Dayan Chanoch Ehrentreu zt”l

6
>>Follow Matzav On Whatsapp!<<

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Dayan Chanoch Ehrentreu zt”l. He was 89 years old.

Dayan Ehrentreu was born in Frankfurt in 1932 to Rabbi Yisroel and Rebbetzin Blima Ehrentreu. His paternal grandfather was the Munich Rov, Rav Chanoch Ehrentreu, after whom he was named.

When his family immigrated to the UK, his father became principal of Prestwich Jewish Day School. Young Chanoch went to school in Letchworth, and then, after the war, to the Hasmonean High School, before going on to join the Gateshead Yeshiva.

Rabbi Daniel Epstein of Western Marble Arch Synagogue recalled: “He wasn’t just at Gateshead Yeshiva. He was Gateshead Yeshiva. He was our gold standard for everything. It’s devastating. He was just the ultimate Dayan. He was a real and very strong figure, kind and compassionate.”

In 1960, Dayan Ehrentreu founded the Sunderland Kollel, which he headed until 1979 before becoming the av bais din and communal rov of Manchester from 1979 to 1984. Dayan Ehrentreu was appointed to the post of rosh bais din in London by Lord Jakobovits in 1984. Dayan Ehrentreu retired from the bais din in January 2008. He became av bais din of the European Beth Din in 2008.

Chief Rabbi Rav Ephraim Mirvis remarked, “His warmth touched countless hearts and his enduring legacy of commitment to Torah values and scholarship will enrich our communities for generations to come. He will forever be remembered as ‘The Dayan’ – whose sincerity and sense of principle established him as a great leader of our generation. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his extraordinary Rebbetzin and all of his illustrious family.”

Dayan Ehrentreu is credited with the success of the UK’s first public eruv in north-west London and lobbied for improving the lives of agunos through his lobbying for the 2003 Act of Parliament which prevented men from receiving a civil divorce without a get.

Dayan Ehrentreu was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in recognition of his contribution to the Jewish community.

Dayan Ehrentreu was a leading posek in all areas of halacha, possessing a rare combination of yediso haTorah, pska halacha, wisdom, compassion and understanding of people.

Dayan Ehrentreu is survived by his devoted wife, Rebbetzin Ruchie Ehrentreu, and a wonderful family of children and grandchildren.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}


6 COMMENTS

  1. BD”E…A true godol..He didn’t found sunderland kolel in 1960,it was a few years later in 1964 or 1965,i was living in gateshead at the time and he was definately still in gateshead kolel untill the middle 1960’s.He also very corageously took a strong stand against having to meet and shake the hand of the pope who was visiting the UK, in his capacity as head of the manchester beis din.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here