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 considered to be one of the most prestigious advanced yeshivas in the Orthodox world. The student body currently (2007) numbers 350. Although students are mainly British, there are European, American and Israeli pupils, as well as some from South Africa, Argentina 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. At its conception, Gateshead Yeshiva was seen as a branch of Novardok, officially sharing its doctrines, ideals and methodology and named "Yeshivas Beis Yosef" in common with other branches of Novardok.

Faculty

Present

Rosh Yeshiva: Rabbi Avrohom Gurwicz, an alumnus of Brisk yeshiva, and a past student
Rosh HaKibbuts: Rabbi Chayim Ozer Gurwicz
Mashgiach: Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Karnowski
Junior Mashgiach: Rabbi Gershon Miller (formerly of Manchester Jewish Grammar School)
Rabbi Ezriel Rosenbaum, senior lecturer
Rabbi Yosef Aaron Oppenheimer, senior lecturer

Junior Faculty

Rabbi Naftoli (Totty) Lebrecht, head of Students body
Rabbi Yaakov Prijs, Gabbai
Rabbi Shimshon Refoel Lieberman, Shoel Umeishiv
Rabbi Efraim ("Effy") Serfaty, Kitchen Manager

Past

Rosh yeshivas: 1929-1951:Rabbi Nachman Dovid Landinski, an alumnus of Radin, Eishishok, Kelm, Mir, Łomża, 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
Rabbi Ze'ev Cohen (retired November 2007; died 7 October 2009), an alumnus of Chevron yeshiva, son in law of Rabbi Kahan.

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 prominent rabbis, businessmen and professionals.

Dayan Yonason Abraham, Dayan on the London Beth Din
Rabbi Harvey Belovski, Rav of the Golders Green Synagogue
Rabbi Zvi Cohen ( Rov of Kingsbury Shul in London 2004-)
Rabbi Jeremy Conway, head of London Beth Din Kashrut Division
Dayan Aaron Dovid Dunner (Rav of Addas Yisroel, Tottenham and Dayan of the UOHC)
Rabbi Pini Dunner
Dayan Chanoch Ehrentreu, head of London Beth Din
Professor Paul Franks (Senator Jerahmiel S. and Carole S. Grafstein Chair in Jewish Philosophy, University of Toronto)
Rabbi Shmuel Freilich (London, Melamid at Pardes House Primary School)
Rabbi Meir Gelley
Rabbi Yisroel Meir Greenberg (Rav of Golders Green Beth Hamedrash "Munk's Shul" http://ggbh.info)
Rabbi Moshe Hool (Rov of Kingsbury Shul in London from 1957-2004)
Rabbi Chaim Horowitz, Dean, Antwerp kolel
Dayan Casriel Dovid Kaplin, of (London Beth Din)
Rabbi Daniel Lapin
Professor Ze'ev Lev, founder of the Jerusalem College of Technology
Rabbi Yossi Chaim Pollack of Yeshivas Ohr Reuvein
Rabbi Shimon Yisroel Posen (London, Melamed at Pardes House Grammar School)
Rabbi Ben Zion Rabinowicz of Biala-Lugano, the current Bialer Rebbe
Dayan Boruch Rapoport of Johannesburg Beth Din
Rabbi Uren Reich
Paul Reichmann
Rabbi Jonathan Rietti
Rabbi Aryeh Schuster
Rabbi Ezer Schwalbe (Lecturer of Talmudic law and jurisprudence in Manchester)
Dayan Shmuel Simons, of (London Beth Din)
Rabbi Eli Segal (London, Melamed at Pardes House Grammar School)
Mr Alex Strom (has the yichus of being a Jewish Tribune Columnist, Aguda Activist & very keen Asken)
Rabbi Jack Tessler (Manhchester Philanthropist)
Rabbi Nosson Tremble (Rav of Washington Hebrew Cong.)

Buildings and Structure

The original building of the yeshiva was at 179 Bewick Road. As the yeshiva expanded it acquired neighbouring properties in Rectory Road and 177 Bewick Road. In 1961 a new building was erected at 88 Windermere Street to house a new beth hamedresh (the hall used for study and prayer), with the dining room on the floor below and the kitchens in the basement. The old beth hamedrash building at 179 Bewick Road and neighbouring houses in Rectory Road were demolished to make way for a new two-storey dormitory block, Clore House, which was opened in 1963, forming the beginnings of the yeshiva campus. A later three-storey building further up Bewick Road joined the first dormitory block, and attached the yeshiva dormitories with the back of the study hall via a bridge. Later on,in 1992, a new building, Sebba House was built, which consisted of a state-of-the-art dormitory building for about 70 students. Later, in 1997 a new building, Tiferes Yonasan, was erected, which attached the study hall further down Windermere Street to the dormitories and extended the main building, including the study hall and the dining room. The last extension on the right hand side added more lecture halls. In addition these extensions created a courtyard leading on from the back alley, from Rydal Street.