R. Nosson Tzvi Finkel of Mir

R. Nosson Tzvi Finkel (1943-2011), rosh yeshiva of the Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem, transformed Mir into the largest yeshiva in Jewish history — over 9,000 students at his death, more than double any previous Torah institution. Born in Chicago, he made aliyah at 22 to learn at Mir under his great-uncle R. Beinish Finkel, eventually succeeding him in 1990. Despite contracting Parkinson's disease in his thirties and battling its progressive deterioration for over four decades, he led the yeshiva and traveled the globe raising funds for it.

His American-born background, fluent English, and direct approach made him uniquely effective with English-speaking baalei batim donors; his charisma drew thousands of American and Israeli students into the kollel system. He insisted on continuing to give shiurim despite his trembling and difficulty speaking — his weekly mussar shiur was attended by hundreds.