Chaim Walkin

Chaim Walkin (Hebrew: חיים וואלקין; September 1945 – 6 November 2022)^[1] was a Chinese-born Israeli Orthodox rabbi, dean, and lecturer.

Chaim Walkin was born into a rabbinical family. His grandfather, Rabbi Aron Walkin, was the Chief Rabbi of Pinsk, Belarus.^[2]

Walkin's maternal grandfather, Rabbi Moshe Londinsky, headed the yeshiva in Radin with the Chofetz Chaim. His uncle and namesake, Rabbi Chaim Walkin, served as the last dean of the Volozhin yeshiva^[3] until World War II.

Walkin's father, Rabbi Shmuel Walkin, was active in the rescue of Jews from Europe during World War II. He headed the Jewish community in Shanghai, and was known for his warmth and care of all the refugees.^[4] Upon arrival in the U.S. he founded a synagogue for the refugee families and provided for their needs. The Shanghai refugees were his closest family^[5] until his death in 1979.

Using unauthorized transit visas, issued by the Japanese Consul Chiune Sugihara, the Walkin family escaped from the Nazis together with the Mir yeshiva (Poland) and its community from Vilna, Lithuania, via the Trans-Siberian Railway to Kobe, Japan, then to China where they found relative peace.^[6]

In 1946 the Walkin family left China for the United States and settled in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York. When Chaim Walkin was eight years old he was granted American citizenship. The ceremony was commemorated with a photograph and an article on the front page of The New York Times and the Herald Tribune.^[7] He began his studies at Yeshiva Chaim Berlin in Brooklyn, then in Telshe yeshiva in Cleveland, Ohio.

After his marriage in 1967, Walkin immigrated to Israel, settled in Jerusalem and established his place of study at the Mir yeshiva under the then head of the yeshiva, Rabbi Chaim Leib Shmuelevitz.

ミル・イェシーバーで学んだ後、ウォーキンはエルサレム旧市街のアイシュ・ハトーラー・イェシーバーとペタフ・ティクヴァのオール・イスラエル・イェシーバーでタルムードの講師に任命された。

1989年、イェシーバー・アテレツ・イスラエルのマシュギアハの死後、ウォーキンはエルサレムに戻り、ラビ養成学校とイェシーバー・アテレツ・イスラエルのマシュギアハの職に就いた。^{[ 8 ]}

ウォーキンは、ラビ・ハイム・レイブ・シュムエレヴィッツの教えに基づき、独自の指導法を開発した。それは、生徒一人ひとりにきめ細やかな指導を行うことを重視し、一度に6～8人の少人数グループで、明確なメッセージを伝える短い講義を行うというものだった。彼は、厳しい方法ではなく、協力による教育を提唱した。

2008年7月、ウォーキンはエルサレムの自宅で脳卒中を起こし、数ヶ月間ラビ養成学校での職務を続けることができなかった。リハビリ期間を経て、彼は職務に復帰した。 ^{[ 9 ]}

ハイム・ウォーキン師は2022年11月6日、77歳で死去した。

• 『内なる世界― 現代ムサール論集』（1997年）[英語、フランス語、スペイン語に翻訳]
• 『内なる世界 ― 崇高なる日々 ― 審判の日々についてのエッセイ』（2008年）[英語とフランス語に翻訳]
• Ritva - Mo'ed Katanについて、写本から翻訳、（1975年）。

1998年、著書『内なる世界』でブネイ・ブラク市賞を受賞。

• Rabbi Chaim Walkin is one of the leading deans in Haredi world, interview with Yitzchak Walkin, by S. Chen, YNET, 19.08.08.
• Watch Walkin's Lectures, (Hebrewà at beinenu.com
• Ra’anana Community Kollel, Audio Lecture at Raananakollel.org
• Mishpacha Magazine, "Torat Chaim", by Moshe Grilak, [front cover interview with Walkin] 19 September 2007.
• BaKehila Newspaper, "what I remember". Interview with Rabbi Chaim Walkin. by Ahron Rubin.
• Yated Ne'Eman Newspaper and Magazine, Article about Walkin, by Avraham HaKohen, 16 May 2005.
• "A Jew Returns Home", 'Rebbetzin Henny Walkin and her husband Rabbi Chaim Walkin in Jerusalem. They became my surrogate family'.

• Walkin at YouTube