Oldest Holocaust Survivor, Rabbi Yehuda Aaron Widawsky, Dies at 107

Rabbi Yehuda Aaron Widawsky, recognized as the oldest Holocaust survivor in Israel and a prominent figure among the Sochaczew and Mdzieszow Hasidic dynasties, passed away on Rosh Hashanah at the age of 107. Born in 1919 in Turek, Poland, Rabbi Widawsky was deeply connected to the Sochaczew Hasidic court from a young age.

He later moved to Lodz, where he managed his family's textile business and was active in communal life. During World War II, he endured the horrors of the Lodz Ghetto and Auschwitz concentration camp, surviving immense suffering while losing most of his family. Despite the atrocities, he maintained his faith and Jewish identity.

After liberation, he married and immigrated to Israel in 1950. In Israel, he rebuilt his life based on Torah and observance, viewing his family's growth as a victory over Nazism. Rabbi Widawsky dedicated much of his life to preserving Holocaust memory and restoring desecrated Jewish cemeteries in Poland, particularly the large cemetery in Lodz, starting in the 1970s. His efforts led to the reconstruction of the Sochaczew Rebbes' Ohel in Sochaczew, a site now visited by thousands of Hasidim.

Rabbi Widawsky also experienced personal tragedy, including the recent death of his son-in-law, Dr. Mordechai Himmelפרב, a noted ENT doctor. He remained close to the Rebbes of Mdzieszow and Sochaczew throughout his life. He was celebrated for his longevity and clarity of mind, with a special ceremony held for his 100th birthday honoring his devotion and charitable work. He is survived by his descendants.