Nachum Zev Dessler was an Orthodox Jewish

Orthodox Judaism

Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...

 Rabbi

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...

 who was the founder and dean of the Hebrew Academy of Cleveland

Hebrew Academy of Cleveland

The Hebrew Academy of Cleveland is a private, Orthodox Jewish day school in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.The Hebrew Academy was established in 1943 by the Telz Yeshiva. It was the first Jewish day school founded off the east coast. In 1947 a girl's division, Yavne, was added...

.

Dessler was also instrumental in building the National Society for Hebrew Day Schools.

Personal life

Dessler was born in 1921 in Kelm to Rabbi Eliyahu Eliezer

Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler

Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler was an Orthodox rabbi, Talmudic scholar, and Jewish philosopher of the 20th century. He is known as mashgiach ruchani of the Ponevezh yeshiva in Israel and through collections of his writings published posthumously by his pupils.-Lithuania:Eliyahu Dessler Eliyahu Eliezer...

 & Bluma Dessler. His mother Bluma was a granddaughter to Rabbi Simcha Zissel Ziv

Simcha Zissel Ziv

Rabbi Simcha Zissel Ziv Broida , also known as the Alter of Kelm , was one of the foremost students of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter and one of the early leaders of the Musar movement...

and Dessler was named after Rabbi Simcha Zissel Ziv's son. In 1929 the family moved to London and Dessler was sent to Yeshivah Etz Chaim. Three years later he returned to Wilkomir in Lithuania to learn.