hˈɜːʃəl ʃˈætʃtɚ wʌz bˈɔːɹn ɪn skɹˈæntən, pˌɛnsɪlvˈeɪniə tə mˈɛlɛtʃ ʃˈætʃtɚ, ɐ ɹˈɑːʃ jˈɛshɪvə dˈiːn æt jˈɛshɪvə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi wˌaɪjˈuː.
Hershel Schachter was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania to Melech Schachter, a rosh yeshiva (dean) at Yeshiva University (YU).