Gedolei Yisroel, roshei yeshivos, the roshei yeshiva of Yeshivas Chevron, rabbonim and dayonim led yeshiva students past and present as they lay to rest Rav Yitzchok Zeev Chevroni zt"l, the nosi of Yeshivas Chevron, who helped support and maintain the yeshiva, with its 1,200 student beis medrash, located in Jerusalem's Givat Mordechai neighborhood. He passed away last week after a lifetime of dedicated hard work to establish and build one of the great Torah institutions in Eretz Yisroel.
Yitzchok Zeev Chevroni was born in Adar 5692 (1932) to HaRav Moshe Chevroni zt"l, the rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Chevron, and was the grandson of HaRav M. M. Epstein, the rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Chevron and the av beis din of Slobodka.
He studied at Yeshivas Chevron from a young age, later transferring to Lakewood Yeshiva, where he studied with his uncle, HaRav Shneur Kotler, and kept in close contact with HaRav Aharon Kotler zt"l.
He married the daughter of R' Yosef Weinberg, a prominent Slonimer chossid from Jerusalem's Old Yishuv.
Around the age of 30 he returned from the US at his father's request to help manage the yeshiva and accompany his father on fundraising trips.
As the yeshiva continued to grow, eventually the roshei yeshiva, HaRav Yechezkel Sarna and HaRav Moshe Chevroni, decided it was too cramped in its Geula location and charged Rav Yitzchok with the task of finding a plot of land suitable for the construction of a new building.
Through extraordinary efforts and tremendous siyata deShmaya he managed to secure all of the needed funding and meet all financial obligations.
During this same period he began traveling abroad on his own for long periods of time that entailed great personal sacrifice. He handled the yeshiva's funds punctiliously and kept expenses at a minimum, foregoing all creature comforts.
For years he coped with pressure, uncertainty and difficult periods of funding shortages. He felt unbounded love for the yeshiva, and always acted according to the guidance he received from Rabbeinu HaRav Shach and ylct"a Maran HaRav Eliashiv, who constantly lent their support.
In recent years his illness worsened, but he accepted the suffering with love and emunoh, continuing to serve Hashem with simchah and deveikus.
The levaya assembled at the yeshiva in Jerusalem, with yeshiva students and alumni on hand, joined by HaRav Shmuel Auerbach, HaRav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, the roshei yeshiva of Yeshivas Chevron, marbitzei Torah, rabbonim and dayonim.
Several chapters of Tehillim were recited word-by-word, led by the mashgiach, HaRav S. Palei. Hespeidim were then delivered by HaRav Mordechai Ezrachi, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Ateres Yisroel; HaRav N. Tokker, HaRav Moshe Mordechai Farbstein, HaRav Dovid Cohen and HaRav Yosef Chevroni, all roshei yeshiva of Yeshivas Chevron; the niftar's son-in-law, HaRav A. Zolti, rosh kollel of Kollel Massas Moshe; and the niftar's brother-in-law, HaRav Zelig Weinberg.
The procession then set out towards Har Hazeisim, where he was buried in the section set aside for Yeshivas Chevron rabbonim in Chelkas Hanevi'im.
Rav Yitzchok Zeev Chevroni zt"l is survived by his son, HaRav Yosef Chevroni, one of the roshei yeshivos of Yeshivas Chevron, his son-in-law HaRav A. Zolti, rosh kollel of Kollel Massas Moshe, which is run by the yeshiva, his son-in-law HaRav M. Klar, rosh yeshiva at the yeshiva ketanoh, and his son-in-law HaRav A. Talesnik, the author of a book on the Pri Meggodim, as well as grandchildren and great-grandchildren following in his path of Torah and yir'oh.
