Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Isaac Chavel received rabbinic ordination in 1961 from Rabbi Israel Ze’ev Gustman, z”l, Dean of Netzach Israel-Ramailis Yeshiva. In 1966, he was awarded a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the Belfer Graduate School of Science of Yeshiva University, where he wrote his doctoral thesis under the direction of the late Harry Ernest Rauch. Chavel is Professor Emeritus in Mathematics at The City College and Graduate Center of the City University of New York, and his research concentrated in Riemmanian Geometry and Partial Differential Equations. He has written advanced monographs and published his research in international mathematics journals, as well as having published articles in areas of Jewish thought.

Isaac Chavel and his wife, Arlene, is a long time resident of Riverdale, NY, where they raised three children. They are blessed with grandchildren and great-grandchildren.