Gateshead Talmudical College

Gateshead Talmudical College (Hebrew: ישיבת בית יוסף גייטסהעד), popularly known as Gateshead Yeshiva, is located in the town of Gateshead in England. It is the largest Haredi yeshiva in Europe, and is one of the most prestigious yeshiva gedolas in the Orthodox world. It is considered to be an important rabbinical school and centre of Torah study. The student body currently (2007) numbers 350. Although students are mainly British, there are European, American and Israeli pupils and even some from South Africa and Australia.

The yeshiva was founded in Gateshead in 1929 by Reb Dovid Dryan, with the Chofetz Chaim serving as an active patron and appointing the original heads of the yeshiva. The first Rosh yeshiva and Menahel (principal) were respectively Rabbi Nachman Landinski and Rabbi Eliezer Kahan, both alumni of the famed Novardok yeshiva. Hence, Gateshead yeshiva served as a branch of Novardok from its very conception, sharing its doctrines, ideals and methodology. Indeed, both institutions shared the same name - “Yeshivas Beis Yosef”.

Faculty

Present

• Rosh yeshiva: Rabbi Avrohom Gurwicz, an alumnus of Brisk yeshiva
• Principal (Hebrew: מנהל): Rabbi Zeiv Cohen, an alumnus of Chevron yeshiva
• Mashgiach: Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Karnowski

Past

Rosh yeshivas:

• 1929-1951:Rabbi Nachman Dovid Landinski, an alumnus of Radin, Eishishok, Kelm, Mir, Lomza, Suvalk and Novardok yeshivas
• 1947-1979:Rabbi Leib Lopian, son of Rabbi Elya Lopian, an alumnus of Telz yeshiva
• 1947-1986: Rabbi Leib Gurwicz, an alumnus of Mir, Baranovitch and Brisk yeshivas

Principals:

• Rabbi Eliezer Kahan, an alumnus of Novardok yeshiva

Mashgichim:

• Rabbi Moshe Schwab, an alumnus of Baranovitch, Kamenitz and Mir yeshivas
• Rabbi Matisyohu Salomon, now of Beth Medrash Govoha

Prominent Alumni

Over its 75-year history, Gateshead yeshiva has produced literally thousands of learned alumni, among them hundreds of rabbis, businessmen and professionals. Due to the very large numbers of prominent Gateshead yeshiva alumni, it would be impossibe to provide an exhaustive list.

• Dayan Chanoch Ehrentreu, head of London Beth Din
• Dayan Yonason Abraham
• Dayan Shmuel Simons
• Rabbi Dr Nathan Lopes Cardozo
• Dayan Casriel Dovid Kaplin
• Rabbi Uren Reich
• Rabbi Ben Zion Rabinowicz of Biala-Lugano, the current Biala Rebbe
• Rabbi Eliyahu Munk
• Rabbi Daniel Lapin
• Professor Ze'ev Lev

References

An excellent reference describing the history of Gateshead Yeshiva can be found in the book "Gateshead" by Miriam Dansky, ISBN 0-944070-88-4

54.93410°N 1.62697°W / 54.93410; -1.62697