Rabbi Eliyahu Simcha Schustal (1923 – April 23, 2012) was a premier 20th-century American Haredi rabbinic authority, Rosh Yeshiva (yeshiva head), and Rosh Kollel. He was highly revered as a scholar's scholar, possessing an extraordinary analytical mind and a lifetime spent training elite Talmudists.

For nearly three decades, he led the elite postgraduate institution of Beth Medrash Elyon in Monsey, New York, before moving on to establish Yeshiva Bais Binyomin of Stamford, Connecticut, which became his crowning legacy.

Early Life and Radical Scholarship

• The Prized Student: Born in Europe, Rabbi Schustal immigrated to the United States as a young man and enrolled in Yeshiva Torah Vodaath in Brooklyn, New York. There, he became one of the most outstanding and beloved disciples of the legendary Rabbi Shlomo Heiman, entirely absorbing his rigorous analytical methodology.

• The Dynastic Marriage: He married Sarah Ehrenfeld, the daughter of the preeminent Rabbi Shmuel Ehrenfeld (the Mattisdorfer Rav). This marriage connected him directly to the proud rabbinic heritage of pre-war Europe.

The Monsey Years: Beth Medrash Elyon

In the post-WWII era, Rabbi Schustal moved to Monsey, New York, to help lead Beth Medrash Elyon, which was one of the very first high-level, advanced postgraduate kollels (institutes for full-time married scholars) established in America.

He served as the Rosh Kollel there for nearly 30 years. Under his guidance, Beth Medrash Elyon became a legendary incubator for elite Torah talent, molding many young American scholars who would eventually become major Roshei Yeshiva, authors, and communal leaders across the globe.

The Stamford Revolution

In 1976, Rabbi Schustal took a monumental step by founding Yeshiva Bais Binyomin in Stamford, Connecticut. Moving an advanced, traditional Lithuanian-style yeshiva out of major Jewish hubs like Brooklyn or Monsey into a quiet Connecticut suburb was a bold, highly impactful move.

• Building from Scratch: He launched the yeshiva with just a few dozen students. Under his 36 years of unwavering leadership, it expanded into a prominent, multi-tiered institution housing over 100 dedicated high school and advanced Talmudic students.

• Communal Impact: Though his primary passion was advanced Talmudic dissection (Iyun), his presence transformed the city of Stamford. His absolute sincerity, accessible nature, and righteousness elevated the spiritual tone of the local community.

Personal Traits and Legacy

Rabbi Schustal was widely celebrated for his fierce attachment to study and an unmatched enthusiasm when discussing Jewish law. He taught his students that true Torah knowledge is only acquired through intense intellectual effort and absolute humility.

He passed away in 2012 at the age of 89. His massive funeral procession spanned from New Jersey through New York, and his body was flown to Israel to be laid to rest.

An Elite Rabbinic Dynasty

Rabbi Schustal’s profound influence continues heavily through his children and sons-in-law, who occupy some of the most influential leadership positions in modern Orthodox Jewry:

• Rabbi Dovid Schustal: His eldest son, who serves as one of the four supreme Roshei Yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, New Jersey (the largest yeshiva in North America).

• Rabbi Shlomo Feivel Schustal: His son, a world-class scholar who serves as a prominent Rosh Yeshiva in passaic, New Jersey.

• Rabbi Tuvia Schustal: His son, who serves as a Rosh Yeshiva in Yeshiva Toras Chesed.

• His daughters married top-tier rabbinic figures, including Rabbi Binyomin Eisenberger (a highly prominent Hasidic rabbi in Boro Park, Brooklyn) and Rabbi Yerachmiel Ungarischer (Rosh Yeshiva of Nachlas Yitzchok).