Rabbi Yoel Sorotzkin, Author and Educator, Dies at 71 in Petah Tikva

Rabbi Yoel Sorotzkin, a respected Torah scholar and author, passed away at the age of 71 in Petah Tikva. He had lived for many years in Bnei Brak and was the elder brother of Rabbi Eliezer (Leizer) Sorotzkin, CEO of the Independent Education system. Born on the 10th of Sivan 5715 (1955) to Rabbi Ben Zion Sorotzkin and Mrs. Chana, daughter of Rabbi Meir Aryeh Segal, Rabbi Yoel came from a distinguished rabbinic lineage, including his grandfather Rabbi Zalman Sorotzkin, former chairman of the Council of Torah Sages.

Throughout his life, Rabbi Yoel was known as a dedicated man of books and Torah study, devoting himself to learning and education. He authored the book "Einayich Basadeh," a nearly 400-page commentary on the Book of Ruth. He previously served as head of the "Or Gaon" kollel in Bnei Brak and as director of the "Derech Yesharim" Talmud Torah in Petah Tikva, where he emphasized traditional Jewish education for children.

The family expressed deep sorrow in their obituary, describing him as a great man, constantly immersed in Torah and knowledgeable in its depths. His funeral took place on Thursday, the 14th of Elul, beginning at 12:00 PM from the Ohel Yitzchak synagogue in Petah Tikva, followed by burial at the Jerusalem Har HaMenuchot cemetery at 2:30 PM. The family is sitting shiva at his home in Petah Tikva, with relatives gathering in Jerusalem after Shabbat. May his soul be bound in the bond of life.