Rav Betzalel Rakow was born in 5687/1927 in Frankfurt. His father was Rav Yom Tov Lipman, who descended from the Tosfos Yom Tov. After Kristallnacht he managed to flee Germany with his family via Antwerp to England. In London, he attended the Yeshiva Toras Emes of Rav Moshe Schneider, along with Rav Moshe Sternbuch and Rav Tuvia Weiss. He totally immersed himself in Torah study and accumulated a wealth of knowledge. He went on to the Gateshead Kollel where he learned under Rav Eliyohu Dessler, becoming his talmid muvhok. Later, Rav Betzalel was asked to serve as Rosh Yeshiva of Etz Chaim in Montreux, Switzerland. With the petira of his father-in-law, Rav Rakow was asked to take over as Rav of Gateshead, a post he held for the next four decades. Rav Betzalel was niftar on the 20th of Tammuz 5763/2003. He was seventy-six.
