This past motzei Shabbos (21 Adar I), a huge throng of
Jerusalem's residents accompanied HaRav Alexander Sender
Halevi Feurstein zt"l on his last earthly journey. He was one
of London's and Eretz Yisroel's most prominent talmidei
chachomim and marbitzei Torah.
HaRav Feurstein was born in Nisan 5685 (1925) in Dissburg,
Germany. His parents arrived there from Galicia and were
neighbors of the rav of the city, the Chelkas Yoav, whose
beis medrash was situated in their home. R'
Alexander's Sender's father, R' Yaakov, served as a baal
tefillah in the beis medrash of the Chelkas Yoav
on the Yomim Noraim. He was killed al kiddush Hashem
towards the end of the war. R' Alexander Sender's mother,
Rochel, was niftar two weeks before
Kristalnacht.
Immediately after Kristalnacht, R' Alexander was smuggled
into Holland and from there, miraculously, he reached
England. He studied in the famous Toras Emes yeshiva and was
an outstanding student of the founder of its rosh
yeshiva and founder, HaRav Moshe Schneider, who was very
fond of him. In Toras Emes he scaled the heights of Torah
veyirah to which he dedicated all of his strength. He
said of himself that the spirit of the yeshiva accompanied
him his entire life, and those who knew him said that he was
a shining example of all that HaRav Schneider tried to
produce in his talmidim.
He married the daughter of HaRav Moshe Halevi Cohen, one of
London's prominent rabbonim. She was a loyal helpmate to him
his entire life and especially during his final illness, when
she cared for him with boundless dedication.
For forty years he headed the Yesodei Hatorah institutions in
London, where he produced thousands of talmidim
infused with ahavas Torah and pure yiras
Shomayim. Even in the intersession periods he did not
relax and preferred to use his time to spread Torah. For many
years he served as the head of the yarchei kallah in
Gateshead. He also served with distinction as rov of the
Zeirei Agudas Yisroel in London.
His love of Torah was great and he fulfilled the words Dovid
Hamelech, "kol hayom hi sichosi," in their fullest
sense. Whenever one met him, he overflowed with
chiddushim in halocho or aggada. Even
during his meals, he would pore over a sefer in front
of him.
When he came heard or made a chiddush, his face would
light up and he would repeat it many times out of his love
for Torah. He was amazingly well-versed in Shas,
halocho and aggada, and many seforim in his
home contain his comments and illuminations in their margins.
Many said: "Now his seforim are orphaned."
Even during his illness when he suffered greatly, he
dedicated himself to Torah study ceaselessly, to the point
that even while he slept he would murmur words of Torah,
demonstrating thereby that Torah was the source of his
life.
He fulfilled Chazal's maxim: "Greet all men pleasantly," to
its utmost, and with his warmth and pleasant speech he drew
them closer to Torah. He also encouraged the depressed and
the broken hearted.
He was a sterling example of sharing his fellow's burdens,
and his ayin tova was especially manifest. He
participated in others' simchas as if they was his own
and shared the sorrows as if they were his own as well. He
grieved for the pains of the klal as if they were his
private pains, and would devise ways to benefit others. He
was meticulous in his observance of all of the mitzvos,
kalo kechamura, even when he suffered greatly. He
recited brochos with tremendous intent and in a loud
voice, in order to enable others to merit the mitzvah of
answering omein.
With his aliya to Eretz Yisroel, on rosh chodesh
Shevat 5751 just before the outbreak of the Gulf War, a new
chapter in his life began. Filled with faith in the words of
the gedolei Yisroel that there was no reason to fear
living in Eretz Yisroel at such a time, he settled in
Jerusalem despite the threats, where he continued to study
Torah and to spread it. During that period, he firmly
resolved never refuse a request to act on behalf of
Yiddishkeit.
He was very active among Russian immigrants, taking care of
their spiritual needs and delivered in-depth shiurim
in the Shavei Golah yeshiva while guiding his students along
the paths of Torah study. He also taught in the Lilmod
Ulelameid organization for adult Russian immigrants. With his
fervent words, which emanated from his pure heart, he drew
many closer to Yiddishkeit. He did all this without
any monetary remuneration. Nonetheless, he constantly felt
that he wasn't doing enough.
A number of years ago, he fell ill, yet despite his weakness
he continued teaching with great dedication. Recently, his
situation worsened and he was deeply pained over his
inability to continue teaching Torah. "The soul wants, but
the body doesn't let," he said.
He would weep and plead with Hashem to give him to strength
to continue studying and serving Him, at least like a regular
Jew. His many visitors would leave his home awed by his deep
emunah and bitochon, and by his acceptance of
his suffering with love.
On Shabbos night, parshas Ki Siso, he returned his
pure soul to its Maker. His levaya took place on
motzei Shabbos. Hespedim were delivered by HaRav Abish
Eisen, the rav of the Unsdorf neighborhood, who spoke about
HaRav Alexander Sender's great influence on the entire
neighborhood. He noted HaRav Alexander Sender's amazing
diligence, saying that he had completed Shas six
times, in depth.
A hesped was also delivered by HaRav Yosef Tzvi
Dunner, the raavad of Hisachdus Kehillos Hachareidim
of England, whose own sons had been the niftar's
students. HaRav Dunner described HaRav Alexander Sender's
many activities on behalf of Torah in London and his
dedication to his students.
HaRav Alexander Sender's friend from his yeshiva days, HaRav
Moshe Sternbuch, also delivered a hesped in which he
stressed that HaRav Alexander Sender had displayed signs of
greatness even as a youth. He mentioned the comment of HaRav
Moshe Schneider zt'l, the niftar's rosh
yeshiva, that it would have been worthwhile to maintain
the entire yeshiva only for HaRav Alexander's sake.
HaRav Alexander Sender's nephew, HaRav Binyomin Finkel, spoke
about his uncle's deep yearning to continue in his avodas
hakodesh. He also described the great loss to the
family.
HaRav Michoel Chen, the rosh yeshiva of Shavei Golah
described the niftar's great dedication to the students even
under the most difficult circumstances.
A heartfelt hesped was delivered by HaRav Yitzchok
Kalmanowitz, who had studied with him bechavrusa in
the past year. HaRav Kalmanowitz described the
niftar's dedication every moment to Torah study. He
also related how during his illness, HaRav Alexander Sender
studied the Rambam on the obligation of a talmid
chochom to study even if he is poor or is suffering, and
asked whether he fulfills it by studying alone or he must
also continue to teach. In the end he decided to overcome his
suffering and to go to the yeshiva in order to deliver
shiurim, which were in essence a source of his
vitality.
His son HaRav Yaakov then wept the great loss, describing the
great kiddush shem Shomayim made by his father in all
his ways.
He is survived by sons and sons-in-law all of whom are deeply
immersed in Torah. His sons are HaRav Yaakov, a ram in
the Belzer yeshiva in Beis Chilkia and HaRav Dovid Yosef. His
sons-in-law are HaRav Menachem Mendel Nussbaum, HaRav Michoel
Halberstam and HaRav Yoezer Harstein.
