BDE: Rav Mendel Atik, Rosh Yeshiva Of Eretz Zvi, Passed Away At Age 94

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Rabbi Mendel Schneur Zalman Atik, one of the prominent disciples of the Brisker Rav and the Chazon Ish, passed away in Jerusalem on Shabbos on his 94th birthday.

Rav Mendel was born in the Old City of Jerusalem to R’ Shlomo Zvi, a Karliner chassid. In his youth he studied at the Etz Chaim Talmud Torah and yeshiva under the tutelage of Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer and in Yeshivas Mir with Rabbi Leizer Yehuda Finkel. He married Sarah Leah Schlesinger , a granddaughter of Rabbi Akiva Yosef Schlesinger the “Lev Haivri”. Rav Mendel was close to the Brisker Rav and participated in his weekly shiur. He also travelled on many occasions to talk in learning with the Chazon Ish.

Rav Mendel studied with disciples of the Chazon Ish as well as gaining fluency in the Chazon Ish’s works and following his halachic practices. In the 70’s he opened a kollel in Jerusalem with a number of prominent avreichem including Rav Dovid Miller of Ponovezh, Rav Chaim Min-Hahar, a Rosh Yeshiva in Beitar Illit, Rav Yehoshua Ehrenberg head of Knesses Yitzchak-Hadera and others.

30 years ago, Rav Mendel opened Yeshivas Eretz Zvi in the Bukharian quarter of Jerusalem, catering to bachurim from abroad who wanted to learn at a more profound level. The yeshiva continued to exist for two decades.

Rav Atik didn’t publish his shiurim but they were printed by students and distributed informally.