The Chazon Ish aimed for a quiet life of anonymity, but history made different demands. As the two World Wars swept European Jewry into a storm, the Chazon Ish found his niche guiding the Jewish people, first in Vilna, and ultimately, in the Holy Land.

Individual lectures:

The “Ish,” Young and Unknown - From his “miracle birth” alone, Abraham Karelitz seemed destined for greatness, but as a young man, he preferred anonymity. Signing his early writings simply as “the Ish,” their brilliance still raised interest. In the first of this three-part biography, Rabbi Wein tells the ironic tale of a gadol’s attempt to avoid the limelight.

Years of Turmoil - World War I devastated European Jewry, forcing the great men of the generation to act. The Chazon Ish preferred to work behind the scenes, but his mentors, the Chofetz Chaim and Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzensky, urged him center-stage. Rabbi Wein follows the Chazon Ish’s ascent to leadership - from war-torn Vilna to the nascent town of Bnei Brak.

In the Holy Land - By the time the Chazon Ish settled in the Land of Israel, he was the recognized posek of the generation. Rabbi Wein delves into some of the fascinating Halachic issues that crossed his desk and treats us to the gripping stories of his final years, including his historic meeting with Ben Gurion.