A large entourage of Bnei Brak's residents, headed by
roshei yeshiva, dayanim and rabbonim joined by
hundreds of avreichim and bnei Torah
accompanied HaRav Dovid Hershowitz zt"l on his last
earthly journey. HaRav Dovid played a crucial role in the
laying of our generations' Torah foundations and was the
founder of the Kollel Beis Yechiel Meir in Bnei Brak. He was
niftar on Shabbos, parshas Beha'alosecho,
during the 88th year of his life.
HaRav Dovid Hershowitz was born in Tishrei 5672 (1911) in the
United States, and was the son of R' Avrohom Meir Hershowitz.
The home in which he was raised was one of mesiras
nefesh for Torah and yiras Shomayim. There he
imbibed his deep dedication to Torah values. After his father
was niftar, he was raised in an environment detached
from Torah. However, the values his father had instilled in
him as a child accompanied him throughout his entire life and
enabled him to remain strong as a rock, even in stormy
periods.
Although most of his friends curtailed their Torah studies as
soon as they reached bar mitzvah age, Reb Dovid demanded to
continue his Torah studies, and to learn more and more. He
was the only one of his friends who continued his Torah
studies as he grew older. His studies during that period
enabled him to reach out to other youth and to teach them
Torah and Yiddishkeit within various Jewish
organizations of that time.
When he was twenty, he went to Eretz Hakodesh. Due to
failing health, however, he decided to return to the United
States. At that time, HaRav Yitzchok Hutner arrived on
America's shores, and Reb Dovid became very close with him,
imbibing genuine Torah hashkofo from him.
When HaRav Elchonon Wassermann arrived in America on a fund-
raising campaign for his yeshiva in Baranowitz, Reb Dovid
drew close to him and asked to come study in his yeshiva.
Armed with recommendations, Reb Dovid arrived in Baranowitz
and began to study there. During that period, he slept at
HaRav Elchonon's home and ate at the home of his cousin,
HaRav Dovid Povarski.
In Elul 5799, with the outbreak of war, he left Baranowitz
and fled to Vilna. While there he spent one Shabbos with
HaRav Chaim Ozer and later, on erev Yom Kippur, he
arrived back in America.
As soon as he reached America he became involved in the
rescue of nidchei Yisroel and was active in securing
visas for rabbonim and gedolei haTorah from Kovno,
Vilna and Baranowitz. Even though the American government
refused to issue these visas, he made extensive efforts to
secure visas for rabbonim who would preside as the rabbis of
shuls, persuading the shuls to accept these
rabbonim as their leaders. He managed to save HaRav Dovid
Povarski by means of the funds which he sent for his
subsistence.
He was one of the ten first students in the yeshiva of HaRav
Aharon Kotler in White Plains. Immediately after his
marriage, he joined the yeshiva in its new abode in
Lakewood.
When the students of the Mirrer Yeshiva arrived in the United
States in 5707, he moved to New York in order to help them
acclimate to their new country. With much dedication, he
assisted them in all they needed.
Reb Dovid was a central address in America for all Torah
endeavors. He secured religious artifacts from Eretz
Yisroel for Torah observant Jews, including arbaas
haminim for Succos. His home was a central meeting point
for chachomim and a focal point of Torah activity in
the United States.
On a visit to Eretz Yisroel in 5710 (1950) he met with
the Chazon Ish, and decided to move to Eretz Hakodesh.
He arrived in 5715 (1955) with his family. At the request of
the Rav of Brisk, he began to help HaRav Henoch Kornjack in
his efforts to absorb immigrant children and children who had
been saved from the missions. He also helped found the Mogen
Hayeled institutions.
In 5725 (1965), he helped HaRav Abba Berman found his yeshiva
and kollel in Bnei Brak, and soon afterward, he
assumed responsibility for the Kollel Beis Yechiel Meir on
Rabbi Akiva Street, the third kollel to be founded in
Bnei Brak.
He supported the kollel with his own funds for many
years and made extensive efforts to expand it.
Avreichim of this kollel are among Bnei Brak's
finest. Many who studied there now preside as dayanim,
roshei yeshiva and roshei kollel.
He is survived by his wife, who aided him with utmost
dedication throughout his life, as well as by sons and sons-
in-law, all of whom are outstanding talmidei
chachomim. His sons are HaRav Avrohom Meir and HaRav
Elchonon. His sons- in-law are HaRav Shlomo Kaplan, HaRav
Yaakov Fleischman, and HaRav Yisroel Ruchlin. His
grandchildren and great- grandchildren are all pursuing the
path he charted for them.
Recently, he felt ill, and on Shabbos kodesh parshas
Beha'alosecho, he returned his pure soul to its Maker. At
his levaya, which left from the kollel study
hall, hespedim were delivered by HaRav Michel Yehuda
Lefkowitz, HaRav Boruch Dov Povarski, and by the rosh
kollel of Kollel Yechiel Meir, HaRav Yair Chodosh as well
as by the niftar's son, HaRav Avrohom Meir. At the
Shamgar funeral hall in Yerushalayim, hespedim were
delivered by his friend, HaRav Yonah Bromberg, by HaRav
Sholom Povarski and by the niftar's son, HaRav
Elchonon. He was buried on Har Hazeisim.
