By COLlive reporter
Rabbi Elchonon Halpern, Rabbi of Golders Green in London and President of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations in England, passed away Tuesday night, 29 Shevat 5775.
He was 93 and was surrounded by his family members at the Royal London Hospital.
Born in Czechoslovakia (today Slovakia), he was a decendant of the Sanzer Rebbe, the Divrei Chaim. At the age of 14, he wrote to the Rogatchover Gaon, Rabbi Yosef Rosin, who in return titled him “Harav Hagaon.”
After moving to London and marrying the daughter of the gaon Rabbi Nochum Lidzervsky, Rabbi Halpern founded the Bais Shmuel synagogue, today one of the largest in the heavily populated Jewish neighborhood of Golders Green.
He later founded the Pardes School and was appointed to head of UOHC, the umbrella organization which caters for all aspects of frum Jewish life in London and the suburbs of Stamford Hill, Golders Green, Hendon and Edgware.
Rabbi Halpern met the Lubavitcher Rebbe on several occasions and had deep respect for the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, its renowned scholarship and outreach activities.
When the Shluchim Rabbi Gabi and Rivky Holtzberg were murdered in a terror attack on their Chabad center in Mumbai in 2008, Rabbi Halpern hosted a memorial in their honor at his shul.
The Levaya took place Wednesday morning at his Shul in London. Kevura will take place Wednesday evening at Har Hazeisim in Israel.
Baruch dayan haemes.
As a bochur in Yeshivas Chayei Olam in Golders Green in the early ’70’s Reb Chuna would often visit the Yeshiva to daven & faher the Bochurim. Many times on Motzei Shabbos he would call the yeshiva for bochurim to come over to his shul to make a minyan for Melave Malka. He was makpid to have a minyan & would tell sippurei tzadikim & horaos b’chayim for teenage bochurim. He understood us & always had insights for us.
Yehei Zichro Boruch.
Lipa Brennan
When I was in London Yeshiva, Reb Chuna tested us on Gemara.
Reb Chuna learnt Gemara with chassidus, and was very fluent in the Rebbes sichas!
Reb Chuna would sign his name: Hakodesh Harav Elchanan ben Harav Dovid Halpern.
May he have a lichtigen Gan Eiden.
he actually wrote “hakoton” not hakodosh
To # 3, R’ Chuna arrived in England before the war and Boruch Hashem he was not in the camps, although he lost his parents. For many years he and his Rebbetzin o”h would learn Tanya together.
The Rebbe referred to him as “mein Mechutan” on a few occasions, as his daughter married a Schneerson from the Tchebin dynasty.
we in golders green and i imagine all over the world are devastated at the passing of our rov and father a trully great zaddik may he speedily bring moshiach bekorev
His daughter is a second once removed of Rebbetzin CM
He was a wonderful man. Reb Chuna had a lot of sheichus with the Rebbe. His daughter, Chana Schneerson, is married to a second cousin of the Rebbe.
To #3: His wife passed away 7 years ago.
No matter what kind of yid you were, You were always welcome to his Shul…..& his Mikvah. What a Tzadik he was. & always be remembered.
I was very close with his brother’s family in Manchester. There are so many amazing stories of Reb Chuna ZT”L from during the war in the camps that show the greatness of this Rav. I once had to call him & I spoke to his Rebbetzin zol zei gezunt, a lovely, fine lady. The problem disappeared immediately. I agree with #2, his passing is a huge loss to the fum world.
Reb Chuna was a true Tzadik. One of the last of that generation. His ahavas yisroel was felt by all who knew him. He will be missed greatly.
“בגיל 14 כתב מכתב להרוגוצובר ובמכתב התשובה כונה “הרב הגאון
בנן של קדושים
נכד בא”ב לר’ רבי משולם פייביש הלפרין אב”ד ברעזאן
שהיה חתן ר’ אשר רובין מראפשיץ
חתן רנ”צ מראפשיץ