It is with great sadness that 5TC reports of the passing R’ Chaim Walkin ZT”L, the famed Mashgiach of Ateres Yisrael yeshiva in Jerusalem. He was 77-years-old.
R’ Walkin Zt”l was the scion of a rabbinical family. His grandfather, Rabbi Aron Walkin zt”l, was the Chief Rabbi of Pinsk, Belarus, and a Torah giant of his day.
His maternal grandfather, Rabbi Moshe Londinsky, headed the yeshiva in Radin with the Chofetz Chaim. His uncle and namesake, Rabbi Chaim Walkin, served as the last dean of the Volozhin yeshiva until World War II.
R’ Walkin’s father, R’ Shmuel Walkin, was active in rescue of Jews during World War II from Europe. He headed the Jewish community in Shanghai, and was famous for his warmth and care of all the refugees. Upon arrival in the U.S. he founded a synagogue for the refugee families and provided for their needs. The Shanghai refugees were his closest family until his death in 1979.
After studying at the Mir yeshiva, R’ Chaim Walkin was appointed as an instructor in Talmud at Aish HaTorah Yeshiva in the Old City of Jerusalem, and Ohr Israel Yeshiva in Petah Tikva.
In 1989, after the death of the dean of Yeshiva Ateres Israel, R’ Walkin moved back to Jerusalem and took the position of Dean of Rabbinical Academy and Yeshiva Ateres Israel.
R’ Walkin developed his signature method in line with the teachings of R’ Chaim Leib Shmuelevitz zt”l, with emphasis on personal attention to individual students, in groups of six to eight students at a time and short lectures with clearly defined message. He espoused a way of education through cooperation and not by harsh methods.
In July 2008, R’ Walkin suffered a stroke in his home in Jerusalem, which prevented him for some months from continuing his obligations in the Rabbinical Academy. After a period of rehabilitation, he returned to his position.
This past Wednesday, Rav Walkin collapsed at his home on Rechov Kasuto in the Bayit Vegan neighborhood of Yerushalayim.
Levaya details to follow.
הַמָּקוֹם יְנַחֵם אֶתְכֶם בְּתוֹךְ שְׁאָר אֲבֵלֵי צִיּוֹן וִירוּשָׁלַיִם
