Rabbi Aharon Monsonigo, 90, OBM

COLlive.com & Hamodia

Rabbi Aharon Monsonigo, the Chief Rabbi of Morocco who worked to strengthen its Jewish community despite a mass immigration in recent decades, passed away on Tuesday, 26 av 5778.

He was 90.

Born in Morocco, Rabbi Monsonigo learned in his youth in France under Rabbi Chaim Yitzchak Chaikin, a talmid of the Chofetz Chaim, and under Rabbi Mordechai Pogramansky, all of blessed memory.

Since returning to the North African country, Rabbi Monsonigo settled in Casablanca and later served as Chief Rabbi and Dayan for a period of 50 years at a critical time as Jewish population kept dwindling

Moroccan Jews constitute an ancient community. Before the founding of Israel in 1948, there were about 250,000 to 350,000 Jews in the country, which gave Morocco the largest Jewish community in the Muslim world, but fewer than 2,500 remain today.

Over the years, Rabbi Monsonigo has been in close contact with the Rebbe‘s dedicated Shluchim in the country and their educational and outreach efforts, among them Rabbi Shlomo Matusof and Rabbi Leibel Raskin, of blessed memory, and Rabbi Sholom Eidelman.

On Lag BaOmer 5750 (1991), Rabbi Monsonigo joined a delegation led by Jerusalem’s Chief Rabbi Shalom Mashash to visit Lubavitch World Headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, NY.

The delegation participated in the large parade openly showcasing Jewish themes and tradition. They were then invited into 770 to personally meet the Rebbe. In one photo, Rabbi Monsonigo is seen kissing the Rebbe’s hand in reverence.

“His passing is a real loss to the Jewish community in Morocco,” said Rabbi Levi Banon, Chabad Shliach in Morocco. “When we arrived 2009, he was very supportive and encouraging of our activities with the community. His memory will be an inspiration to many.”

Rabbi Monsonigo was in contact with the Sephardic posek and gaon Rabbi Ovadia Yosef in Halachic responsa and also had a strong connection with hagaon Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, both of blessed memory.

After his wife passed away several years ago, Rabbi Monsonigo moved to Israel, where he settled in Jerusalem. The levayah will be held Tuesday afternoon and will proceed to Har Hamenuchos, where he will be buried.

He is survived by his sons, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and even a number of great-great-grandchildren, who continue his glorious path.

Baruch Dayan Haemes.