Rav Chaim Pruzansky z”l
It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Rav Chaim Hakohen Pruzansky z”l this past Shabbos. Reb Chaim was the last of many Alter Mirrers on the hanhalah of the Mirrer Yeshiva in Brooklyn, having served as a rebbi and mentor for about 40 years. Rav Chaim was a superb mechanech who strove to bring out the very best in each talmid.
He was niftar on Shabbos and taken right after Shabbos for kevurah in Eretz Yisroel.
Reb Chaim is survived by two daughters, both of whom are married to talmidei chachomim.
Yehi zichro boruch.
{Noam Amdurski-Matzav.com Newscenter}
33 Responses to “Rav Chaim Pruzansky z”l”
2. Comment from Talmid
Time March 2, 2010 at 9:06 AM
Rav Pruzansky with his special way of teaching, had a very positive effect on me and my learning.
I’m sorry to hear the news of his petira.
3. Comment from Yunge Mirrer
Time March 2, 2010 at 9:10 AM
Oiy there are no miirers left besides 2 or 3
4. Comment from Mirrer
Time March 2, 2010 at 9:11 AM
Who are the rest of the alte mirrers? Are there any??
5. Comment from yossele
Time March 2, 2010 at 9:33 AM
Baruch dayan emes.
He was the Rebbe that turned me on to really learning Gemarah and understanding every word. I learned kiddushin with Rebbe Z”L and I have the biggest geshmak in it to this day.
Yehi zichro baruch.
6. Comment from I was a talmid
Time March 2, 2010 at 9:40 AM
Can you share contact information for Shiva?
I was a talmid many years ago and would like to call to be menachem ovul.
7. Comment from Anonymous
Time March 2, 2010 at 10:13 AM
To #4
Rav Shamson Brodsky, a Rov in Flatbush is an Alter Mirrer.So is Rav Moshe Pivovitz, a rov in the Lower East Side.I’m sure there are more.Rav Pivovitz is probably from the last remaining Talmidim of Rav Shach in Lunitz/Stolin.
8. Comment from TANA KAMA
Time March 2, 2010 at 11:07 AM
current mirrers still alive untill 120 ! are harabonim gershon yankelewitz leib barron dov klohr avrohom resnick moishe zupnick avrohom kanarek [via kamenitz] mottel rabinowitz simcha nadborny [shanghai]mottiy rottenberg shamshon brodsky shimon gitelis yakov magid[montreal]brothers podorabbinic all of the above learnt in yeshivos lita and were in the mir p.s. mechila if ileft anybody out
9. Comment from knows BEST
Time March 2, 2010 at 11:47 AM
One son in law is Barnetsky - a brother of R’ Nochum Barnetsky in Lakewood
10. Comment from lakewood guy
Time March 2, 2010 at 12:34 PM
tana kamma you left out rav chaim pinchas sheinburg
11. Comment from Alter Lakewooder
Time March 2, 2010 at 12:59 PM
Tana Kama you left out R Moshe Zabari, R Leib Baron, R Aaron florans, R Orlansky R Breski, R Rothenberg, R Kanarek. R Yankel finkelstein R Gulevsky (via Kletzk)
12. Comment from Anonymous
Time March 2, 2010 at 2:07 PM
there is an alter mirrer who is a rosh yeshiva at yeshivas rabbeinu yitzchok elchanan.
an emesdike brisker
13. Comment from a jew
Time March 2, 2010 at 2:20 PM
there is a mirrer in atlanta, ga- R’ yehuda dickstein
14. Comment from poshiter yid
Time March 2, 2010 at 2:46 PM
Is he related to michoel pruzansky?
15. Comment from !
Time March 2, 2010 at 4:44 PM
Tana Kamma
You have mixed in a number of names of people who, although they learned in Shanghai, never stepped foot in “Mir”. The true Mirrers were those who learned in Mir and the “shpitz” Mirrers were those who learned by the Mashgiach Rav Yeruchom who was niftar in 1935.
Aside from Rav Sheinberg, I cannot think of another Mirrer from that golden tekufa. Remember, to have learned in the Mir prior to 1935 means that one would have to be in his mid nineties.
16. Comment from Eelum Shmo
Time March 2, 2010 at 5:37 PM
15: Reb Yeruchum was niftar in 1936. Who says someone who came to learn in Mir in 1938 isnt a true alter mirrer? - NONSENSE or “shpitz” stupidity, they had R Lazer yudal and Reb Chatzkel there then. Also R Leib Barron and Reb Shimon Gitelis and likely others from the 2 posts of living alter mirrers learnt by R Yeruchum. Although it is true that not all the names were in Mir before Shanghai. Reb Sheinburg was not in Mir as a bochur either. And not in Shangchai.
17. Comment from Anonymous
Time March 2, 2010 at 10:27 PM
Reply to # 16
Actually Rav Scheinberg did learn in the mir, so dont make up stories when you dont know
18. Comment from ME
Time March 2, 2010 at 10:28 PM
To #4
You missed 2: 1. Rav Scheinberg Shlita
2. Rav Yankel Magid (Montreal) [a big T”C)
19. Comment from ?
Time March 2, 2010 at 10:30 PM
Reply # 16
Rav Shamshon Brodsky Shlita was there by the last years of rav yeruchom zt”l, he should be in his mid 90’s
20. Comment from dovy
Time March 2, 2010 at 10:59 PM
Rabbi Fabian shlita of Cleveland is another Alter Mirrer
21. Comment from Eelum Shmo
Time March 3, 2010 at 9:55 AM
#17 - I never said R Sheinberg didnt learn in Mir - he never learnt there as a bochur - he came there married! The term alter mirrer was coined for the age of the bochurim who came to America after spending years in Shangchai and as eligible to get married they were no youngsters. Rav Brodsky was in Mir in Europe but bypassed Shangchai and came straight to US. If you wanted another way to narrow this list it would be by listing how many learnt by R Elchonon ZL in Baranovitch 1st as that is where many of the Mirrer bochurim were before mir. Not too many; although there are a few talmidim of R Elchonon left (R Lanshevsky, R Scheinerman) who didnt go on to learn in the Mir.
22. Comment from Mirrer
Time March 3, 2010 at 11:33 AM
Based on this blog and other research, I compiled this. It includes where there currently live Amu’sh. This is likely worthy of a new headline on Matzav to properly update on of the most chushuva lists of people left in the world today!! If other names exist, or additional info on existing, please post. Currently 23 names.
R Dov Klohr (Boro Park)
R Gulevsky (Boro Park) (Via Kletzk, No Mir)
R Simcha Nadborny (Boro Park) (Via Kletzk, No Mir)
R Motty Rothenberg (Boro Park)
R Yankel Breski (Boro Park)
R Shimon Gitelis (Lakewood)
R Avrohom Kanarek (Lakewood) (Via Kamenitz, No Mir)
R Yakov Magid (Montreal)
R Shamshon Brodsky (Flatbush) (No Shanghai)
R Aaron Florans (Flatbush)
R Yankel Finkelstein (Flatbush)
R Avrohom Resnick (South Fallsburg)
R Mottel Rabinowitz
R Gershon Yankelewitz
R Brothers Podorabbinic
R Yehuda Dickstein (Atlanta)
R Moishe Zupnick (Cleveland)
R Fabian (Cleveland)
R Leib Baron (Israel)
R Chaim Scheinberg (Israel) (No Shanghai)
R Orlansky (Israel)
R Moshe Zabari (Israel)
23. Comment from Alter Lakewooder
Time March 3, 2010 at 12:58 PM
Mirrer: You forgot Reb Moshe Pivovoz who lives on the east side
24. Comment from Pushita Yid
Time March 3, 2010 at 1:50 PM
reb Yankel finkelstein and reb yankel magid are also mechutonim with each other
25. Comment from TANA KAMA
Time March 3, 2010 at 3:11 PM
talmiday reb yeruchem harabonim barron yankelewitz brodsky shieinberg [though left way before the war p.s.#22 you forgot yizchok rabin
26. Comment from Mirrer
Time March 3, 2010 at 4:21 PM
25: Also Reb shimon Gitelis learned by R Yeruchum, also Rav Barron didnt leave before the war, He learned in Shanghai as well, unsure about Yankelewitz. Next research is how many learned by Reb elchonon, I know Baron, Zupnik and Breski did
27. Comment from Yunge Mirrer
Time March 3, 2010 at 4:38 PM
who is yitzchok rabin?
28. Comment from RIETS Student
Time March 4, 2010 at 1:05 AM
R’ Gershon Yankelewitz shlit”a, Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yitzchok Elchonon (Yeshiva University) certainly did learn by R’ Yeruchem (as well as in Radin in the time of the Chofetz Chaim). In fact he has spoken more than once in the Beis Medrash at YU about his time by R’ Yeruchem. One of the schmoozen is available at YUtorah.org
29. Comment from hocker
Time March 4, 2010 at 9:10 AM
22. Rav Orlansky learnt in mir but not in shanghai
30. Comment from TANA KAMA
Time March 4, 2010 at 1:30 PM
#27 mottel rabinowitz brother p.s.reb aron floans was in baranovich only and reb moishe pivovus was a rebbe in yeshiva chasam soifer to#26 only rav shienberg left way before the war. the baranovich list: harabonim rottenberg florans finkelstein [his mechutan magid came from grodno]harav leib baron was for a longer time in baranowitz and thus adopted the name [he's originally from horodok]klohr came from kamenitz zabare learnt locally [ostrow mazowiecz under the father in law of harav goldwicht]i think reb moishe zupnik came straight to mir from germany.rav gitelis learnt yeshiva ketana in mir
31. Comment from magidson
Time March 4, 2010 at 11:37 PM
my father came from breinsk where r shimon shkop was rov
32. Comment from Mirrer
Time March 4, 2010 at 11:39 PM
Rav Aron Florans was absolutely positively in Mir Europe and in Shangchai - do your research before posting inaccurate shtusim. Also r Feivel Hollander shlita learned by Reb Yeruchum as well
33. Comment from Florans son
Time March 5, 2010 at 9:39 AM
Tana Kama!! Your 1st post doesnt mention my father, you did talk about mechila there.then after his name is posted elsewhere, you misspell his name and say he only was in Baranovitch. You are clueless!! Ask any alter mirrer or anybody who has walked through mir brooklyn and they will tell you my father learnt in mir and shangchai! Talk about owing mechila!! My nephews Eliezer Yehuda and Yechezkel aren’t exactly named after the founders of Kentucky Fried Chicken.
1. Comment from Yenta
Time March 2, 2010 at 9:03 AM
Boruch dayan ha’emes.
Who are his aidims?