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24 Teves 5765 - January 5, 2005 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Rav Simcha Bunim Sofer-Schreiber zt"l

By Betzalel Kahn

Rav Simcha Bunim Sofer-Schreiber zt"l, son of the Daas Sofer of Pressburg, was niftar in Lugano, Switzerland on Monday 22 Teves, 5765, at the age of 97.

Born in 5668 (1908) to HaRav Akiva Sofer and the daughter of the Sofer Mahir, he married the eldest daughter of R' Leibish Rubinfeld, a distinguished member of the Lugano kehilloh.

Before the outbreak of World War II he settled in Lugano, following the advice of gedolei Torah. There he devoted much of his time and energy to rescuing Jews and helping escaped Jewish refugees. The remainder of his time he spent learning Torah, doing acts of chessed and rushing to attend to every dovor shebekedushoh. He was among the founders of the yeshiva in Lugano that later moved to Lucerne. During this period he learned bechavrusa with HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman ylct"a who arrived in Switzerland as a refugee.

Due to his humility he declined all rabbinical posts, refusing entreaties by the talmidim of the Daas Sofer to take his father's place following petiroh of his brother, HaRav Shmuel Binyomin Sofer-Schreiber, the gavad of Pressburg.

Throughout his lifetime HaRav Simcha Bunim recorded his chiddushim and exchanged letters with gedolei Torah, who held him in fond esteem. On a visit to Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin, the rov of Lublin zt"l asked him to deliver a shiur. He was also on friendly terms with famous roshei yeshivas, admorim and rabbonim who would engage him in Torah during their visits to Lugano. The deceased left behind numerous writings ready for publication.

Despite his advanced age his thinking remained clear until the very end and he used all his strength to maintain the learning schedule he followed for the last 30 years, since his retirement.

On Monday the entire kehilloh gathered together for the levaya, which set out from Beis Knesses Adas Yisroel in Lugano, where he attended tefillos regularly. The rov of the kehilloh, the Admor of Biala, delivered a moving hesped. A large crowd was also on hand for a final parting with the deceased at the airport in Zurich, where eulogies were given by HaRav Moshe Chaim Schmerler and HaRav Mordechai Yehuda Waldman.

In Eretz Yisroel the levaya was held on Tuesday in the courtyard of Beis Medrash Perushim-Kollel Shomrei Hachomos at Botei Ungarin in Meah Shearim before the deceased was taken to Har Hamenuchos and buried in the rabbinical section.

Rav Simcha Bunim Sofer-Schreiber zt"l is survived by his wife; his son HaRav Yehoshua Dovid, vice president of Kollel Shomrei Hachomos; his daughter Rebbetzin Kruger, the wife of HaRav Yaakov Kruger, rov of Kehillas Chaim in Jerusalem; grandchildren and great-grandchildren all following in the righteous path he blazed.

 

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