Thousands Mourn Tragic Death of Promising Groom Meir Shaar at Ponovezh Cemetery

Thousands gathered yesterday in Bnei Brak to mourn Meir Shaar ztz"l, a groom and Torah scholar who tragically passed away two days earlier at the peak of his religious growth. The funeral procession began at his home on Norok Street and proceeded to the Ponovezh cemetery, where he was laid to rest amid heartfelt cries from the crowd unwilling to say goodbye.

Leading Torah figures from Ponovezh Yeshiva delivered emotional eulogies. Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi David Levy tearfully described Shaar as a righteous man and a precious treasure taken by God to inspire the generation. Rabbi Chaim Peretz Berman lamented the loss of a future great scholar who would have illuminated Israel with Torah and mitzvot. Yeshiva president Rabbi Eliezer Kohenman praised Shaar’s dedication and influence, calling him a symbol for many.

Other rabbis, including Rabbi Chaim Yosef Yakubovitz and Rabbi Betzalel Pinchasi, recalled Shaar’s joyous spirit, devotion to Torah and charity, and his untimely departure as a profound loss for the community. Rabbi Moshe Tenaami, Shaar’s future father-in-law, expressed sorrow over losing a true Torah scholar and a precious gem not only for the family but for all.

Shaar’s father tearfully recounted his son’s intense dedication during the COVID-19 pandemic, studying eight pages daily in isolation and aspiring to complete the Talmud before marriage. The community rabbi, Rabbi Aryeh Shraibi, mourned the loss of a young man destined to build a great spiritual home. The funeral concluded with the recitation of Kaddish and the collective mourning of thousands at Ponovezh cemetery.