HaRav Osher Freund, zt"l, was summoned to Yeshiva
Shel Maaloh just hours after Yom Kippur ended.
Born in Jerusalem's Old City on 25 Elul 5670 (1910) to HaRav
Aryeh Mordechai of Chassidei Karlin, he married the daughter
of Rav Avrohom Sternberg of Tzfat.
One of Jerusalem's notable men of chesed for decades,
he set up the city's main gemilus chassodim fund and
was the first to set up the Yad Ezra discount grocery stores
and discount simcha halls. He also handed out
thousands of anonymous food packages to needy families every
Thursday night for decades and set up the Yad Ezra Hachnosas
Orchim organization in Meron to help the thousands of Jews
who come to R' Shimon Bar Yochai's gravesite to pray.
He also arranged to rent hundreds of apartment units in
Jerusalem's Ramot Dalet neighborhood at reduced rates to
young couples and people of limited means.
HaRav Osher Freund was known as a great Torah scholar often
consulted for guidance and advice, and for always lending an
ear to the infirm and disabled. He would receive callers at
his home in Jerusalem's Mekor Boruch neighborhood almost 24
hours a day, answering questions and assisting people in
crisis situations. He also helped draw numerous baalei
teshuvoh to Yiddishkeit.
After his wife passed away 11 years ago he set up a post-
natal recovery center in her name, Maon Tzivia, to aid the
women of Jerusalem at a reduced cost. Five years ago he lost
his son, HaRav Avrohom.
HaRav Freund became sick a few months ago and his condition
declined dramatically after Rosh Hashana. Jerusalem's top
doctors were summoned to his bedside and soon afterwards he
was brought to Bikur Cholim Hospital. Shortly before Yom
Kippur he suffered a major heart attack and after Yom Kippur,
at 10:00 p.m., he returned his pure soul to Heaven as his
family members and friends recited Shema Yisroel at
his bedside.
The levaya set out from his home on Rechov Don Yosef
Hanossi after 1:00 a.m., proceeding on foot toward Har
Hamenuchos.
HaRav Osher Freund, zt"l, is survived by three
daughters married to Rav Shmuel Kliers, Rav Moshe Hershtik
and Rav Elimelech Wasserman, as well as grandchildren and
great-grandchildren following his legacy of Torah,
yir'oh and chesed.
