It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Rav David Bar-Chen zt”l, the Sefardi chief rabbi of Sderot and one of the elder Moroccan rabbonim in Eretz Yisroel, who was niftar on Shabbos. He was 82.
Rav Bar-Chen was born in Morocco to his parents, Rav Mayer and Chana Bar-Chen.
After immigrating to Eretz Yisroel, who formed a close kesher with Rav Machhlouf Abuchatzeira, Rav Refoel Baruch Toledano, Rav Yaakov Buskila, amongst others.
As a young man, he met with the Chazon Ish several times and was one of the first talmidim of Yeshivas Ponevezh.
He served as a neighborhood rov in Ashdod and was later appointed chief rabbi of the town of Sderot, where he served as rov until his last day.
Although his health had deteriorated for years, Rav Ber-Chen devoted supreme efforts in fortifying and strengthening the spiritual nature of Sderot, serving as a pillar of strength and guidance for the town’s residents at all times.
He is survived by his wife, Rebbetzin Rus Bar-Chen, daughter of Rav David Ovadia zt”l, noted Moroccan rov, and a large family of bnei and bnos Torah.
The levaya took place this morning in Sderot, and the kevurah was scheduled to be held in Yerushalayim.
Yehi zichro boruch.
{Yair Alpert-Matzav.com Israel}
What a Tzadik! So sad more tzadikim going!
we have no idea who we are anymore .Those pious Moroccan Jews they are our brothers .I think that we should all unite and a have a stance in bringing all these circles of Torah together.We must learn from eachother and end the hatred .It is not a mistake his name was bar -chen which means the son of ahavas chinam.which means with out a reason to hate because there is only love and friendship.This is one of the modes of thinking behind davening ,is that Hashem loves us as a whole and wants to bestow chesed on us (not just I).May it be his will that he do so and rav dovid bar-chen be a mailitz yosher .If we have no ahavas chinam how do we expect to get any of it from Hashem.ksiva v chatima tova!
IM ESHKACHECH YERUSHALAYIM TISHKACH YIMINI