Rabbi Elya Svei was the Rosh Yeshiva

Rosh yeshiva

Rosh yeshiva, , , is the title given to the dean of a Talmudical academy . It is made up of the Hebrew words rosh — meaning head, and yeshiva — a school of religious Jewish education...

 of the Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia

Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia

The Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia, known as "Philly", is a Haredi Litvish yeshiva. Its roshei yeshiva are Rabbi Elya Svei, Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky, Rabbi Yehudah Svei and Rabbi Sholom Kaminetsky...

 together with Rabbi

Rabbi

In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...

 Shmuel Kamenetsky

Shmuel Kamenetsky

Shmuel Kamenetsky is a Haredi rabbi and co-founder and rosh yeshiva of the Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia. He is one of the best-known living Haredi Litvish Jewish gedolim outside Israel and the best-known son of Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky , one of America's greatest Torah...

, and was internationally known for his incisive, brilliant and clear shiurim (lectures), and his ability to offer sage advice to thousands of Jews worldwide. He was a primary student of Rabbi Aharon Kotler

Aharon Kotler

Aharon Kotler was an Orthodox Jewish rabbi and a prominent leader of Orthodox Judaism in Lithuania, and later the United States, where he built Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood Township, New Jersey.- Early life :...

. Until his illness in the period before his death, he was regarded as one of the leaders of Charedi Jewry, and was a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah

Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah

Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah refers to the supreme rabbinical policy-making council of any of several related Haredi Jewish organizations....

 and chairman of the Rabbinic Administrative Board of Torah Umesorah, until he resigned from both in June 2002, reportedly due to an ideological dispute with his colleagues.

Rabbi Svei's father was a member of the Kovno Kollel

Kovno kollel

The Kovno Kollel also known as Kollel Perushim of Kovno or Kollel Knesses Beis Yitzchok, was a kollel located in Kaunas, Lithuania. It was founded in 1877 by Rabbi Yisrael Lipkin Salanter when he was 67....

 in Slabodka and spent his early years there.

Rabbi Svei was a son-in-law of Rabbi Avraham Kalmanovitz, the founder of the Brooklyn branch of the Mir Yeshiva

Mir yeshiva (Brooklyn)

The Mir yeshiva , commonly known as the Mirrer Yeshiva or The Mir, is officially registered with the College Board as the Mirrer Yeshiva Central Institute. It is a prominent, Haredi yeshiva located in Brooklyn, New York known for its excellence in talmudic studies.Its long-time Rosh Yeshiva was...

, and was the brother-in-law of Rabbi Shmuel Berenbaum

Shmuel Berenbaum

Rabbi Shmuel Berenbaum was the rosh yeshiva of the Mir yeshiva in Brooklyn, New York City which includes an elementary school and a high school, as well as its post-graduate Talmudical Academy, and a Kollel.-History:...

.

His advice was sought after by the leading Roshei Yeshiva in America - including the deans of his own alma mater - Bais Medrash Govoha in Lakewood. He was the leading force behind the establishment of Sinai Academy

Sinai Academy

Sinai Academy is a private junior high and high school currently located in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, New York, whose students are primarily children of immigrants from the former Soviet Union...

in Brooklyn - the organization that has spearheaded the resurgence of Russian born Talmudic scholars.