Background
He was born in the hamlet of Kalushkove, Lithuania, in 1891. Shortly afterwards his family moved to the village of Dolhinov where he grew up. His younger cousin, Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Ruderman, also grew up in Dolhinov.
He was born in the hamlet of Kalushkove, Lithuania, in 1891. Shortly afterwards his family moved to the village of Dolhinov where he grew up. His younger cousin, Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Ruderman, also grew up in Dolhinov.
He studied in Minsk and then for 21 years in Slabodka yeshiva under Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel.
Rabbi Kamenetsky was appointed rabbi of Tzitavyan in 1926 and moved to North America in 1937, where he initially took rabbinical positions in Seattle and then Toronto. From 1948 to 1968 he headed Mesivta Torah Vodaath in Brooklyn, New New York Along with Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, he led American Jewry in issues of halachic and spiritual guidance until 1986, when both men died.
Rabbi Kamenetsky was renowned as "Chakima Doctorate"Yehudai", the wise man of the Jews.
Aside from his extensive Torah scholarship, he was known for his ever-present warm smile and his expertise in Hebrew grammar. Rabbi Kamenetsky"s first wife was Rebbetzin Ita Ettil Kamenetsky, who died on July 9, 1954.
In 1958, Rabbi Kamenetsky married Mistress Chana Urman of Toronto.
Rabbi Kamenetsky"s son, Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky heads the Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia, chairs the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah.
A second daughter, Rivka, was married to the late Rabbi Hirsch Diskind(1922–2013), the long-time Dean of Bais Yaakov of Baltimore.). Dozens of his descendants serve in key leadership positions across North America in other countries. They include: Rabbis Mordechai Kamenetzky, Dean of the Yeshiva of South Shore, Shalom Kamenetsky, Rosh Yeshivas Philadelphia, Avraham Kamenetsky, R"Master in Yeshivas Beis Yisrael in Jerusalem, Yosef Kamenetsky, Rosh Kollel in Moscow, Zvi Kamenetzky, Dean of the Dwek Ohr HaEmet Sephardic Academy of Toronto, and Yitzchak Shurin, Dean of Midreshet Rachel-Shappell"son
