The two leaders, and the Torah institution each one built, are legendary in the North American Jewish community and well beyond. What is lesser known is the vibrant friendship between both men, which fueled the growth of both institutions. That inspiring and productive partnership will be honored in a new dedication project, The Sefer Torah of Klal Yisroel, which welcomes participation from all who knew or benefitted from the efforts of these prominent Torah leaders.
Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz, zt”l, founded Artscroll Studios in 1965 and published his first sefer, a commentary of Megillas Esther, in 1976. He gradually built Artscroll Publications into a publishing house that became a worldwide publishing phenomenon. He led the organization until his passing in 2017. As The Jewish Link reported in 2020, “Artscroll/Mesorah has grown to now encompass over 3,000 titles—Torah study, Halacha, novels, children’s books, Mussar and more. Over 100 scholars now regularly work for Artscroll.”
Rabbi Dovid Feinstein, zt”l was the broadly respected heir to the Gadol HaDor, his father Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, zt”l. He continued to build the yeshiva his father established—Mesivtha Tifereth Jerusalem (MTJ) in New York and Staten Island—until Rav Dovid passed away in November 2020. Rav Dovid was considered one of the foremost poskim in the United States and received regular and frequent calls for his opinion on a wide range of halachic issues. He also served as a leader of Torah Umesorah and as an active supporter of many Jewish institutions and individuals on the Lower East Side.
The tremendous partnership between the two giants, however, adds great luster to their legacies. And it has inspired a new sefer Torah dedication campaign, led by Rabbi Avraham Klein of MTJ and MTJ Board Member Jack Forgash, Judah Septimus, Rabbi Zlotowitz’s son Rabbi Gedaliah Zlotowitz (president, Artscroll Mesorah Publications), HaRav Berel Feinstein (rosh yeshiva, Manhattan MTJ Yeshiva), HaRav Reuven Feinstein (rosh yeshiva, Staten Island MTJ Yeshiva), Norman Schmutter, Rabbi Burton Jaffa, and other members of the MTJ board, to create a living tribute to all the two leaders accomplished together. Rabbi Klein stated: “It’s my biggest honor to be involved in this project, to fulfill the wishes of Rav Dovid, when he is no longer here.”
As the fundraising brochure for the campaign notes: “The relationship between Rav Dovid and Rabbi Meir was legendary … At a difficult time in the history of Artscroll, when the coffers were empty, both Rabbi Zlotowitz and Rabbi Nosson Scherman had personally mortgaged their homes to keep the company afloat, but the money had run out. Rav Dovid took his life’s savings and loaned it to his talmid, Rabbi Zlotowitz, allowing Artscroll to survive the challenging period and eventually thrive.” Rav Dovid served as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Mesorah Foundation and as the rabbinic authority for decades to both Artscroll and to Rabbi Zlotowitz and Rabbi Scherman.
The Sefer Torah dedication campaign is inspired by a handwritten letter Rav Dovid wrote, after Rabbi Zlotowitz’s passing, in which he noted that through Rabbi Zlotowitz’ work, “one could learn by himself and it mushroomed the amount of people to learn the Daf Yomi or a Masechas (Mishna) without a physical Rabbi (there) … Therefore the yeshiva is writing a Sefer Torah, L’Zecher Nishmartem Rav Meir Zlotowitz, zt”l, the Torah that he toiled over 40 years, that it should not be forgotten.”
Sadly, Rav Dovid’s passing and then the restrictions of the covid pandemic deferred the directive of Rav Dovid’s letter. Now, as precautions have eased, MTJ leaders have picked up the gauntlet to fulfill his vision and bring a new sefer Torah into the Yeshiva family, one dedicated to the vibrant cooperation between the two men.
Forgash noted, in talking with The Jewish Link, that Rav Dovid and Rav Meir were close friends whose collective impact touched countless lives. In an essay published in The Jewish Link shortly after the passing of Rav Feinstein, Forgash shared the many ways Rav Dovid influenced him and the entire Torah world. He also wrote: “Artscroll, the household name that disseminates Torah throughout the world, was born in MTJ, with Rav Dovid encouraging his great friend, Artscroll founder Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz, and giving his haskama on many sefarim.”
On the request of Rav Dovid, zt”l, the Sefer Torah campaign is designed to be accessible to all Jews, with the cost of dedicating an Ooss (letter) at $10. Other dedication opportunities are available at prices of $180, $500, $1,000, $1,800, and more. Individual Parshiot can be dedicated for $7200 and Significant Parshiot can be dedicated at a cost of between $18,000-$25,000. Other dedication opportunities include the Atzei Chaim, the Kesser Torah, and the Yomim Noraim Mantel.
As Forgash stated: “The new sefer Torah will be housed and used at the Bais Medrash of Mesivtha Tifereth Jerusalem, in Manhattan.” A Siyum HaSefer Torah is planned at the annual MTJ dinner, in late fall 2022, after which the Torah will be brought to the Bais Medrash. The proceeds of the sefer Torah campaign will be used to make capital improvements to MTJ’s buildings in New York and Staten Island, which are over 100 years old, to increase student scholarships, and raise the compensation for Rabbonim in the yeshiva.”
For more information on this sefer Torah dedication campaign, contact MTJ at 212-964-2830 or [email protected]. You can also learn more about this project at TheSeferTorah.com.
As the promotional brochure notes, “If you have ever used an Artscroll Gemara, Chumash, Siddur, or read an Artscroll book, you owe HaKoras HaTov to Rav Dovid and Reb Meir … Now is the time to say thank you.”
By Harry Glazer
