BD’E – Harav Nota Greenblatt, Zt”l

Hamodia is saddened to report the petirah of Harav Nota Greenblatt, zt”l, the longtime Rav of Memphis, Tennessee and a recognized expert in Hilchos Gittin. He was ninety-six years old.

Rav Greenblatt was the son of Harav Yitzchak Greenblatt, who was a Rav in Washington, D.C. and later in Ellenville, NY and Newark, NJ, before settling in Boro Park. Rav Nota was first a talmid of Harav Dovid Lebowitz, zt”l, in Yeshiva Rabeinu Yisrael Meir (Choftz Chaim), and spent some time learning in the yeshiva of Rav Soloveichik, zt”l, in Boston, during which he learned with Rav Michel Feinstein, zt”l. He then learned in Eretz Yisrael with Harav Aharon Cohen, zt”l, later Rosh Yeshivas Chevron, and under Harav Issur Zalman Meltzer, zt”l.

After returning to America, he learned in Mesivta Tiferes Yerushalayim as a talmid of Hagaon Harav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l, and developed a close relationship with him.

He moved to Memphis in 19949 and founded Memphis Hebrew Academy. Together with his nephew, Harav Ephraim Greenblatt, zt”l, worked tirelessly to uplift the level of observance in the city.

Rav Nota spent a lot of time and energy arranging gittin for women throughout the United States, and served as a mohel as well.

The levayah will be held on Sunday, May 2, at 2 p.m., at Mesivta Tiferes Yerushalayim, 145 East Broadway in Manhattan.

Yehi zichro baruch.