Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz, the founder of Artscroll Publishing Group, passed away on Friday night.
He was 73 and passed away after an illness.
Rabbi Zlotowitz was a student of the Posek Hador, Hagaon HaRav Moshe Feinstein obm at Mesivta Tifereth Jerusalem.
After graduation, he became director of a high-end graphics studio in New York. The firm, named ArtScroll Studios, produced brochures, invitations, awards and kesubahs. Rabbi Nosson Scherman, then principal of Yeshiva Karlin Stolin Boro Park, was recommended to Rabbi Zlotowitz as someone who could write copy, and they collaborated on a few projects.
In late 1975, a close friend of Rabbi Zlotowitz, Rabbi Meir Fogel, was suddenly NIftar, prompting him to want to do something to honor his memory. As Purim was a few months away, he decided to write an English translation and commentary on Megilas Esther, and asked Rabbi Scherman to write the introduction. The Sefer was completed in honor of the shloshim and sold out its first edition of 20,000 copies within two months. With the encouragement of the Gedolei Hador, Rav Mosehe Feinstein, Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky, and others, the two continued producing commentaries, beginning with a translation and commentary on the rest of the Five Megillos and went on to publish translations and commentaries on Tanach, Talmud Bavli and Yerushalmi, and hundreds of other Seforim.
The name ArtScroll was chosen for the publishing company to emphasize the visual appeal of the books.
In its first 25 years, ArtScroll produced more than 700 books, including novels, history books, children’s books and secular textbooks, and is now one of the largest publishers of Jewish books in the United States.
There is almost no Jewish home in the world that doesn’t have Artscroll Seforim.
Levaya details will be published when they become available.
Boruch Dayan Ha’Emes
I have a familial connection, of my great grandfather and his wife’s great grandfather (on my Mom’s side of the family). My great grandfather asked his wife’s great grandfather to start a yeshiva for his children in Montreal and our families have been connected ever since. Also, my Dad worked for Artscroll many years ago and was close with Rabbi Zlotowitz ztl No one in the world has done as much for Klal Yisroel with all the seforim he has published and are located in shuls, schools, homes, etc. He was a very holy soul and has amassed a fortune… Read more »
My entire family owes so much to Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz, for all the seforim that he made accessible to us, from children’s storybooks to classic Torah gems. When my son was struggling with teitching chumash and learning gemorah, Artscroll saved his (spiritual) life! Instead of CV”S dropping out of yeshiva and going OTD because of his failing grades, he pulled through with the help of Artscroll, and now, as an adult, Baruch Hashem, he STILL enjoys learning on a regular basis, with his Artscroll Shas! Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz, thank you for the tremendous amount of Torah you made accessible to… Read more »
Artscroll Seforim cover most of my Chabad House!
what a loss!
HOW MANY KIDS WERE SAVED FROM BECOMING JUST ANOTHER FAILED STATISTIC IN MESIVTAS AND YESHIVAS THE WORLD OVER BY HIS VISION OF TRANSLATING SHAS
Rabbi Zlotowitz has made Torah accessible to many Yidden all around the world. תנצב״ה
2pm Shomrei Hadass
14th ave & 38th St