Meir Atlas (Hebrew: מאיר אטלס; 1848–1926) was the rabbi of numerous communities in pre-World War II Europe and one of the founders of the Telz Yeshiva.[1] He was an outstanding halachic authority who authored many responsa and was one of the foremost Lithuanian rabbis of his time.

Rabbi
Meir Atlas
Personal
Born1848
Baisagola, Lithuania
Died1926
Šiauliai, Lithuania
ReligionJudaism
SpouseChiena Atlas (née Zogerer)
Parent(s)R' David and Golda Atlaz
DenominationHaredi Judaism
Jewish leader
PredecessorRabbi Yosef Zecharia Stern [HE]
SuccessorRabbi Aharon Bakst [HE]
PositionRabbi
SynagogueŠiauliai, Lithuania
Began1904
Ended1926

Biography

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Rabbi Meir Atlas was born in 1848 in Baisagola, Lithuania. In 1875, together with Rabbi Zvi Yaakov Oppenheim, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Abel and the help of a German Jewish layman, Ovadyah Lachman, Atlas founded the Telz Yeshiva in Telz, Lithuania. He later served as rabbi and spiritual leader in a number of cities, including Libau in Latvia, Salant in Lithuania, and Kobryn in Belarus. In 1904, Rabbi Atlas was appointed rabbi to the community of Shavel.

Meir's brother was Rabbi Eliezer Atlas. His daughter Michle was married to Rabbi Elchonon Wasserman,[2] His other sons-in-law include Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski and Rabbi Yehudel Kahana Shapiro, the son of Rabbi Zalman Sender Kahana Shapiro. Rabbi Meir died on the 12th of Shevat in 1926.

References

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  1. ^ Otzar Harabanim (Rabbis' Encyclopedia), Rabbinate era from 970 to 1970; #12756, by Rabbi Nathan Zvi Friedman, Bnei Brak 1975.
  2. ^ Weekly Biography: Hagaon Harav Elchanan Wasserman, Hy"d, Hamodia Newspaper, July 9, 2008, page C3