(A7) Rabbi Chaim Druckman, one of the leading religious Zionist rabbis in Israel, passed away Sunday evening, after being hospitalized with the coronavirus. He was 90 years old.
The management of Hadassah Ein Kerem announced the passing of the Rabbi:
“The rabbi was hospitalized in Hadassah Ein Kerem in very serious condition and was treated with devotion by the internal intensive care unit team for the past 10 days, but we were forced to pronounce him dead this evening.
The Hadassah Medical Center partakes in the grief of the family at this difficult time and the grief of the general public.”
Public figures have come out with praise for the great rabbi and his life’s work.
Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi David Lau, paid tribute to Rabbi Druckman.
“Together with the entire House of Israel, I mourn the passing of Rabbi Chaim Druckman zt’l, a great man who for ninety years, taught, educated and brought Jews closer to faith in the Creator.
“And out of the love of the great Torah, he loved every Jew, every inch of the Land of Israel, and every letter of the Torah of Israel, and educated [his students] who will continue to learn, and continue to see the great light shining before their eyes. We mourn those who are gone and are no longer with us,” he said.
Outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid expressed his sorrow over Rabbi Druckman’s passing.
“Grieving alongside the family and many students of Rabbi Chaim Druckman. Holocaust survivor, founder of Yeshiva Or Etzion, scholar, winner of the Israel Prize and a man filled with love for the Jewish people. May his memory be for a blessing,” he wrote.
Incoming Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, also expressed deep sorrow over the Rabbi’s death.
“A great light of love for Israel has gone out today. A farewell to Rabbi Chaim Druckman. My heart aches deeply along with his dear family and with many, many fellow Jews. The State of Israel has lost a great spiritual leader, and I have lost a personal friend whom I respected very much.
As someone who personally experienced the horrors of the Holocaust as a child, Rabbi Druckman dedicated himself to building the nation upon his arrival in Israel,” he wrote.
“The compass of his path was the benefit of the Jewish people. Educating the youth, settlement of the Land, social action, growth of the religious Zionist world, and supporting Jewish youths serving in the IDF were at the forefront of his life mission.”
“His extensive activity as a member of the Knesset reflected his being not only a representative of the sector he represented, but a loyal messenger of the general public at large.
“A major interface between the rabbi and me was in the field of conversion. As head of the conversion system in the Prime Minister’s Office, he took, as was his holy custom, a heartfelt approach that helped thousands of new immigrants join the ranks of our nation.
“The fire that burned in Rabbi Druckman has not been extinguished and its sparks lie deep in the hearts of thousands of his students.
“His path will continue for generations – in the spirit of the words of his teacher and rabbi, Rabbi Kook ZT”L: ‘Be light, be holy, be just, live life that’s worthy of your name, of Israel.'”
MK Danny Danon of the Likud also eulogized Rabbi Druckman (ZT”L).
“I grieve together with all the people of Israel for the death of Rabbi Chaim Druckman zt’l, laureate of the Israel Prize and one of the biggest rabbis of religious Zionism.
“Rabbi Druckman was a great Torah scholar, a great educator, and a great light for the entire Jewish people. I had the privilege of knowing him personally and admired his wisdom, modesty and pleasant manners. May his memory be for a blessing,” he said.
MK Orit Strock of the Religious Zionism Party praised Rabbi Druckman and his legacy.
“Rabbi Chaim Meir Druckman has passed into a world that is all good. At the height of the Hanukkah holiday, we bid farewell to the Rabbi who enlightened the lives of an entire generation with the light of love for the Torah, the People and the Nation. His special light will shine upon us from Above.”
The Tzohar Rabbinical Organization said they deeply mourned the passing of Rabbi Drukman, “one of the foremost and most revered rabbinical figures of Religious Zionism.”
“As a communal and Torah leader, Rabbi Drukman was unparalleled in his ability to teach and inspire, and excelled in his love for all Jews and his empathy for all in need. Those unique traits enabled him to be embraced by Israelis from all walks of life. He was a man of remarkable vision who heavily influenced the modern development of the State of Israel and the Jewish people in general and he has had a great impact on the spiritual and physical makeup of our contemporary Jewish world,” continued the group.
“Our world has lost a giant and so many of us have personally lost a teacher who both guided and inspired. May his memory be for a blessing.”
World Mizrachi expressed its deepest sorrow over the Rabbi’s passing.
“We are pained over the passing of our rabbi and teacher, Rabbi Chaim Meir Drukman zt”l,” it said in a statement.
“He was a preeminent educator of our generation, a spiritual master who facilitated the informed and compassionate conversion of thousands of people over many years.”
Rabbi Doron Perez, Executive Chair of World Mizrachi who learned directly under Rabbi Druckman added: “The extended World Mizrachi family mourns the loss this giant of a man who was leader and member of our movement for so many years. I was blessed to learn in Yeshivat Ohr Etzion in the shadow of this exemplary Rosh Yeshiva and towering leader, and was deeply impacted by his inspiring teachings and incredible personality. This is a tremendous loss both personally and nationally and we express our deep condolences to his wife and family and his countless students in Israel and around the world.”
