Tzvi Hirsch Telzner

Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Telzner (born in 5708, 1948) is a shliach of the Rebbe and the rabbi of the Chabad community in Melbourne, Australia. Previously, he served as a moreh tzedek in the Lubavitch community in London.

Life History

He was born in the West Side of Manhattan, New York in 5708 to his father Rabbi David Shraga Telzner and his mother Mrs. Zelda. At his bris, he was named Zvi Hirsch after his paternal grandfather. His family was a respected rabbinic family from Mizrachi circles, and his connection with Chabad Chassidus began already with his father, who during his youthful years studied in a yeshiva in Riga and merited to participate in farbrengens with the Rebbe Rayatz. When the Rebbe Rayatz came to America, his father renewed his connection with the Rebbe Rayatz and even assisted with secretarial work during the first period when the Rebbe lived at the "Greystone" hotel in his early days in America.

In his childhood, he was educated in a Talmud Torah founded by the Bobover Rebbe near his parents' home in Manhattan. As he grew older, he went to study at Rabbi Jacob Joseph Yeshiva in the East Side of Manhattan, and later at Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Yeshiva.

In the summer of 5720, his parents registered him for Camp Gan Israel, and under the influence of counselors Rabbi Meir Ronnes and Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Shem Tov, who would periodically send him sichos and maamarim of the Rebbe, he continued to maintain his connection and even came to visit Beis Chayeinu. He registered again for camp in the three subsequent years, with his counselors having a significant influence on him: Rabbi Yehuda Kalman Marlow, Rabbi Yisroel Lebkowski, and Rabbi Yisroel Friedman.

Before the 5727 academic year, he was sent by his parents to study in the Holy Land. During the month of Elul, he studied in a yeshiva high school, and during that month managed to establish a Tanya class there. After the holidays, he transferred to Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim in Kfar Chabad, from which he continued the following year to Yeshivas Toras Emes in Jerusalem as part of a group of student shluchim together with his friends Rabbi Chaim Ashkenazi, Shimon Rosenberg, Pinchas Trebnik and other friends. In the following academic year, he studied at the Central Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim at 770.

After his marriage in Elul 5730 to his wife Mrs. Leah Miriam Bluma, daughter of Rabbi Yitzchak David Groner, shliach of the Rebbe and rabbi of the Chabad community in Melbourne, Australia, he entered the Kollel for married students, where he diligently studied halacha for three years and received rabbinical ordination. At the end of this period, following the Rebbe's instruction, he accepted the offer of rabbinical position in London and began serving as a moreh tzedek in the Lubavitch community in the city.

In 5759, he joined hundreds of rabbis and morei tzedek who signed the psak din that the Rebbe is Melech HaMoshiach.

After the passing of his father-in-law in Tammuz 5768, he was appointed in his place as rabbi of the Chabad community in Melbourne, Australia.

Family

• His brother-in-law, R' Avraham Moshe Zitnik
• His son, R' Mordechai Avraham Yeshaya Telzner, among the heads of Chabad Kollel in the USA and the Chernobyl Children's Organization.
• His son, R' Yaakov Naftali Telzner
• His son, R' Chaim Moshe Telzner, shliach of the Rebbe to Normal, Illinois.
• His son, R' Shmuel Telzner, member of the "Kapelye" choir and Rosh Mesivta at Ohalei Torah.
• His son, R' Menachem Mendel Telzner
• His son, R' Yosef Telzner, among the heads of the "Renewal" organization and rabbi of the "Perlman" synagogue in New York.
• His son, R' Levi Telzner, shliach of the Rebbe to Costa Rica. Serves as coordinator of "Chassidus Mevoeres," "Maamar Mevoar," and "HaTamim" systems. Also known as the right hand of Rabbi Yoel Kahn.
• His son-in-law, R' Yechezkel Yisroel Reuven Cooper
• His son-in-law, R' Avraham HaKohen Stipelman, among the Rebbe's shluchim in Paulo, Brazil