Dovid Kviat

Rabbi Dovid Kviat (December 6, 1920, Białystok, Poland[1] – November 11, 2009,[2] Brooklyn, New York, United States) was a Rosh Yeshiva in the Mirrer Yeshiva in Brooklyn and the Rabbi of the Agudas Yisroel Synagogue of 18th Avenue.

Rabbi Kviat was one of the last "Alte Mirrer", the title given to those who studied in the Mirrer Yeshiva in Poland, and who survived the hands of the Nazis by fleeing with the entire Yeshiva[2] through Siberia to Kobe, Japan[3] (through the efforts of Chiune Sugihara); and on to Shanghai, China.

Biography

Rabbi Kviat was born in Białystok, Poland. His father was Rabbi Avrohom Eliezer Kviat. Rav Avrohom Eliezer was a student of both the Slabodka Yeshiva as well as the Novardok yeshiva in Europe, although he was a Slonimer Chasid. Rav Dovid had two older brothers, Yaakov and Yisroel.

The Kviat family was extremely poor as were most residents of Białystok at the time. At the age of three, Rav Dovid's mother, Chaya Reisha, died. Reb Dovid's aunt helped take care of him after that.

The Torah education system in Białystok was unique in that the Cheder and the Mesivta Yeshiva were both in the same city and under the same educational system. Most other cities only had a cheder.

Reb Dovid's two older brothers continued after Mesivta in the Slonimer Yeshiva called Toras Chesed. For some reason, Reb Dovid chose to go to one of the Lithuanian Yeshivos instead of the Slonimer Yeshiva. The choices were between the Yeshivos of Kaminetz and Mir. Reb Dovid chose Mir.

Rabbi Kviat is most famous for his works on the Talmud entitled "Sukas Dovid." Rav Kviat has written commentaries on the bible and the Jewish holidays, also named "Sukas Dovid."[2]

He is interred on the Mount of Olives.[3]

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References
  1. Polish consulate Staff (1934–1941), The Ledger listing in handwriting persons registered at the Polish consulate in Shanghai, 1934–1941, on the basis of documents issued by Polish authorities (Ledger) (in Polish), Shanghai, China, p. 156, retrieved 2009-11-11, Entry Number: 1242; Registration Date: 21-11-1944; Name: Kwiat, Dawid; Profession: Uczen (Student); Religion: Mojzesz( Moses/Jewish); Birth Date: 06.12.1920; Birth Location: Bialystok; Marital Status: kawaler (single)
  2. Yeshiva World News Staff (2009-11-11). "Levaya of Hagon Rav Dovid Kviat ZATZAL". Yeshiva World News. Retrieved 2009-11-11.
  3. Tannenbaum, Rabbi Gershon (Nov 18, 2009). "Rabbi Dovid Kviat, zt"l Last Of The Alter Mirrer". The Jewish Press. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  • The information contained here is from an upcoming article in the Five Towns Jewish Times by the author
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