Rav Shimon Yehuda Shkop Shaarei Yosher

Rav Shimon Shkop of Grodno was born in Turetz, Lithuania. Rav Shimon studied in Mir at the age of twelve, and then Volozhin at the age of fifteen, with Rav Chaim Soloveitchik. He was brought to Telz in 1885 by his uncle, Rav Lazer Gordon. Rav Shimon’s brother-in-law, Rav Shlomo Zalman Abel, was one of the three founders of the Telz Yeshiva. He taught at Telz for eighteen years. He succeeded Rav Alter Shmuelevitz as Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Shaarei Torah in Grodno, from 1920 to 1939, transforming it into one of the finest Yeshivos in Poland and beyond. In 1929, Rav Shimon Shkop came to America to raise funds for the Yeshiva, and accepted Rav Dov (Bernard) Revel’s invitation to serve as Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Rabbeinu Yitzchok Elchonon in New York. However, at the request of the Chofetz Chaim, Rav Shkop returned to Europe after six months. In 1939, the Soviet Red army marched into Grodno during the Asseres Yemei Teshuva. Most of the talmidim fled to Vilna, but Rav Shimon Shkop was too old and sick to travel and remained behind with a few talmidim. He passed away a month later. Rav Shimon Shkop is the author of Shaarei Yosher.