Rabbi Dr. Rabbi Yisroel Nulman z"l, who dedicated his
life to teaching yaldei Yisroel Torah and good
character traits, was taken from this world on Rosh Chodesh
Shevat.
Yisroel Nulman was born in the US in 5679 (1919) to R' Shmuel
and Nechomoh. His father, who immigrated from Pastaw a town
near Kiev, and his mother, who was born in the US, lived in
Newark, New Jersey.
When he was a boy there were no talmudei Torah in the
area so his parents hired a private tutor to teach their sons
Torah in the afternoon, despite their limited means. At a
relatively young age he was sent to a yeshiva far from home
where he devoted himself to Torah study, overcoming the harsh
living conditions. Later he studied at Mesivta Tiferes
Yerushalayim and Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim in New York under
HaRav Henoch Leibowitz.
In 5705 (1945) he married Tovah Listokin and continued his
learning at the kollel run by Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim
— the first kollel set up in the US. He received
rabbinical ordination and a few years later took a position
as rov and baal tefilloh at a shul in McKeesport,
Pennsylvania.
Five years later he began running the Jewish school in
Scranton, Pennsylvania. At that time many traditionalist Jews
in the US sent their children to public schools, not
realizing the importance of Jewish education. So besides
serving as principal he had to work hard to persuade parents
to send their children to the school. Upon graduation, he
would ensure that they were sent to yeshiva, often taking
them there himself.
Nine years later he moved to New York where he spent the next
18 years working for the administration of the Torah Umesorah
chain of schools. He became one of the leading figures in the
organization and left a strong imprint on it as he traveled
around the US to help start Torah Umesorah schools and
talmudei Torah and to guide principals and
instructors, who held him in high regard.
He also published numerous articles on Jewish education and
pedagogical booklets on derech Eretz and midos
tovos.
In 5744 (1984) he and his wife realized their lifelong
ambition of moving to Eretz Yisroel, where they settled in
Jerusalem's Bayit Vegan neighborhood. From that point on he
left behind his work as a public activist, devoting his time
to Torah study and writings.
He was always thrilled by divrei Torah, writing in the
introduction to one of his books, "Nothing breathes life into
a Jew and restores his soul more than the Torah of Life."
During his latter years in Eretz Yisroel he wrote three books
on topics related to Hebrew grammar and Yiddish —
Kochah Shel Miloh, Bituim BeYiddish Be'Olom
HaTorah and Zugt a Gut Vort.
He passed away on Rosh Chodesh Shevat, 5769, at the age of
89. He was eulogized at by HaRav Leib Heiman, the rov of Beis
Knesses HaGra in Bayit Vegan, who began by saying it was
permitted to deliver hespeidim on Rosh Chodesh because
the niftar has the din of a talmid
chochom. He went on to describe Rabbi Nulman z"l
as a man who devoted his life to Jewish education and self-
improvement, and who had the merit of educating yaldei
Yisroel who went on to build splendid Jewish families.
