Memory Lane: Rav Avrohom Shkop

A fixture in Boro Park’s Mirer Minyan was Rav Avrohom Shkop, the grandson of the legendary Rosh Yeshiva of Grodno. Anyone connected with the Mirer Minyan—the second-generation descendants of the Alte Mirers who transplanted that unique spirit to Boro Park of yore, drawing together the chaverim who were together in the Mir and in Shanghai—immediately smile upon hearing the name Rav Avrohom. And the next words are always about his middos and his eidelkeit. 

Grodno of Yore

Rav Avrohom was born in Grodno in the year 1915, to his father Rav Moshe Mordechai, who was the son of Rav Shimon—author of the monumental Shaarei Yosher, and the Rosh Yeshiva of Sha’ar Hatorah in Grodno, one of the most prominent Yeshivos in the prewar era. 

Rav Moshe Mordechai had learned in the Kovno Kollel, and had assumed the leadership of the yeshiva after the passing of his illustrious father. As WWII approached, he escaped with the the yeshiva to Vilna. His recently-engaged son Avrohom, as well his kallah Dina, went along with them. Along with the Mirer yeshiva, they reached Kobe, Japan. From there, the yeshiva would go to Shanghai. But the Shkop’s, along with the families of rav Moshe Leib Levovitz’s, Rav Avrohom Joffen, Rav Moshe Shatzkes, and Rav Dovid Lifshitz got visas for America, where they arrived in 1941. The rebbetzin would recall cooking potatoes for her father in law in her tiny pot upon the ship’s enormous commercial stove.   

Middos and Torah Scholarship 

For most of his years in America, Rav Avrohom—as well as his Rebbetzin—taught in a number of schools. Wherever he went, his unique confluence of Torah and middos lit up the room. 

One person who knew him well from the days in the Mirer minyan—during its heyday, in the 1970’s— recalls; “I sat at the table behind him. He was the gentlest man... ‘like fine satin.’ His countenance enveloped everyone around him.” One lifelong impact that this person recalls was the time that Rav Avrohom approached the amud to daven on the yohrtzeit of his father, Rav Moshe Mordechai, when another person came up to him, wanting the amud. Without hesitating, he stepped away, saying… ‘This will be l’iluy nishmaso.” 

In those days in the Mirer Minyan, there was a rotation of Talmidei Chachomim who would darshen following davening on Shabbos morning. It must be understood who the ‘Alte Mirers’ were who inhabited that little shul on 54th Street… These men would not give you an easy time. They were sharp, they would argue, and they were extremely learned. “The only one whom no one would contradict was Rav Avrohom. He was an outstanding Talmid Chochom, in addition to his other qualities.” 

Another acquaintance who knew Rav Avrohom through his brother-in-law Rav Zelig Epstein (since his father, like Rav Zelig, was from Slonim) recalled: “He was an emeser litvak, straight like a ruler… and even more. There was not a shred of crookedness to him. Not only didn’t a thought cross his mind that wasn’t complete yosher—but neither could he fathom the same thing in others. This did not make him a very shrewd businessman with regard to many who wished to reprint his grandfather, Rav Shimon’s, seforim…  

“On Shabbos morning he would deliver a shiur in Mishna Berura, for which he would prepare at length. Every chiddush brought him boundless joy. He applied the same thorough, relentless preparation to all of his courses and lectures. 

A niece recalls her “Uncle Avremel” would always study with her for tests… but one time, she told him about a friend who’d lost her father and was struggling to prepare for an exam. Without hesitating, he picked up the phone and coached her until she too was prepared for the test.

Rav Avrohom left this world in summer of 2001 following a lifetime dedicated to Torah learning.