their unparalleled adherence to the teachings of the Vilna Gaon (18th century gadol hador Rabbi Eliyahu of Vilna) and by their new method of Torah study, known as the Zilberman Method. The community was established by Rabbi Yitzchak Shlomo Zilberman, who had researched many styles of Jewish thought, from the classic Lithuanian Haredi style to Hasidism, before deciding that the following the Vilna Gaon, as well as Maharal and Ramchal, was the proper way. This strict adherence to Gaon manifests itself in many areas: for one, they  encourage families to settle in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem to further the settlement of the land of Israel, a mitzvah (commandment) in the Torah which the Vilna Gaon preached about; in addition, the men of the Zilberman community wear tefillin the entire day as prescribed by the Vilna Gaon, the only community to practice this (the whole of religious Jews wear tefillin only by morning prayers). In addition, the Zilberman's are known for their unique method of learning, which they attribute to the Vilna Gaon. This method entails the students to learn and ingrain the entirety of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) and Mishnah before beginning to study Talmud, different from most other communities who introduce Talmud to children at age ten with a lesser emphasis on Mishnah and Tanakh. This method is followed by the community's Yeshivas Aderes Eliyahu and other schools throughout Israel.

Ashkenazi Jewry
Although the original Ashkenazi Jewish community, located primarily in France, Provence, and Germany, was very small, numbering a mere 100,000 Jews in 1170, it would produce many prominent rabbis, many of of them prolific writers who would author major commentaries on the Hebrew Bible and the Talmud, as well as important Halakhic works. Among these rabbis were Rabbeinu Gershom Meor HaGolah; Rabbi Yaakov ben Yakar; Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (Rashi); Rabbi Yehuda HeHasid, the originator of Hasidei Ashkenaz; and Rabbi Asher ben Yechiel (Rosh). A major group of Torah scholars, the Baalei Tosefot, lived in this region as well. They were the authors of the monumental Tosefot commentary on the Talmud. Despite the small size of the community in early years, the region's Jewish population would grow exponentially over the coming years (albeit under much persecution at different periods and locales), numbering ten million Jews living in Europe in 1900.

The Jewish scene in Europe would see a major shift of concentration around the time of the Renaissance (15th and 16th centuries), with a mass migration of Jews from Western Europe eastward, contributing to the exponential growth of the Jewish communities of Poland and Lithuania. These Jews were escaping the unending persecution and pogroms of Western Europe, that had started with the butchering of entire Jewish communities during the Crusades; continued during the Black Death pogroms and massacres; and numerous mob attacks, hangings, blood libels, and burnings that occurred throughout the years. Meanwhile, Polish kings Boleslaw the Pious and Sigismund II Augustus had issued an personal invitations to the international Jewish community to settle in Poland, and King Casimir the Great promised to protect Poland's Jewish citizens.

The Jewish communities in Poland and Lithuania (and in Eastern Europe in general, for example Czechia) for the most part flourished over the coming centuries; for example, they had an independent governing council, the Council of the Four Lands, established in the 16th century; and numerous great rabbis have since been recognized as leading gedolim, famous for their Halakhic and Talmudic works. Among these Torah scholars in the early generations (16th and 17th centuries) were Rabbis Jacob Pollack, Moses Isserles (Rema), and Shmuel Eidels (Maharsha) of Krakow; Rabbi Joshua Falk (Sma) of Lviv; and Rabbis Judah Loew (Maharal) and Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller (Tosefot Yom Tov) of Prague. Later rabbis (18th century) included Rabbis Aryeh Leib Heller (Ketzos), Yaakov Lorberbaum (Nesivos), and Akiva Eiger. The community of Vilnius (Vilna), Lithuania became a center of Judaism and Torah study, so much so that it became known as the "Jerusalem of Lithuania." The renowned Vilna Edition of the Talmud, in use till this day, was printed in Vilnius in the mid-19th century.

However, there were several setbacks that would leave the Jews of the region vying for a respite from their troubles. During the Khmelnytsky Uprising of 1648, the Cossack army massacred entire cities of Jews in Ukraine and part of Poland (known as Gezerat Tach V'Tat), leaving survivors depressed, poverty-stricken, and hopeless for the future. Meanwhile, a Turkish Jew Sabbatai Zevi declared himself messiah, raising the spirits of these broken-hearted Jews. However Zevi was soon revealed to be an impostor in 1666, once again destroying the morale, as well as the spirituality, among the Ukrainian Jewish public. It was precisely at this time, with the spirits of much of Eastern European Jewry at its lowest point, that the Jewish Ukrainian "Baal Shem" mystic, Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov, emerged with a new spiritual and joyous movement, Hasidism.

The Misnagdim
As the Hasidic movement spread throughout Ukraine, and later Poland, largely under the influence of the Baal Shem Tov's successor, Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezeritch and by his many students, it saw opposition rising from many rabbis, wary of the new movement. Chief among the opposition was the Vilna Gaon, the leading rabbi of Lithuanian Jewry, who lived in Vilnius (Vilna); these antagonists, who were the general populace of Lithuanian Jewry, became known as "Misnagdim" (Hebrew for "opposers"). Besides for the fact that Lithuanian Jews were largely rationalists, unlike the mystically-inclined Hasidism, they were strong intellectualists, and feared that Hasidism was removing all intellectualism from Judaism, leaving only the spiritual actions, such as singing and dancing. Seeing Torah study as the primary object of life, the Vilna Gaon and Lithuanian Jewry saw Hasidism replacing and sometimes removing the most basic elements of Judaism. In the words of Jewish-history writer Ken Spiro, the Gaon was afraid that "a religion that was the synthesis of heart and mind would become all and heart and no mind." The Misngadim went on to impose cherems on the Hasidim, and through the documents of these decrees, the Misnagdic viewpoint becomes clearer. Below is a excerpt from an excommunication decree, issued in April 1772:

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The fiercest clashed between the Hasidim and Misnagdim were in Lithuania itself, where several Hasidic groups, mainly the hasidim of Karlin and Lubavitch, lived. At times, the Misnagdim were indeed successful in mitigating the Hasidic influence. However, the controversy died down over the years as the Hasidic movement itself calmed, with lessening of the perceived "crazy antics" like dancing in the streets. In the end, the Hasidic movement would be instrumental in stopping a new movement, this one secular with the intention from assimilating the Jews of Eastern Europe, from gaining a standing in their communities. This new movement was known as the Haskalah.

The Yeshiva Movement


Jewish life in Lithuania, which had been a center of Torah, with its capital city Vilnius dubbed the "Jerusalem of Lithuania", began to decline in the mid-18th century. Poverty-stricken with many rabbis uprooted, Torah observance was suffering. Meanwhile, the new Haskalah movement (also called the "Jewish Enlightenment") was gaining a standing in Eastern European Jewish communities, threatening to destroy their centuries old traditions. It was at this time that Rabbi Chaim Itzkowitz of Volozhin, the chief student of the Vilna Gaon, revolutionized Torah study, founding a movement that would change Orthodox Jewry forever.

In 1803, Rabbi Chaim established the Volozhin Yeshiva, different than all other yeshivas of the past centuries. Until the founding of the Volozhin Yeshiva, yeshivas consisted of shiur given by a community rabbi for the most scholarly students who would go on to become rabbis and teachers. However, the average Jew would attend cheder in his younger years before going out to work. The Volozhin Yeshiva was different in that it was a formal institution with its own building and set learning schedule, as opposed to the traditional yeshivas until then. Beginning with Volozhin, Torah and its scholars would once again be respected and admired. After the founding of Volozhin, many yeshivas would be established in the region, with the yeshiva of Rameilles in 1815, Mir in 1817, Radin in 1869, and Telshe in 1875. Also notable was the Hungarian Pressburg Yeshiva of Bratislava, founded by the Chatam Sofer.

While the Yeshiva Movement was instrumental in counteracting the Haskalah in Lithuania, it was still not strong enough and Haskalist philosophy even managed to gain footing among yeshiva students, while their proponents were gaining connections with the Russian government (this influence that the Haskalah had with the government would result in the eventual closing of the Volozhin Yeshiva in 1892). It was in 1851 that Rabbi Yisrael Salanter, a student of Rabbi Zundel Salant, set up a yeshiva in Kaunas (Kovno), Lithuania, where he preached a new movement. Known as the Musar movement, it would penetrate the yeshivas, causing many new yeshivas to sprout up, and transform the face of Yeshiva Movement.

Musar movement
The Musar movement was not founded for yeshivas in particular, rather for the whole of Lithuanian Jewry; however it would be in the yeshivas that its influence was felt and perpetuated the most. The essence of the Musar movement was not based on new ideas; in fact, its outlook was primarily based on the 18th century work by Ramchal, the Mesillas Yesharim, and other musar works, which in turn were based on traditional sources, both Tanakh and Rabbinic literature.

Musar, literally meaning chastisement or reproof takes on more comprehensive meaning, referring to the study of musar literature, works which encourage their readers to think into their actions and try to improve themselves, both in a spiritual manner and in their interpersonal relationships. The Mussar Movement encouraged its adherents (known in Hebrew as baalei musar, sometimes dubbed "Musarists") to read these musar books and internalize their contents, inspiring them to change. The study of musar was to be done with great emotion, which he called hitpa'alus. While learning the musar works, the reader was supposed to repeat the teachings over again and again, internalizing the lesson into his subconscious. And while he encouraged the masses of Lithuanian Jewry to learn musar, and built a Mussar House (בית המוסר), his movement would most influence the yeshiva world.

Rabbi Salanter opened a yeshiva in Kaunas and his students there would be the progenitors of the Mussar Movement. Among them were Rabbi Simcha Zissel Ziv (Broida), now known as the Alter of Kelm, who would open the renowned musar yeshiva in Kelmė, the Kelm Talmud Torah; Rabbi Yitzchak Blazer, who lead the famed Kovno Kollel; Rabbi Eliezer Gordon, future rosh yeshiva of the Telshe Yeshiva; Rabbi Naftali Amsterdam, the av beth din (chief Rabbinic justice) in Novograd; and Rabbi Jacob Joseph, a popular Vilnius maggid (preacher) and later chief rabbi of New York City. Another student of Rabbi Salanter would be Rabbi Yosef Yozel Horowitz who would found a musar yeshiva in Navahrudak, the Beis Yosef Yeshiva of Novardok, which would grow into a network of over one hundred yeshivas throughout Poland. The aforementioned Kelm Talmud Torah would produce several notable rabbis who would spread the Musar Movement's ideal exponentially. Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel would open the famed Yeshivas Knesses Yisrael in Slabodka on the outskirts of Kaunas. Known as the Slabodka Yeshiva, it was a major musar institution with a unique emphasis. Called gadlus ha'adam (גדלות האדם), it translates to "greatness of man," i.e. the inherent grandeur of a human being. Another student of the Kelm Talmud Torah was Rabbi Yeruchom Levovitz, who would become the mashgiach ruchani of the Mir Yeshiva, transforming it into another musar yeshiva.

In its preliminary stage, the Musar Movement saw great opposition from many, especially from the Soloveitchiks of Brisk. Although they agreed that there was a place for musar study, they were opposed to yeshivas adding a period into their daily curriculum dedicating musar, claiming that it took away from Talmud study. A rift was felt within the yeshivas, as students grouped together in opposition of musar. In fact, the Kaminetz Yeshiva was formed by students of the Slabodka Yeshiva who broke off in opposition to Slabodka's musar emphasis. However, many would later see the benefits of learning musar: Even Rabbi Boruch Ber Leibowitz, the rosh yeshiva of Kaminetz and a student of Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik, admitted that Musar Movement had a positive effect; and the Kaminetz yeshiva hired a mashgiach ruchani (spirititual overseer), an innovation of the musar yeshivas.

The Holocaust
Before the outbreak of World War II, there were many yeshivas throughout western Belarus, then incorporated into the Second Polish Republic. After the German invasion of Poland in 1939, the yeshivas were all in imminent danger, even with the revelation that eastern Poland would be annexed by the Soviets. The Soviets anti-religious campaign was a threat to all yeshivas that were about to fall under their control. Yet Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski, leader of Lithuanian Haredi Jewry and of the yeshivas in particular, got wind of the Soviet-Lithuanian treaty in which the Soviets would grant Lithuania independence, and thus urged all the Belarusian yeshivas to flee to Lithuania before the border closed. Indeed, his call was heeded by many yeshivas including the Mir, Kletsk, Grodno, Novardok-Bialystok, Novardok-Pinsk, and Baranovich yeshivas. However, situated near the fronlines of the war, Lithuania could not be a permanent placement for students, and efforts were made to get them exit visas to Curacao and transit visas for Japan. In the end, only the Mir Yeshiva, with aid from the United States, was able to escape intact. Other yeshiva students were exiled to Siberia and thus survived the Holocaust there. Those who remained in Lithuania, including the majority of the Slabodka, Telshe, and Kelm yeshivas, were murdered.

Altogether, between 190,000 and 195,000 Jews were murdered in Lithuania during the Holocaust, or 95% of the country's Jewish population. However many did manage to escape to Shanghai, China.

Rebuilding
By the time World War II wound to an end, surviving members of Europe's yeshivas were scattered throughout the world, with refugees places diverse as Siberia, China, and South America. However, they would soon regroup and resettle in the United States and Israel, rebuilding and expanding the world of yeshivas that had been destroyed. And there was always a focus of modeling these yeshivas after the yeshiva movement of pre-war Europe and it's set-up, arranged by Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin. The Mir Yeshiva, which had found refuge in Shanghai, emigrated to the United States where the yeshiva was reestablished by Rabbi Avraham Kalmanowitz; some soon broke-off to establish a new yeshiva, Beth Hatalmud; while others went to Israel and joined Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Finkel's yeshiva in Jerusalem. The few surviving students of the Slutsk-Kletsk Yeshiva who had spent the war years in Siberia joined their teacher, Rabbi Aharon Kotler, in his new yeshiva Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, New Jersey, which had been established with a group of American students during World War II. Meanwhile, there were many rosh yeshivas who had managed to escape Europe alone, while their students had perished in the Holocaust. They would reopen their yeshivas and cater to the next generation of American/Israeli students. These yeshivas included the Telshe Yeshiva in Cleveland, Ohio, founded by Rabbi Elya Meir Bloch; the Ponovezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, founded by Rabbi Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman; and the Slabodka Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, founded by Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac Sher.

At this time, other yeshivas which had been established before war began to flourish as well, including Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin and Yeshiva Torah Vodaath in the United States; and the Kol Torah and Chevron yeshivas in Israel. New yeshivas were opened as well, notably the Brisk Yeshiva in Jerusalem, founded by Rabbi Yitzchak Zev Soloveitchik.

The idea of a kollel also became popular after the war. In Israel, this movement was spearheaded by Rabbi Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz (the Chazon Ish), who gathered together Torah scholars in Bnei Brak, Israel and formed a kollel, since named Kollel Chazon Ish. This kollel would be a model for the numerous kollels that would be established in the ensuing years. Today there are thousands of married men throughout Israel who are learning in kollel. In the United States, Rabbi Aharon Kotler played a similar role, popularizing kollel learning for American Jewry, with the kollel of Beth Medrash Govoha; this kollel was revolutionary in the United States, as until then, Torah study was learned primarily by scholars who were looking to become rabbis, and not simply to study Torah for its own sake.

Present-day


While the Haredi communities had in general taken on hard stance on the Zionist ideal, as it became clear that the State of Israel would indeed become a reality, there was a difference of opinion between factions on how to deal with it. While some (namely Jerusalem's Eidah Hachareidis community led by Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum), chose not to recognize the Zionist government at all, most, led by the Agudat Yisrael, decided that it was in their best interests to participate in the new government in the same fashion as they had done with the Orthodox Jewish Agudath Israel party in the secular countries in Europe (see above for their reasoning). The Agudat Yisrael party was comprised of a portion of the old-time Jerusalemite community, several Hasidic groups, and the Lithuanian-yeshiva community.

For years, the different factions of Agudat Yisrael remained united. However, in 1988, the leader of the Lithuanian Haredim, Rabbi Elazar Shach, broke off to establish a new party, Degel Hatorah, to represent the Lithuanian Haredim independently. This move was backed by other community leaders, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach and Rabbi Yosef Shalom Eliashiv. Rabbi Shach would also invite Rabbi Eliashiv to the helm of the party to lead alongside him. In his position as the leader of the Lithuanian Yeshiva world, Rabbi Shach would openly criticize any movement or belief that went against the Torah. He spoke out against the secular government and their kibbutzim, and was opposed to settling in Israeli occupied territories, named the West Bank. When he felt that the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic group's espousal of messianism and the belief that their Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, was the Messiah, was turning into its own religion, he spoke out against them as well. After Rabbi Shach's death in 2001, he was succeeded as head of the community by Rabbi Eliashiv. However, during his tenure, Rabbi Eliashiv would not see it necessary to to be a vocal force as his predecessor had seen. He would lead until his death in 2012.

In the United States, the community was centered for years in Brooklyn, New York, although recently the township of Lakewood, New Jersey has become the choice location for Litvishe Yeshiva families. A fast growing community of young families, the median of age for native born residents is fifteen years old. And a study done by NJ.com said that two thirds of the township are Orthodox Jews. The community is centered around Beth Medrash Govoha, the largest yeshiva outside of Israel. As of 2019, there were 3,967 married kollel members and 2,748 undergraduate students enrolled in the yeshiva, altogether 6,715 students. In addition, there are numerous other kollels and yeshivas, notably Yeshiva Toras Chaim (Rabbi Mendel Slomowitz), Yeshiva Knesses Bais Aharon (Rabbi Isser Olshin), Yeshiva Chemdas HaTorah (Rabbi Moshe Pruzansky), Yeshiva Keren Hatorah (Rabbi Eli Yagid), and Yeshiva Neos Yaakov (Rabbi Shlomo Feivel Schustal).

Rabbis
Note: Much of this list incorporates the rabbis listed in Toras Roshei HaYeshivos.

Pre-World War II

 * Rabbi Naftali Amsterdam
 * Rabbi Meir Atlas
 * Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin (Netziv)
 * Rabbi Yitzchak Blazer (Rav Itzele Peterburger)
 * Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Bloch
 * Rabbi Yosef Leib Bloch
 * Rabbi Meir Simcha of Dvinsk
 * Rabbi Chanoch Henoch Eigis (Marcheshes)
 * Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Epstein
 * Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel (Alter of Slabodka)
 * Rabbi Eliezer Gordon
 * Rabbi Avraham Grodzinski
 * Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski
 * Rabbi Yosef Yozel Horowitz (Alter of Kelm)
 * Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (Chafetz Chaim)
 * Rabbi Elya Baruch Kammai [HE]
 * Rabbi Yonah Karpilov (Rav Yonah Minsker/Yonas Elem)
 * Rabbi Boruch Ber Leibowitz
 * Rabbi Yeruchom Levovitz
 * Rabbi Pesach Pruskin
 * Rabbi Chaim Rabinowitz (Rav Chaim Telzer)
 * Rabbi Yitzhak Yaakov Rabinovich (Rav Itzele Ponovezher)
 * Rabbi David Rappoport
 * Rabbi Yisrael Salanter
 * Rabbi Yosef Zundel of Salant
 * Rabbi Avraham Duber Kahana Shapiro (Dvar Avraham)
 * Rabbi Zalman Sender Kahana-Shapira [HE]
 * Rabbi Shimon Shkop
 * Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik
 * Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik (Beis HaLevi)
 * Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor
 * Rabbi Naftoli Trop
 * Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin
 * Rabbi Elchonon Wasserman
 * Rabbi Simcha Zissel Ziv (Alter of Novardok)

Post-World War II/Modern day

 * Rabbi Ezriel Auerbach
 * Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach
 * Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach
 * Rabbi Shmuel Berenbaum
 * Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Bloch
 * Rabbi Elya Brudny
 * Rabbi Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler
 * Rabbi Gershon Edelstein
 * Rabbi Yaakov Edelstein [HE]
 * Rabbi Yosef Shalom Eliashiv
 * Rabbi Dovid Feinstein
 * Rabbi Moshe Feinstein
 * Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel
 * Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Finkel (born 1879)
 * Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Finkel (born 1965)
 * Rabbi Shlomo Freifeld
 * Rabbi Mordechai Gifter
 * Rabbi Reuven Grozovsky
 * Rabbi Shlomo Heiman
 * Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner
 * Rabbi Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman
 * Rabbi Avraham Kalmanowitz
 * Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky
 * Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky
 * Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky
 * Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky (Steipler)
 * Rabbi Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz (Chazon Ish)
 * Rabbi Nissim Karelitz
 * Rabbi Aharon Kotler
 * Rabbi Malkiel Kotler
 * Rabbi Shneur Kotler
 * Rabbi Aryeh Leib Malin
 * Rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer
 * Rabbi Avigdor Miller
 * Rabbi Nochum Partzovitz
 * Rabbi Shimshon Pincus
 * Rabbi Aryeh Pomeranchik [HE]
 * Rabbi Baruch Dov Povarsky
 * Rabbi Dovid Povarsky
 * Rabbi Shmuel Rozovsky
 * Rabbi Aharon Schechter
 * Rabbi Elazar Shach
 * Rabbi Chaim Pinchos Scheinberg
 * Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac Sher
 * Rabbi Chaim Leib Shmuelevitz
 * Rabbi Baruch Sorotzkin
 * Rabbi Aharon Yehuda Leib Shteinman
 * Rabbi Yitzchak Zev Soloveitchik
 * Rabbi Berel Soloveitchik
 * Rabbi Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik
 * Rabbi Elya Ber Wachtfogel
 * Rabbi Noach Weinberg
 * Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg
 * Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe
 * Rabbi Avraham Yoffen

Other

 * Eliyahu Baruchi, Israeli politician and former Knesset member
 * Menucha Beckerman [HE], author and publisher
 * Rabbi Baruch Chait, author, educator, composer, and musician
 * Shloime Dachs, vocalist
 * Simcha Felder, New York State Senator
 * Rabbi Moshe Gafni, politician and Knesset member
 * Yoni Gerstein [HE], artist
 * Ari Goldwag, vocalist, composer, and songwriter
 * Ralph Herzka, CEO Meridian Capital and philanthropist
 * Rebbetzin Batsheva Kanievsky, educator
 * Rabbi Dovid Kaplan, lecturer and author
 * Eitan Katz, vocalist and composer
 * Naftali Kempeh [HE], singer and composer
 * Rabbi Paysach Krohn, lecturer, author, and mohel
 * Simcha Leiner, singer
 * Baruch Levine, singer and composer
 * Meir Lichtenstein, former mayor of Lakewood, New Jersey
 * Uri Maklev, politian and Knesset member
 * Rabbi Menachem Porush, politian and Knesset member
 * Shlomo Yehuda Rechnitz, businessman and philanthropist
 * Rubin (Rubie) Schron, real estate mogul and philanthropist
 * Rabbi Nachman Seltzer, author, educator, and composer