Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Wohlgelernter was born in Charschniza Poland in 1901.

Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Wohlgelernter was born in Charschniza Poland in 1901. He had three younger brothers – Rabbi Sholom Pinchas Wohlgelernter, Rabbi Yerachmiel Elimelech Wohlgelernter (Itamar) and Yehoshua Wohlgelernter and three sisters – Mattel Spiegel, Ida Shafir and Clara Kaufman.

He grew up in a Polish Chassidic environment and was a sixth generation direct descendent of the Chozeh of Lublin – Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Horowitz. He was ordained in 1921 in Warsaw by Rabbi David Yitzchak Menzeritsky. He came with his parents and his wife and son to Toronto in 1922. His father was invited to come to Toronto by the Ostrovtzer Congregation to be their Chazzn and shochet.

Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Wohlgelernter was a shochet and also taught at Talmud Torah Eitz Chaim after his arrival in Toronto. He became principal of Eitz Chaim in 1940 when Eitz Chaim was still an evening school (4-8 p.m.). He remained in that position until 1965. He was instrumental in bringing Rabbi Yaakov Kaminetsky to Toronto as Rosh Yeshiva in 1938. Rabbi Wohlgelernter was a very beloved principal and teacher.

He had a masterful knowledge of Chassidic history and was invited by every Chassidic group to talk about their dynasties. He wrote extensively in Toronto’s Yiddish paper (Der Yiddisher Journal) and had a weekly parsha column in it. He also contributed to ‘Der Yid’ in Poland as its Canadian correspondent from 1921-1939. He had the largest private library of Judaic books in Canada.

He was active in the founding of Zeirei Agudath Israel and the Beth Jacob School movement in Poland and was active in Toronto communal life. He was a founder of Hashomer HaDati Youth Movement (later called Bnei Akiva) in Toronto and was an active Mizrachi member. He was co-editor of the Sefer Hayovel Talmud Torah Eitz Chaim 1943 Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Book. He gave the weekly drasha from 1950 to 1966 at the Torath Emeth (Burnside) Congregation, a branch of Talmud Torah Eitz Chaim.

He had four sons and amny grandchildren, most are in Israel and the rest are in the United States.

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