Rabbi Dovid Wachtfogel
דוד ב"ר יצחק יעקב
Rav, Ohel Yaakov Synagogue, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaDate of Death:
Sat. August 5, 1972 -
AV 25 5732
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Directions to Kever: Har Hazesim (Mount of Olives) Cemetery - Jerusalem, Israel. It is strongly recommended for those unfamiliar with the cemetery to go with a guide. In addition, security is at times a concern. Location: Needed
Biographical Notes:
Photo Caption: Rabbi Dovid Wachtfogel, Credit Florence Lipschutz
Photo Caption: Rabbi David sitting alongside his father Rav Yitzhok Yaakov, Credit: Eliedaat Adler
Photo Caption: Kosher for Passover product under Rav Wachtfogel’s supervision, Credit: IFJCAH
Bio Note:
The Ohel Yaakov Synagagu was located at the corner of Castor Ave & Glenview Steet in Philadelphia. The building no longer stands.
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He was niftar 1972 and buried in Jeruslem, here is an article from JTA:
JERUSALEM, Aug. 10 (JTA) –
Rabbi David Wachtfogel of Philadelphia, who died in Philadelphia last Saturday at the age of 62 and whose remains were brought to Israel for interment, was buried yesterday on the Mount of Olives. Rabbi Wachtfogel left the Old City of Jerusalem 40 years ago and settled in the United States, serving as a leading Orthodox rabbi for many years in Philadelphia.
The eulogy was given by his father, Rabbi Yitzhak Wachtfogel, who is head of the Mea Shearim Yeshiva in Jerusalem and president of the Jerusalem Rabbinical Court. Though he is believed to be more than 80 years old, the father is still very active as a rabbi and rabbinical judge.
Jerusalem’s religious community turned out in force to accompany the bodies of Rabbi Wachtfogel and of Rabbi David Cohen, a faithful disciple of Rabbi Abraham Kook, the first Chief Rabbi in pre-State Palestine. Rabbi Cohen died at the age of 86 after a long illness. President Zalman Shazar and Israel’s two Chief Rabbis led one of the largest mourning processions in years for the two rabbinical leaders.
http://archive.jta.org/article/1972/08/11/2962389/massive-funeral-procession-us-rabbi-buried-on-mount-of-olives-eulogy-by-father
נפ’ כ”ה אב תשל”ב
http://www.mountofolives.co.il/TheMountOfOlives/ObjectCards/frmDeceasedDetails.aspx?Deceased=39091&TabIndex=0
דומני שחתנו הוא האדמו”ר רבי גדליה אהרן רבינוביץ ממונסטרישצא.
מצאתי במקור כת”י הנמצא תח”י שהיה חתן הרב משה שפירא מאטלנטיק סיטי, בנו של הגה”ץ רבי בנציון רבי הירש מיכל’ס מירושלים.
I am a daughter of Harav Dovid Wachtfogel. We are six children. Our beloved father of blessed memory was a tzadik Gamoor. He loved people and helped many in many ways. Our home was a shelter for constant guests. He gave Hashgocha to slaughter houses and butchers, as well as to products like cholov yisroel milk for Pesach.
There are no words to describe the gentleness, kindness, menschlichkite, love of mitzvas and learning Torah.
Our home was a shining example of kedusha because he truly was a Rav with outstanding midos. We all adored him, and will never forget how he created a little Yerushalayim in our home in Philadelphia He worked constantly to aid in building up Eretz Yisroel and Am Yisroel. He gave tzedaka well beyond hi means and perpetuated a mishpocha that loves Torah and mitzvos. He was a joy to be with.
My siblings all live in Eretz Yisroel. Rabbi Yehoshua Bezalel Wachtfogel lives in Arzei Habira, Jerusalem. He married Tova HaKohen and has six children and many grandchildren as well as a great granchild. My oldest sister is Shoshana Yehuda from Tsfat whose husband is Rabbi David Yehuda. They too have six children, the youngest was killed in the war in Lebanon. Their family are all shomry mitzvos as well. My older sister, Shaindel Hartman lives in Kiryat Shlomo Yerushalayim. She has seven children, many many grandchildren, and great grandchildren, all shomrei mitzvos.
My younger sister Miriam Rabinowitz married Harav Gedalia Rabinowitz , Manishtrishta Rebbe who lives in Kiryat Shlomo as well. They have two children, many grandchildren, and great grandchildren shomrei mitzvos. Miriam was niftar three years ago, after a long illness.
The youngest daughter Brindy is married to Rafi Schreuver, who was born in a concentration camp. They have two sons, and have grandchildren as well. I am , Tsipora, the middle daughter. I married Rav Yitzchak Lubin and I am blessed with wonderful frum children (5). My husband was niftar in 1978. I remarried Rav Yacov Lipschutz and we have been blessed with many grandchildren and great grandchildren who are a nachus to us all.
May my father’s memory continue to give us joy, for he brought simcha, ahava, and Torah to everyone he encountered, most especially his mishpocha.
Thank you Rebbetzin Lipschutz for the detailed biography.
In which concentration camp was your younger sister Brindy born? you mean a Kibbutz in Israel?
concentration camp is not a kibbutz it was at ww2
Tsipora Lipschutz,
I was a student at Ohel Jacob back in the 1960’s and was so glad to find out what happened to this wonderful and G-dly man. Rabbi David Wachtfogel made a big impression on my life and I wanted to let you know that. I have wondered for years what happened to my old Synagogue after I moved away and joined another Synagogue. I went out to see on Google maps and of course the Synagogue isn’t there any longer. Did it merge with another Synagogue? I hope you and your family are well and I wish much happiness and love to you and your sisters and brother and their families.
In HaShem’s Name.
Eugenia
I’m a granddaughter.
Clarification.
It is Brindys husband (not she) that was born in a concentration camp, Westerbork.
Brindy was born in Philadelphia.
They met on Kibbutz in Israel.
They are blessed with grandchildren, may they have much continued nachas from them.
My family & I were members at 0-J for many years. My father, Z”L became the Shamus there & sold Holiday =membership tickets for several years. Yes, I celebrated my B-M there. Thou must recall my Mom & Dad. I visited your mom, Z”L in B-V & I had spoken with your brother until he became quite ill. You remember Joyce & “Al” F.
Just a quick story about my grandfather, and perhaps also a story of the times in which he served as a pulpit Rabbi. My father Rabbi Joshua told me many times with great pride of the large crowds that would dress up in their Shabbas finest and come eagerly to hear my grandfather Rav Dovid speak – often for more than an hour – and never did he fail to leave them with both a valuable message, words of Torah, and several good laughs. It seems impossible to fathom in these days of ever diminishing attention spans, but such were the times before TV and Internet and such was the greatness of the man. YZB
My father grew up davening in Ner Zedek and Rabbi Wachtfogel was mesader kiddushin for my parents.
Know many stories about my grandfather zichrono levracha . The philadelphia yeshiva was founded in his house. When he heard that the yeshiva wanted Chalav Yisroel even though he was lenient on this as was rav Moshe Feinstein, he drove many times to New York to bring chalav Yisroel for the yeshiva. When a yerushalmer was in his house for succos who wantes a suucas chazon Ish even though the Chazon Ish himself ate in a Sucah that was not a Succos CHAzon Ish’ he built for him a Succos chazon Ish. He once gave a hesped and my father noticed that a son of the deceased handed money to another brother to give my grandfather for the hesped, And this Brother pocketed the money. My grandfatherws reaction was that the job of a Rabbi is not to make machlokes.