The Rabbi Thread

[arghton 6,887]

Sephardi rabbi Shalom Cohen, 90-year-old President of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah (and pretty much the leader of Israel's Sephardic Haredi Jews), DL Cup pick in March hospitalised again a few days ago, but they insist it's just for tests:

https://www.srugim.co.il/682458-בהדסה-מרגיעים-הרב-שלום-כהן-עובר-בדיקות

He was previously hospitalised in November and in February.

[arghton 6,887]

Well, notable rabbis haven't been falling like flies recently, actually haven't been dying at all since Kanievsky died in March, so here's a small list of who we've got now. List has/will have all or nearly all English wiki-worthy names born in the 1920s and "honorary mentions" born later...Some names are later additions.

Pictures above for some of them

 

 

Erwin Schild (1920-2024) German-born Canadian conservative rabbi (now emeritus) of Toronto's largest conservative synagogue. Survived Dachau, rabbi from the 1940s to the 1980s, outlived his successor in 2014. He has been on oxygen since atleast March 2016 and sounded very frail two years ago, how the hell is he still alive? Also widowed in 2017. Described on his 103rd as "frail and tethered to an oxygen machine". Died on the 6th of January 2024.

Elyakim Schlesinger (1921) A very old london Grand Rabbi and torah scholar. Widowed in 2019.

Gershon Edelstein (1923-2023) Haredi leader, joint leader of the Degel HaTorah political party since Shteinman died in 2017 and sole leader since Kanievsky died in March. Heart cath in 2011, hospitalised multiple times in recent years: In ICU in august 2019, hospitalised again in may 2021, january 2022 and july 2022 with covid + heart attack. Skeleton that has grown frailer and frailer and who now leads the Haredi ultraorthodox community. Finally died on the 30th of May 2023 after another heart attack.

Shubert Spero (1923) Relatively small name, US-born Israeli. His son-in-law and granddaughter were killed in a bombing in 2003. Was in great health in February and I expect he'll outlive atleast a third of the people on this list. Also an old homophobe and cunt.

Shmuel Kamenetsky (1924) Haredi rabbi from the United States who has caused a few controversies, anti-vaxx and thinks that the polio vaccine is a scam. Seems to have been pretty frail for years, widowed this year. Stroke in 2023.

Moshe Sternbuch (1926) Edah HaChareidi leader called Ra'avad, meaning Chief and the VP of Jerusalem's rabbinical court. Hospitalised with weakness in August and underwent pacemaker implantation this month, he was discharged before his pal Tuvia Weiss and met him at the hospital. Very frail for the last years, obese. Also known as the brother-in-law of the late Haredi rabbi/immortal Dovid Soloveitchik. On oxygen since around September 2022 for reasons unknown.

Yitzchok Tuvia Weiss (1926-2022) Edah HaChareidi vice-leader called Gaavad. Long history of poor health, rushed to hospital in 2009, pneumonia in 2012, covid and high bp in 2020. Most recently he was hospitalised this month with a serious leg infection and pneumonia but has already been discharged. Zombielike and unable to walk without being assisted by atleast two people. Hospitalised again in July 2022 and critical on ventilator. Died on the 30th of July 2022 at 95.

David Weiss Halivni (1927-2022) Scholar who survived the holocaust, four concentration camps. As far as I know he's failed to make public appearances for a while. Died on the 29th of June 2022 at 94.

Emanuel Feldman (1927) Small name from Atlanta, US.

Zvi Dershowitz (1928-2023) Boring American guy #3. Decrepit. Died 26th of March 2023.

Shimon Baadani (1928-2023) Sephardi, leading Sephardi rabbi in Israel. Leg infection in 2013, hospitalised with weakness and leg pain in 2019, most recently hospitalised in April 2022 after feeling unwell. Very frail for the last years, and a total cunt who hates gay people and has defended Eliezer Berland. Hospitalised in October 2022 with great weakness, later in very serious condition, but discharged. Hospitalised after suffering a cardiac arrest and undergoing resuscitation in November 2022 in extremely serious condition, woken from coma in December 2022. Later hospitalised again with pneumonia in critical condition and died on the 11th of January 2023.

Aharon Moshe Schechter (ca.1928-2023) American Haredi rabbi. Hospitalised with pneumonia and weakness in 2016, hospitalised again in 2018. Exact birthyear not known, he is thought to have been born around 1928. Hospitalised in serious condition with pneumonia and other ailments in October 2022. Hospitalised in critical condition in August 2023 and died two weeks later on the 24th of August 2023.

Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi (1929-2023) Hareidi rabbi, leader of the non-Hassidic Lithuanian Jews. Heart cath followed by urgent open heart surgery in 2013, stroke in 2015, hospitalised with covid in 2020, hospitalised in June 2021 with weakness and infections, hospitalised again in critical condition, in ICU and on respirator in October 2021 and needed to be resuscitated. Somehow survived again, despite how not a lot of people survive CPR... Around 10% of 90-year-olds survive long enough to get discharged, this guy recovered and was discharged the same week. His survival was called a "medical miracle". Used to shout a lot, but his voice has weakened a lot with age. Hospitalised again in March-April 2023 with severe leg infection. Again hospitalised in July 2023, resuscitated, bounced in and out of critical condition for a month and had a tracheotomy. Died on the 26th of October 2023 after a "sudden deterioration".

Zevulun Charlop (1929-2024) Boring American guy #4. Very quiet nowadays. Died on the 16th of January 2024.

Dov Lando (1930) Leader of the Slabodka yeshiva institution. Fall in 2018, survived covid (omicron) in January 2022. Obese.

Shalom Cohen (1930-2022) Sephardi leader, fall in 2019, hospitalised in November 2021, February, June, July and August 2022. Died on the 22nd of August 2022.

Yaakov Meir Shechter (1930) Breslov hasidic rabbi, kabbalist. Suffering from Parkinson's or similar. Kidnapped in 2022.

Baruch Dov Povarsky (1931) Haredi, hospitalised in October 2021, hospitalised with infections in February 2022.

Haim Drukman (1932-2022) Rabbi/far-right politician hospitalised with heart failure in April 2021 and again in July 2021, hospitalised twice in April 2022 with heart failure and pneumonia. Hospitalised again in June 2022 for a surgery. Circling the drain and now sounds incredibly weak. Hospitalised again in October 2022 with weakness and dehydration. Finally dead on the 25th of December 2022 after a lengthy hospitalisation during which he needed to be resuscitated.

Chanoch Ehrentreu (1932-2022) Former Head of the London Rabbinical Court. Was in critical and unstable condition in ICU following "around five" strokes in October 2020. Another source says he suffered a stroke and a severe stroke days later. He was hospitalised for multiple months and has since been unable to speak or walk, communicates with hand gestures. Died on the 24th of November 2022, a week after being hospitalised in critical condition.

Benjamin Blech (1933) American Orthodox rabbi. Diagnosed with cardiac amyloidosis in 2010 and given six months to live. 12 years later, he's still here.

Dovid Schmidel (1934) Israeli rabbi and Chairman of Asra Kadisha, organization for the preservation of Jewish cemeteries and gravesites throughout the world. On oxygen with covid and pneumonia in 2020.

Avigdor Nebenzahl (1935) Decrepit former rabbi of the Old City of Jerusalem. Needs a lot of support walking and looks half dead.

Yechiel Perr (1935-2024) Founder and rosh yeshiva of the Yeshiva of Far Rockaway in New York and the greatest modern Musar movement thinker. Tefillos asked in January 2024. Died on the 4th of May 2024.

Moshe Hillel Hirsch (1936) Possibly suffering from cancer, hospitalised multiple times in 2023.

Reuven Feinstein (1937) Rabbi of Staten Island, NY, US. Was in a bad car crash in 2018 and sustained internal bleeding, needed a surgery. Knee surgery in August 2022. Wheelchairbound.

Adolf Shayevich (1937) Decrepit controversial Russian rabbi, Moscow Choral Synagogue Chief Rabbi since 1983. Once called the Chief Rabbi of the Soviet Union by the West. Probably the only major Rabbi who supports Putin's war.

Eliezer Berland (1937) Sex offender and fraudster. Hospitalised around 2016, was on ventilator with covid in August 2021. There's also a quite strong chance of an unnatural death with this one.

Yaakov Aryeh Alter (1939) Rebbe of the Hasidic Dynasty of Ger since 1993 and some kind of a former kingmaker in Israeli politics. Already suffering from chronic health problems in his kidneys and heart before 2017, in 2018 he had what was possibly a stroke or a heart attack and other patients were thrown out of the hospital he was treated in due to him needing the doctors more for some religious bullshit reason. Hospitalised with covid in 2021. Known also for his vast wealth, one of the richest people in Israel.

David Twersky (1940) Decrepit Grand Rabbi of New Square and the worldwide Skver Hasidism. Nearly a godlike figure to his followers, survived a car crash in 2022. Severe cardiac event in December 2022.

Moshe Leib Rabinovich (1940) Another ancient leader of a Hasidic dynasty, current rebbe of Munkacs. He's now the age his father died at.

Baruch Abuhatzeira (1941) Moroccan-Israeli Kabbalist rabbi from the Abuhatzeira dynasty. Frail and gone downhill for years. Now needs a rollator to walk. Tax fraudster who used to be a millionaire.

Yaakov Moshe Hillel (1945) Kabbalist rabbi. In serious condition with a liver disease in February 2024.

Yissachar Dov Rokeach (1948) The Belzer Rebbe, fifth Rebbe of the Belz dynasty since 1966. Has been in a feud with the Edah HaChareidis, the group of Tuvia Weiss and Sternbuch. Hospitalised for a week with an infection around summer 2020. Later broke COVID protocols, lead to him being in round-clock care in a mini-ICU in his home. Obese and has never been the picture of health. Broken back and surgery in April 2023. Leader of what's probably the second-largest hasidic dynasty in the world.

 

A pretty frail group, but who'll die first? (David Weiss Halivni did)

 

Unknown birthdate:

Aharon Mordechai Rotner (1927?-2023) Friend of the Belzer Rebbes. Suffering from old age ailments for a longer time. Hospitalised in July 2023 with breathing difficulties. Died on the 17th of July 2023 at something between 91 and 96.

Matisyahu Salomon (c. 1937-2024) God knows how old, in failing health since atleast 2016. Died on the 2nd of January 2024, likely at 86.

Yosef Blau (?-) Spiritual supervisor of Roshei Yeshiva of Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary at Yeshiva University. Must be atleast in his 80s. Quite liberal for an orthodox rabbi.

 

 

Rebbetzins (spouses and widows of rabbis):

Tzvia Eliyahu (1933) Widow of Mordechai Eliyahu (1929-2010) who was Chief Rabbi of Israel 1983-1993. Mordechai Eliyahu's successor and successor's wife are both dead. Oldest Rebbetzin with a Hebrew Wiki page by years. Name in Hebrew: צביה אליהו

 

Ones with an Hebrew Wiki but no English one:

Zuriel Shaked? (1920-2023) Libyan-born Israeli rabbi, obese and ancient. Died on the 22nd or 23rd of September 2023. Hebrew name for search purposes: צוריאל שקד

Moshe Wolfson (1924/1925-2024) American guy. Widowed in 2020. Hospitalised and very weak around April 2023. Hebrew name for search purposes: משה וולפסון

Meir Tzvi Bergman / Me'ir Tsevi Begman (1929/1930) Torah Elders Council of Degel HaTorah member. Ill for a while.

Hebrew name for search purposes: מאיר צבי ברגמן

Chai Yitzchok (Isaac) Twersky of Rachmastrivka-Boro Park (1931-2023) Rachmastrivka dynasty's head rabbi who lives New Square often called "Rachmastrivka Rebbe", on ventilator with pneumonia in 2016, yo-yoyed on and off ventilator when hospitalised with pneumonia and other ailments in June-July 2022. Spent three months in hospital, very frail. Finally died on the 16th of August 2023 after a day in critical condition. Hebrew name for search purposes: חי יצחק טברסקי

Moshe Tzadka (1935) Rosh Yeshiva of the Geula branch of Porat Yosef Yeshiva. One of the leading Sephardic rabbis in Israel. Hospitalised in August 2023. Hebrew name for search purposes: משה צדקה

Baruch Shmuel Deutsch / Barukh Shemuʼel ha-Kohen Doiṭsh (1942) One of the leaders of the Haredi Jerusalem faction. Serious leg infection in November 2021, in ICU in March-April 2022, overall very frail. His younger brother died in July/August 2022.

Hebrew name for search purposes: ברוך שמואל דויטש

Shmuel Yaakov Kohn (or Kahn) / Shmuel Yaakov Yenta (1943) Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok hasidic dynasty leader. Cardiac arrest in 2015, gallbladder infection in 2022, kidney failure in 2023. Hebrew name for search purposes: שמואל יעקב קאהן

 

 

In addition, Samaritan High Priest Aabed-El ben Asher ben Matzliach / Abdel IV (1935) is 87 and seems to be rarely seen or heard of nowadays. While there were allegedly around a million Samaritans during biblical times, the number is now around 840. Samaritans, alongside Jews, originate from ancient Israelites and their central holy text is the Samaritan Pentateuch, which Samaritans believe is the original, unchanged version of the Torah.

Post ends.

[Spade_Cooley 9,638]

On 18/06/2022 at 21:25, arghton said:

David Weiss Halivni (1927) Scholar who survived the holocaust, four concentration camps. As far as I know he's failed to make public appearances for a while

 

David Weiss Halivni dead at 94.

[arghton 6,887]

On 18/06/2022 at 23:25, arghton said:

Gershon Edelstein (1923) Haredi leader, joint leader of the Degel HaTorah political party since Shteinman died in 2017 and sole leader since Kanievsky died in March. Hospitalised multiple times in recent years: In ICU in august 2019, hospitalised again in may 2021, january 2022. Skeleton that has grown frailer and frailer and who now leads the Haredi ultraorthodox community.

Edelstein was hospitalised with covid and chest pains recently but (sadly) has been discharged already.

 

On 18/06/2022 at 23:25, arghton said:

Yitzchok Tuvia Weiss (1926) Edah HaChareidi vice-leader called Gaavad. Long history of poor health, rushed to hospital in 2009, pneumonia in 2012, covid and high bp in 2020. Most recently he was hospitalised this month with a serious leg infection and pneumonia but has already been discharged. Zombielike and unable to walk without being assisted by atleast two people.

Yitzchok Tuvia Weiss was hospitalised, sedated and was critical on ventilator, but it's been 11 days now and according to the most recent report he's improving. Will the Gaavad somehow survive again?

Edit: Acute pneumonia.

 

Shimon Baadani is also reportedly ill, atleast according to the Facebook account of cunt Berland...

Shalom Cohen was also hospitalised again earlier this month.

[arghton 6,887]

Yitzchok Tuvia Weiss extremely critical with family members called to his bedside, "receiving electric shocks due to the deterioration of his condition"...

 

He's declined severely "during the last hours" so I assume he'll be gone in a few hours, but with these people you never know. 

[drol 12,156]

22 hours ago, arghton said:

Yitzchok Tuvia Weiss extremely critical with family members called to his bedside, "receiving electric shocks due to the deterioration of his condition"...

 

He's declined severely "during the last hours" so I assume he'll be gone in a few hours, but with these people you never know. 

Tuvia Weiss improving.

 

Groan....

[Ulitzer95 12,906]

23 hours ago, drol said:

Tuvia Weiss improving.

 

Groan....

Tuvia Weiss dead.

 

Terminal lucidity.

[drol 12,156]

Not even that. He vaguely stabilized and they thought prayers were saving him.

 

In fact now he is very stable.

[arghton 6,887]

On 18/06/2022 at 23:25, arghton said:

Shalom Cohen (1931) Sephardi leader, fall in 2019, hospitalised in November 2021, February, June and July 2022.

Shalom Cohen, ultraorthodox rabbi and Shas party spiritual leader hospitalised for the fourth time this year, this time with a leg infection.

[arghton 6,887]

On 15/08/2022 at 22:43, arghton said:

Shalom Cohen, ultraorthodox rabbi and Shas party spiritual leader hospitalised for the fourth time this year, this time with a leg infection.

Shalom Cohen now in ICU, but stable with "no immediate danger to his life"

[arghton 6,887]

On 19/08/2022 at 14:05, arghton said:

Shalom Cohen now in ICU, but stable with "no immediate danger to his life"

Deteriorating seriously and prayer rallies/meetings have been held. Come on!!

Edit: Intubated, deteriorating...

[drol 12,156]

Yes, he is on life support.

 

Anyway I think this is just the beginning of the usual improving/deteriorating roller coaster...

[arghton 6,887]

10 hours ago, drol said:

Yes, he is on life support.

 

Anyway I think this is just the beginning of the usual improving/deteriorating roller coaster...

Shalom Cohen critical with family called to bedside, some articles say he's also severely deteriorating. Yitzchok Tuvia Weiss repeat, he'll be gone within 48 hours and there'll be another massive funeral gathering

[drol 12,156]

Shalom Cohen dead.

[arghton 6,887]

On 18/06/2022 at 23:25, arghton said:

Shimon Baadani (1928) Sephardi, leading Sephardi rabbi in Israel. Leg infection in 2013, hospitalised with weakness and leg pain in 2019, most recently hospitalised in April 2022 after feeling unwell. Very frail for the last years, and a total cunt who hates gay people and has defended Eliezer Berland.

Shimon Baadani hospitalised with "great weakness". They're asking for prayers but it doesn't seem very serious.

 

Also Eliezer Berland was trying to get to Ukraine last week.

And Rabbi Eliezer Kogel (Hebrew wiki, not mentioned on the original list) dead at 98.

[arghton 6,887]

On 03/10/2022 at 20:51, arghton said:

Shimon Baadani hospitalised with "great weakness". They're asking for prayers but it doesn't seem very serious.

Missed that Shimon Baadani was never discharged and was severely deteriorating five days ago. Nothing since apparently.

 

Gershon Edelstein's July heart attack seems to have worsened his health.

Moshe Sternbuch on the other hand has also weakened a lot in recent months since his health issues in the summer and pacemaker implantation (and losing his best friend Tuvia Weiss) and now has a nasal cannula:

(Rabbi Schild has had a nasal cannula since he was around 95/96 and is now 102, but Sternbuch with all his heart problems, obesity and overall frailness is in worse health than Schild was at around 100. Won't be suprised if he doesn't make it to his next birthday.)

 

And, more...

On 18/06/2022 at 23:25, arghton said:

Aharon Moshe Schechter (ca.1928) American Haredi rabbi. Hospitalised with pneumonia and weakness in 2016, hospitalised again in 2018. Exact birthyear not known, he is thought to have been born around 1928.

US rabbi Aharon Moshe Schechter is critically ill with pneumonia and multiple chronic health issues. Has been in failing health for ages.

 

And another from the list, far-right politico Haim Drukman, hospitalised four days ago with fever and dehydration but was "improving" three days ago.

 

Edit: Oh, and, Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi looks very frail now.

Logically shouldn't be alive as he was critical and in artificial coma after being resuscitated following a serious heart attack in November 2021. I expect if not everyone, nearly everyone on the list will be dead soon

[arghton 6,887]

Shimon Baadani has undegone complex treatment and has improved (somehow), they're now considering discharging him. Not mentioned what this "complex treatment" was.

[arghton 6,887]

On 21/10/2022 at 00:30, arghton said:

Shimon Baadani has undegone complex treatment and has improved (somehow), they're now considering discharging him. Not mentioned what this "complex treatment" was.

Shimon Baadani discharged somehow. His house has been renovated to "receive him" and he needs to undergo more treatment at home.

[arghton 6,887]

On 18/06/2022 at 23:25, arghton said:

Haim Drukman (1932) Rabbi/far-right politician hospitalised with heart failure in April 2021 and again in July 2021, hospitalised twice in April 2022 with heart failure and pneumonia. Hospitalised again in June 2022 for a surgery. Circling the drain and now sounds incredibly weak. Hospitalised again in October 2022 with weakness and dehydration. 

Not yet 90 but Haim Drukman, one of Israel's most influential religious leaders celebrated his 90th birthday four days ago.

What's the thing that seems to be attached to him? Can't see properly as the pictures are shite.

 

I've added a few people to the list.

Fat old guy Yissachar Dov Rokeach and his group selling his car. The car is described as pampering, used modestly, very carefully maintained and it has "benefits attributed only to him due to his miraculous holiness".

[arghton 6,887]

On 25/10/2022 at 19:28, arghton said:

Shimon Baadani discharged somehow. His house has been renovated to "receive him" and he needs to undergo more treatment at home.

Shimon Baadani, major Sephardi rabbi and good friend/potential successor of that S. Cohen hospitalised again, this time in coma on ventilator after being resuscitated. Apparently "stable" currently.

[drol 12,156]

5 minutes ago, arghton said:

Shimon Baadani, major Sephardi rabbi and good friend/potential successor of that S. Cohen hospitalised again, this time in coma on ventilator after being resuscitated. Apparently "stable" currently.

Shimon Baadani is on my immortals list for next year.

[drol 12,156]

20 hours ago, arghton said:

Shimon Baadani, major Sephardi rabbi and good friend/potential successor of that S. Cohen hospitalised again, this time in coma on ventilator after being resuscitated. Apparently "stable" currently.

Shimon Baadani deteriorating further...

[drol 12,156]

20 hours ago, drol said:

Shimon Baadani deteriorating further...

Shimon Baadani tests positive for COVID.

[YoungWillz 21,251]

On 18/06/2022 at 21:25, arghton said:

Chanoch Ehrentreu (1932) Former Head of the London Rabbinical Court. Was in critical and unstable condition in ICU following "around five" strokes in October 2020. Another source says he suffered a stroke and a severe stroke days later. He was hospitalised for multiple months and has since been unable to speak or walk, communicates with hand gestures

Dayan Chanoch Ehrentreu dead: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/tributes-to-the-rabbis-rabbi-dayan-ehrentreu-following-his-death-aged-90/

[arghton 6,887]

Interesting the stories of these Israeli ultraorthodox political parties.

 

In the 1980s, octogenarian rabbi Elazar Shach (1899-2001) got fed up with how the ultraorthodox  political party Agudat Yisrael was lead by Hasidic dynasties. 

As a result he, with Ovadia Yosef (1920-2013) in 1984 founded Shas, a populist Haredi party Yosef ruled until his death. Yosef had lots of power over things and for example in 2010 he cursed Palestinians, nearly changing the party's entire direction. He was succeeded by Shalom Cohen (1930-2022) who served as the spiritual leader of the party until his death. Shalom's successor hasn't apparently been officially chosen yet, but Shimon Baadani is seen as the strongest option seemingly already considered the leader by some.

 

However, in 1988, a few years after founding a political party with him, the 89-year-old Shach criticized Ovadia Yosef, saying that "Sepharadim are not ready for political positions". He founded another Haredi party Degel HaTorah, later ruled by Yosef Shalom Elyashiv (1910-2012) until his death from pulmonary edema and congestive heart failure at 102. After Elyashiv's death, Aharon Yehuda Leib Shteinman (1914-2017) was the spiritual leader for five years until his death at 103. For over four years after Shteinman died it was under joint leadership of Chaim Kanievsky (1928-2022) and Gershon Edelstein (1923) until Kanievsky's death this year

Chaim Kanievsky, Yosef Elyashiv and Elazar Shech, late 1980s.

 

Baadani is 94 currently critical with covid and what seems to be kidney failure and Edelstein is 99 and suffered a heart attack this year. I hope both parties keep picking 90-somethings as their spiritual leaders...