Leading Rabbis Hold Memorial for Rabbi Baruch Shmuel Deutsch 11 Months After Passing

On the night of the fast of the 17th of Tammuz, marking 11 months since the passing of Rabbi Baruch Shmuel Cohen Deutsch, known as the 'Birkhat Cohen,' memorial gatherings were held across Israel. These events took place in numerous holy communities and Torah study halls where Rabbi Deutsch taught for many years, allowing his students and fellow rabbis to draw from his vast Torah knowledge.

Since the first yahrzeit (anniversary of death) falls on the 17th of Menachem Av, during the Bein Hazmanim vacation period, some memorial events were advanced to the 11-month mark. Preparations are also underway for the yahrzeit and the completion ceremonies of many Talmudic tractates studied by his family, students, and yeshiva members over the past year.

The central memorial was held on Wednesday evening at Rabbi Deutsch's yeshiva in Modiin Illit. The yeshiva recently acquired a permanent, spacious location in Beitar Illit, with plans to move there by the upcoming month of Elul. Speakers at the main event emphasized Rabbi Deutsch's immense Torah scholarship and the profound loss to the generation of such a living Torah source, who studied tirelessly despite great suffering.

Prominent figures who eulogized included Rabbi Aharon Leib Shteinman, Rabbi Shmuel Markovitz, head of Ponovezh Yeshiva, Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Karp, a leading rabbi in Modiin Illit, Rabbi Berachyahu Shinkar, head of Tiferet HaTalmud Yeshiva, Rabbi Yitzchak Hershler, Rabbi Markovitz, and Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Cohen Deutsch, the son of the deceased. The event was attended by many of Rabbi Deutsch's students and followers, reflecting the deep respect and reverence held for him.