Religionיצחק זילבר

Yitzchok Zilber

Yitzchok Zilber was a Haredi rabbi and educator who worked to bring Russian-speaking Jews closer to Jewish tradition, in the Soviet Union and later in Israel.

1917 to 2004Outreach to Russian-speaking JewsFounding Toldos YeshurunTeaching Torah in Soviet prison

Occupation: rabbi
Founded: Toldos Yeshurun (2000)

Yitzchok Zilber was born in 1917 in Kazan

Zilber was born in Kazan in 1917. His father, Rabbi Ben Tzion Chaim Zilber, was the city's rabbi. His father kept him out of Soviet school and taught him Jewish texts and secular subjects at home.

Although he never finished school, he was admitted to a chemistry institute and later studied mathematics at the University of Kazan. In 1945 he married Gita Zeidman. He taught Judaism in secret, against Soviet law.

In 1951 a search of his home found illegal bonds a friend had left there. He refused to name the friend and was sent to a labor camp, where he kept the Sabbath and taught Torah. In 1960, under pressure from the authorities, he moved to Tashkent.

He immigrated to Israel in 1972 and settled in Jerusalem. He taught Torah to Russian-speaking immigrants, arranged circumcisions and weddings, and helped women obtain religious divorces. In 2000 he founded the Toldos Yeshurun organization.

He wrote books in Russian, including a work on fulfilled prophecy and Talks on Torah. He died in 2004 and was buried on Har HaMenuchot in Jerusalem.