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.
