Gateshead Talmudical College, popularly known as Gateshead Yeshiva, is located in the Bensham area of Gateshead in North East England. It is the largest yeshiva in Europe and considered to be one of the most prestigious advanced yeshivas in the Orthodox world. The student body currently numbers approx. 300. Although students are mainly British, there are European, American, Canadians as well as some from South America, Australia and South Africa.
History
The yeshiva was founded in Gateshead in 1929 by Reb Dovid Dryan, with the Chofetz Chaim serving as an active patron and appointing the original head of the yeshiva. The first rosh yeshiva and menahel were respectively Rabbi Nachman Landinski and Rabbi Eliezer Kahan, both alumni of the famed Novardok yeshiva network and both of whom had escaped Communist Russiareligious persecution by escaping across the border from Russia to Poland. Originally, Rabbi Avraham Sacharov was designated as first rosh yeshiva, but Chief RabbiJoseph Hertz asked William Joynson Hicks, the Home Secretary, to block Sacharov's immigration in an attempt to prevent the establishment of a yeshiva outside his jurisdiction. The attempt failed and Landynski, Sacharov's brother-in-law, was appointed instead. At its inception, Gateshead Yeshiva was seen as a branch of Novardok, officially sharing its doctrines, ideals and methodology and named "Yeshivas Beis Yosef" in common with other branches of Novardok. By 1948, an official American fundraising was established. As of 2019, the Yeshiva has government accreditation, and the lunchroom has been rated "5 " for Food Hygiene.
When Rabbi Landinski arrived in Gateshead he began to teach in the 'Blechenner Shul', a tin shed synagogue, which in 1939 was replaced with the current Gateshead community synagogue. The original building procured by the yeshiva was at 179 Bewick Road. As the yeshiva expanded it acquired neighbouring properties in Rectory Road and 177 Bewick Road. In 1961 a new building was erected at 88 Windermere Street to house a new beth hamedresh, with the dining room on the floor below and the kitchens in the basement. The old beth hamedrash building at 179 Bewick Road and neighbouring houses in Rectory Road were demolished to make way for a new two-storey dormitory block, Clore House, which was opened in 1963, forming the beginnings of the yeshiva campus. A later three-storey building further up Bewick Road joined the first dormitory block, and attached the yeshiva dormitories with the back of the study hall via a bridge. Later on,in 1992, a new building, Sebba House was built, which consisted of a state-of-the-art dormitory building for about 70 students. Later, in 1997 a new building, Tiferes Yonasan, was erected, which attached the study hall further down Windermere Street to the dormitories and extended the main building, including the study hall and the dining room. The last extension on the right hand side added more lecture halls. In addition these extensions created a courtyard leading on from the back alley, from Rydal Street.
Hashkafa
The yeshiva was originally established as a branch of the Novardok network of yeshivas then existing in Eastern Europe. The primary focal point of Novahrdock hashkafa is extreme reliance on Divine providence and commitment to achieving spiritual goals without feeling encumbered by physical and material constraints.
