Rebbetzin Simcha Barchatz a”h

The Torah community in Bnei Brak is mourning the passing of Rebbetzin Simcha (Simone) Barchatz a”h, a renowned mechaneches and the wife of Rav Yehoshua Barchatz, rosh kollel of Kollel Eitz Chaim and a leading rov for the French Jewish community in Bnei Brak. She was 79.

Rebbetzin Barchatz passed away Sunday at Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center in Bnei Brak following a period of severe yissurim, which she endured with remarkable faith and acceptance.

She was born in Morocco on the 22nd of Tishrei 5707 to her parents, Rav and Rebbetzin Yosef Berdugo zt”l. She was a great-granddaughter of the renowned gaon and tzaddik Rav Raphael Berdugo zy”a, known as “the Malach,” and descended from an illustrious lineage of distinguished gedolei Torah.

For decades, Rebbetzin Barchatz devoted herself to chinuch, earning a reputation as an exceptional educator. She guided thousands of kallos at Seminar Ohr Hachaim as well as at numerous other seminaries.

Her influence extended well beyond the classroom. Through her extraordinary acts of chessed, she helped establish numerous Torah homes, while her own home served as a bais vaad lachachomim. Its doors were always open to guests, and she was known for exceptional hachnosas orchim and gemilus chassadim.

Throughout the years, Rebbetzin Barchatz stood devotedly alongside her husband as he dedicated himself to harbotzas haTorah. With tremendous mesirus nefesh, she enabled and supported his Torah endeavors while together they raised generations of accomplished bnei Torah.

She merited to leave behind sons and sons-in-law who are prominent marbitzei Torah and talmidei chachomim. Her sons are Rav Reuven Barchatz, one of the rabbonim of Kehillas Yaaros Devash; Rav Yosef Barchatz, a prominent rov in Elad; Rav Rachamim Barchatz, one of the leading rabbonim of the Kol Yaakov shul in Elad; Rav Raphael Moshe Barchatz, a United Hatzalah volunteer in Elad; and Rav Avraham Yeshaya Barchatz, head of the Kerestir kehillajh in Yerushalayim.

Her sons-in-law are Rav Moshe Cohen, a ram at Yeshivas Mishkan Chaim in Yerushalayim; Rav Goel Elkaref, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Derech Chaim in Bnei Brak; Rav Eliyahu Cohen, mashgiach at Yeshivas Heichal HaTorah in Bnei Brak; Rav Raphael Tzadka, rov of the Shaar Hashamayim shul and community; and Rav Yehuda Lev of Kollel Bais Hillel.

The levayah was held this evening at 6 Rav Sorotzkin Street in Bnei Brak’s Ramat Aharon neighborhood and proceeded to the Ponevezh bais hachaim, where Rebbetzin Barchatz was laid to rest.

The family is sitting shivah at the Barchatz home at 6 Rav Sorotzkin Street in Bnei Brak.

Yehi zichrah baruch.

{Matzav.com}