Rav Yitzchak Abadi was born in Venezuela on Purim 1933. His family moved back to Tveria, Israel at age 2. At age 12 he learned in a yeshiva in Haifa for 3 years.
At age 15 he attended the Yishuv HaChadash and then joined Chevron Yeshiva at age 17.
At 19 years old the Rav asked the Chazon Ish about traveling to Lakewood to learn by Reb Aaron Kotler. The Chazon Ish advised the Rav to go learn in Montreux, Switzerland. A year later the Chazon Ish supported the move to Lakewood to learn by Reb Aaron.
He moved to Lakewood in 1953 and studied under Reb Aaron Kotler for 10 years.