Leibowitz was born in 1918 in
Šalčininkai, Lithuania, and was the only son of
Dovid Leibowitz. He came to America in 1926 when his father was hired by
Mesivta Torah Vodaath as a teacher. In 1933, his father left Torah Vodaath and founded
Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yisrael Meir HaKohen. His father's death in 1941 left him in charge of the yeshiva in his early 20s. He built a network of Jewish educational institutions in the United States, Canada and
Israel. New York governor
David Paterson reportedly called Leibowitz “the most honest person in the state of New York”. ==Notable students==