Aryeh Malkiel Kotler is a Haredi rabbi and rosh yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, New Jersey, one of the largest yeshivas in the world.
Background
He is the son of the previous rosh yeshiva, Rabbi Shneur Kotler, and grandson of the founder of the yeshiva, Rabbi Aaron Kotler. Kotler was born to Rabbi Shneur Kotler and his wife, Rischel, the daughter of Rabbi Aryeh Malkiel Friedman. On his father"s side, he is the great-grandson of Rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer.
Career
Serving with him as roshei yeshiva (deans) are Rabbis Dovid Schustal, Yeruchem Olshin, and Yisroel Neuman. He is the second of 9 children. Upon the death of his father in 1982, he was named to the position of rosh yeshiva together with Dovid Schustal, Yerucham Olshin, and Yisroel Neuman, who are all married to grandchildren of Aharon Kotler.
At that time, BMG had an enrollment of some 800.
Since then, enrollment has grown more than 800% to a current size of some 6,300 students. To manage the huge enrollment, the four roshei yeshiva divide up the times they deliver shiurim (Torah lectures) in the various battei medrash (study halls) on campus.
They have also appointed dozens of roshei chabura (heads of small study groups) to take responsibility for groups of students. Kotler, who participates in the Daf Yomi study program, was honored with the saying of the hadran at the 12th Siyum HaShas in Metropolitan Life Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Kotler"s first wife Hinda was the daughter of Rav Yechiel Michel and Lifsha (née Soloveitchik) Feinstein (ie she was the granddaughter of the Brisker Rav, Rabbi Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik).
While in the United States, his father succumbed to his illness and Kotler was called upon to succeed his father as rosh yeshiva of BMG. In the face this deadlock, Kotler was issued a rarely used exemption (Heter meah rabbanim) allowing him to take a second wife upon depositing the divorce document for the first wife with the Rabbinical court to be effectuated by her accepting it whenever she wishes.
Membership
He is a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah (Council of Torah Sages) of Agudath Israel of America.