Yisroel Friedman (rosh yeshiva)

Rabbi Yisroel Friedman (November 28, 1936 – April 1, 2020) was a member of the Central Committee of Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbis and the rosh yeshiva of the Oholei Torah Talmudical Seminary in Brooklyn, New York.

Early life
Friedman was born in Beshenkovichi in then Byelorussia, Soviet Union on November 28, 1936, to Yaakov and Gittel. His father was a graveyard worker, unofficial communal rabbi and was killed in World War II while fighting in the Russian Army. His mother was a seamstress. Friedman's mother then fled with her family to Samarkand, Uzbekistan and then Germany and France before moving to Israel.

Teaching career
In 1956 he moved to New York. In 1959 he began teaching the Chabad yeshiva in Newark, New Jersey. In 1965 he began teaching in the Oholei Torah Talmudical Seminary. He was known for his sharp intellect, argumentative teaching style and expertise in analyzing Rashi's commentaries.

Death
Friedman died on April 1, 2020, from COVID-19. He was predeceased by his wife who died in 2014.