Ephraim Oshry
Encyclopedia
Ephraim Oshry author of The Annihilation of Lithuanian Jewry, was one of the few European rabbi
s and posek
s to survive the Holocaust
.
Born in Kupiškis
, Lithuania
in 1914, he studied alongside some of the most prominent and revered Jewish leaders and rabbis of his time, most notably R' Avraham Duber Kahana Shapiro
(author of Devar Avraham). When the Nazis invaded Kaunas
in 1941 during World War II
, Oshry's community was forced into the Kaunas Ghetto
and Concentration Camp.
In his book, The Annihilation of Lithuanian Jewry, Oshry tells his story of living through the Holocaust. Besides the horrific details of how the Nazis and their Lithuanian collaborators viciously murdered innocent Jews, Oshry focuses on the spiritual life of the Jews living in the Kaunas Ghetto and Concentration Camp; these tortured Jews, despite being starved and beaten, continued to study Torah in secret and to risk their lives in order to fulfill God's commandments.
While in the Kaunas Ghetto and Concentration Camp, Oshry began writing his responsa
to the Holocaust, answering very difficult questions concerning human nature, God, and Jewish ethics. Before the final battle between the Nazis and the Soviets, Oshry buried his responsa. After the war, he retrieved them and they were published in Hebrew under the title: She'eilos Uteshuvos Mima'amakim. There is also an abbreviated version in English (with much of the halakhic argumentation removed): Responsa from the Holocaust.
After Kaunas was liberated in August 1944, Oshry and his wife Frieda Greenzwieg, a survivor of Auschwitz, went to Rome
. There Oshry started a yeshiva for orphaned refugee children. In 1950 he brought with him all of his yeshiva students when he and his family moved to Montreal. They came to New York in 1952 where Oshry became the rabbi of Beth Hamedrash Hagadol. Oshry opened a boy's yeshiva and a girl's yeshiva in the East Bronx. Also Yeshiva Shaar Ephraim in Monsey
is named after him and is run by Oshry's son-in-law.
Oshry died on September 28, 2003 in New York
; he was survived by his wife and nine children.
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
s and posek
Posek
Posek is the term in Jewish law for "decider"—a legal scholar who decides the Halakha in cases of law where previous authorities are inconclusive or in those situations where no halakhic precedent exists....
s to survive the Holocaust
The Holocaust
The Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
.
Born in Kupiškis
Kupiškis
Kupiškis is a city in north-eastern Lithuania. It is the capital of the Kupiškis district municipality. Kupiškis is situated on the Lėvuo and Kupa rivers. The name of the city originates from Kupa River. Gediminas bridge crosses river Kupa.-History:...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
in 1914, he studied alongside some of the most prominent and revered Jewish leaders and rabbis of his time, most notably R' Avraham Duber Kahana Shapiro
Avraham Duber Kahana Shapiro
Rabbi Avraham Duber Kahana Shapiro was the last Chief Rabbi of Lithuania and the author of the three-volume work entitled Devar Avraham....
(author of Devar Avraham). When the Nazis invaded Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
in 1941 during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Oshry's community was forced into the Kaunas Ghetto
Kaunas Ghetto
The Kovno ghetto was a ghetto established by Nazi Germany to hold the Lithuanian Jews of Kaunas during the Holocaust. At its peak, the Ghetto held 40,000 people, most of whom were later sent to concentration and extermination camps, or were shot at the Ninth Fort...
and Concentration Camp.
In his book, The Annihilation of Lithuanian Jewry, Oshry tells his story of living through the Holocaust. Besides the horrific details of how the Nazis and their Lithuanian collaborators viciously murdered innocent Jews, Oshry focuses on the spiritual life of the Jews living in the Kaunas Ghetto and Concentration Camp; these tortured Jews, despite being starved and beaten, continued to study Torah in secret and to risk their lives in order to fulfill God's commandments.
While in the Kaunas Ghetto and Concentration Camp, Oshry began writing his responsa
History of Responsa
History of responsa in Judaism spans a period of 1,700 years. Responsa constitute a special class of rabbinic literature, differing in form, but not necessarily in content, from Rabbinic commentaries devoted to the exegesis of the Bible, the Mishnah, the Talmud, and halakha...
to the Holocaust, answering very difficult questions concerning human nature, God, and Jewish ethics. Before the final battle between the Nazis and the Soviets, Oshry buried his responsa. After the war, he retrieved them and they were published in Hebrew under the title: She'eilos Uteshuvos Mima'amakim. There is also an abbreviated version in English (with much of the halakhic argumentation removed): Responsa from the Holocaust.
After Kaunas was liberated in August 1944, Oshry and his wife Frieda Greenzwieg, a survivor of Auschwitz, went to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. There Oshry started a yeshiva for orphaned refugee children. In 1950 he brought with him all of his yeshiva students when he and his family moved to Montreal. They came to New York in 1952 where Oshry became the rabbi of Beth Hamedrash Hagadol. Oshry opened a boy's yeshiva and a girl's yeshiva in the East Bronx. Also Yeshiva Shaar Ephraim in Monsey
Monsey
Monsey may refer to:*Monsey, New York, a hamlet in Rockland County, New York, United States*Monsey, Benin, a town and arrondissement in Alibori Department, Benin...
is named after him and is run by Oshry's son-in-law.
Oshry died on September 28, 2003 in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
; he was survived by his wife and nine children.