Rabbi Avigdor Nebenzahl Appeals for Help for Impecunious Bride Descended from Rabbi Akiva Eiger

Rabbi Avigdor Nebenzahl, the rabbi of Jerusalem’s Old City, has issued an unusual public appeal for donations to help a bride who is due to marry in the coming days and has no means to cover her expenses. The bride comes from a distinguished rabbinic family, but because both of her parents suffered serious medical difficulties, she was raised away from home.

During a public audience, Nebenzahl made a rare remark that drew wide attention. He said that helping this bride is “a great segulah to settle Rabbi Akiva Eiger,” explaining that she is the great-granddaughter of Rabbi Akiva Eiger. He said that contributing to the fund brings comfort to that righteous figure, who would surely care about his descendant, and that he is waiting from heaven to see who will stand by her side.

In a filmed appeal published by the Kupa HaIr charity, Nebenzahl described the case in more detail. He said he was asking “our brothers, the children of Israel, merciful sons of merciful fathers” to help “a bride from a distinguished and noble family of Torah giants,” whose parents were not well and could not raise her, so she was placed in another home. She became engaged to a “great Torah scholar, exceptionally God-fearing,” but the couple lacks money and still needs wedding support.

He added that a relative first tried to take on the expenses, but could not do so because of financial hardship. Nebenzahl ended with a blessing for donors, saying the merit of the commandment and the merit of her forefathers would protect those who help, and that they should be blessed with children, good health, and the coming of the redeemer soon.