By COLlive reporter
Dr. Reuven Bruner, a Lubavitcher chossid who happily shared both Torah teachings and nutrition tips to residents of Jerusalem, passed away on Motzoei Shabbos, eve of 27 Sivan 5782.
He was 84.
Born in Montreal in 1938, Bruner attended Baron Byng High School which was attended largely by working-class Jewish Montrealers from its establishment until the 1960s. His camp counselor was Canadian-Jewish actor William Shatner.
As a youngster, he was more interested in sports than Judaism. His mother once confronted him about sneaking out of shul one Shabbos to race with the record-breaking runner Roger Bannister.
“I was always involved in sports: running, soccer, ice hockey, baseball, boxing,” Bruner said in a 2006 interview with Haaretz.
Among this accomplishments were boxing for Canada’s Olympic team, working out with bodybuilder and later California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, becoming an NCAA champion and running 336 miles in two days in Australia.
He took on the professional boxing name of “Battling Bobby” Bruner, but soon left it all behind. “I did very well, but was fed up on a mental level,” he says. “Thank G-d, I was able to get out on time.”
He began studying law at the University of Southern California and switched to a Master’s program in political science at the University of California, Los Angeles, concentrating on Eastern Europe and Russia, Haaretz reported.
Bruner continued on toward a doctorate but again decided to change course. He completed an M.A. in exercise physiology, followed later by an M.A. in nutrition and a Ph.D. in health psychology and exercise physiology.
He continued running while living in Melbourne and regularly declined invitations to get involved in the Jewish community. At one point he agreed to go to shul and it was the start of “a coming back again type of thing,” Bruner said.
He was married and was blessed with 2 daughters. Tragically, they were involved in a fatal car accident leaving him as the sole survivor of the family.
He made aliya to the Holy Land of Israel in 1990 and become part of the Chabad community in the Har Nof neighborhood of Jerusalem. With a full beard, he was a proud Lubavitcher chossid dedicated to learning Torah and following the ways of Chassidus.
One of his favorite activities was to distribute the popular weekly pamphlet Sichat Hashavua published by Chabad in Israel. He would place them around shuls and other spots around the city. “He saw it as a Shlichus,” said Rabbi Noam Rot, Director of Tzeirei Chabad in Jerusalem.
On his birthday, Bruner would host a large kiddush at the Vizhnitz shul in Jerusalem where he personally hand out candies to children who wished him Mazal Tov and happy birthday.
Bruner lectured on exercise physiology and health psychology at the Wingate Institute and operated a private clinic, offering consultations and assessments on a wide range of health and nutrition issues.
“Be alive as long as you live!,” he would say, and he meant both spiritually and physically.
His funeral was held in Jerusalem on Sunday.
Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.
Sounds like he lived richly. Glad to know of such a person. May memories of him or his life track, be positive inspiration for the living.
We were fortunate to have been close with Dr. Bruner. He cared deeply about others. Dr. Bruner was part of our family and his passing is very sad. He went through such a terrible tragedy and still walked around with a smile on his face and very strong Emunah. He has now been reunited with his wife and daughters. May we see them once again with the revelation of Moshaich now.