An anguished, bereaved throng headed by rabbonim and
gedolei haTorah accompanied the bier of HaRav Yisroel
Gross, who was niftar suddenly on 26 Sivan. An
outstanding example of both Torah and yir'oh, he was
77 at the time of his petirah.
HaRav Yisroel Gross was born on Simchas Torah, 5684 (1924).
He was the only son of HaRav Meir Gross, rav of the
Hungarian city of Sharkar and author of Imrei Lev on
the laws of shaliach tzibbur, a book that Rav Yisroel
reprinted in 5726 (1966).
His righteous mother, Sorrel, was a very intelligent, modest
and righteous woman, who passed away when she was only 27,
the day after her only son was born. After her
petirah, HaRav Meir married Soroh, Hy"d,
daughter of HaRav Dovid Ezra Hirsch. During her lifetime she
was a devoted mother to her stepson. She was killed al
kiddush Hashem on 18 Sivan, 5704 (1944).
In 5709 (1949), HaRav Gross reached Eretz Hakodesh, where he
merited to build a genuine bayis ne'eman with
Rebbetzin Gela, tibodel lechayim tovim ve'arukim,
daughter of Reb Yehuda Shoten.
After a difficult period of considerable wandering, they
moved to Yesodot. Although Reb Yisroel was very unassuming
and modest, it was evident that he was an outstanding person
whose main occupation was Torah and whose daily work was
secondary. He was a genuine yirei Hashem and a wise
person whom many consulted on spiritual as well as day-to-
day matters. Torah study was the source of his vitality.
On 26 Sivan, he suddenly felt ill, and within a few moments
returned his pure soul to its Maker. The petirah
occurred on the yahrtzeit of his closest mentor,
HaRav Yehoshua Buchsbaum of Galante.
The levaya left from his home to the beis
medrash in Yesodot. Near the beis medrash a
stirring hesped was delivered by the moro
de'asra, HaRav Klein, as well as by the niftar's
oldest son, HaRav Meir. The levaya then proceeded to
Jerusalem, where hespedim were delivered by HaRav Don
Segal, a close acquaintance and by the niftar's sons,
HaRav Sholom, HaRav Yaakov Yosef, and HaRav Aharon. HaRav
Weissfish and HaRav Eckstein spoke in the name of the
students of Galante. He was accompanied by a large throng to
Har Hazeisim.
HaRav Gross is survived by his devoted wife, three sons, and
his daughters, who are married to HaRav Nisan Yehuda Cohen
of Jerusalem, HaRav Tzvi Weiss of Rechovot, HaRav Shmuel
Breslauer of Ashdod, and HaRav Sholom Steamer of Kiryat
Sanz, Netanya. His grandchildren and great-grandchildren are
all pursuing the paths of Torah.
