Yeshivat Wilrijk (officially Yeshivas Eitz Chaim Wilrijk) is a Lithuanian-style Orthodox yeshiva located in Wilrijk, a district of Antwerp, Belgium. It is one of the principal institutions of advanced Torah study in the city and serves as the continuation of the historic Etz Chaim Yeshiva that was founded in Heide before the Second World War.
History
After the destruction of the original Eitz Chaim Yeshiva during the Holocaust, efforts were made to re-establish the institution in Antwerp, where much of Belgium's Orthodox Jewish community had settled after the war. The yeshiva eventually found its permanent home in Wilrijk in 1961, where it continues to operate.
Over the decades, the yeshiva has become one of the central pillars of Antwerp's Torah world. It attracts students from Belgium as well as from other European countries, Israel, and overseas, maintaining the educational traditions established by the original Etz Chaim.
Leadership
The yeshiva has been guided by several distinguished roshei yeshiva throughout its post-war history.
Among its leading figures was Rabbi Chaim Kreiswirth, who played a significant role in strengthening the institution during the post-war years while simultaneously serving as Chief Rabbi of Antwerp.
The yeshiva later came under the leadership of Rabbi Chaim Aryeh Shpitz, who continues the educational legacy of the institution. Under his guidance, the yeshiva has maintained its reputation as one of Western Europe's foremost centres of advanced Torah learning.
Educational Program
Etz Chaim follows the traditional Lithuanian yeshiva curriculum, with its primary focus on the study of the Talmud and its commentaries. The daily schedule combines in-depth analytical study with broader coverage of the Talmudic tractates, complemented by lectures delivered by the roshei yeshiva and senior faculty members.
The yeshiva provides both a structured educational framework and an environment that encourages independent learning, attracting students seeking advanced Torah scholarship.
The Yeshiva Today
Today, Etz Chaim Yeshiva continues to play an important role within Antwerp's Orthodox Jewish community. It remains one of Belgium's leading institutions of higher Torah education and has produced generations of rabbis, educators, and community leaders who have served Jewish communities throughout Europe and beyond.
Although the Wilrijk campus represents the modern continuation of the institution, it preserves the heritage and traditions of the original Etz Chaim Yeshiva established in Heide before the Second World War.