Bnei Brak is mourning the petirah of Mrs. Esther Rachel Yaakobovitz zt”l, widow of Rabbi Bentzion Yaakobovitz, one of the most prominent members of the Satmar community and a central figure in the development of the Satmar housing complex in the city. She passed away at the age of 103.
Mrs. Yaakobovitz was born in Antwerp, Belgium, to her parents, Rabbi and Mrs. Dov Bertzi Shapira. She later married Rabbi Bentzion Yaakobovitz, who would go on to become one of the leading Satmar chassidim in Bnei Brak. He authored several well-known works, including Tzioni Taharah and Zechor Yemos Olam.
In 1953, the couple immigrated to Israel at the direction of the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Yoel Teitelbaum, whom they had met years earlier in Antwerp. Upon their arrival, they settled in Bnei Brak, where Reb Bentzion invested tremendous effort in building the Satmar institutions from the ground up, ultimately serving for many years as their director.
During her lifetime, Mrs. Yaakobovitz endured the loss of her son-in-law, Rabbi Eliyahu Katz, who served for decades as a rov of the Satmar community in Bnei Brak.
She merited a large and distinguished family of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
The levayah was held tonight at her home at 44 Chazon Ish Street in Bnei Brak, proceeding to the Vizhnitzer Cemetery for kevurah.
Yehi zichro boruch.
{Matzav.com}
