Oldest Holocaust Survivor in Israel, Yehuda Aharon Vydavsky, Dies at 107

Rabbi Yehuda Aharon Vydavsky, believed to be the oldest Holocaust survivor in Israel, passed away at the age of 107. A prominent figure among the Sochaczew and Modzhitz Hasidic communities, Vydavsky survived the Auschwitz death camp and dedicated his life to restoring Jewish cemeteries and holy sites in Poland.

Vydavsky was born in Turzysk, Poland, in 1919. His family later moved to Lodz, where they endured the outbreak of World War II and the establishment of the ghetto. In 1944, during the liquidation of the Lodz ghetto, Vydavsky and his family were deported to Auschwitz. His parents and brother were murdered, while he and his brother Joshua survived the selection process and were sent to labor camps until their liberation by the Red Army.

After the war, Vydavsky returned to Lodz, married, and assisted in arms shipments for the Irgun (Etzel) resistance organization. He immigrated to Israel in 1950 and settled in Tel Aviv. He was known for his devotion to prayer and his tireless efforts to commemorate the victims of Polish Jewry.

For decades, Vydavsky was honored with reciting Kaddish and El Maleh Rachamim at memorial ceremonies for the Lodz community. He was instrumental in rebuilding the cemetery in Lodz, restoring thousands of tombstones. Notably, he located and reconstructed the tomb of the Sochaczew Rebbes, the 'Abnei Nezer' and 'Shem Mishmuel', and participated in the renovation of the tomb of the Modzhitz Rebbe, the 'Dovrei Israel'.

At 100 years old, a celebratory event was held in his honor, attended by prominent Rebbes and rabbis. Vydavsky leaves behind a large family, including children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, who continue his legacy of Torah observance.