HaRav Elchonon Halpern, Admur Brzezany-Golders Green

Rav Elchonon Halpern zt”l

Tuesday February 17, 2015 8:02 PM

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Rav Elchonon (Chuna) Halpern zt”l, rov of Bais Medrash Bais Shmuel and av bais din in Golders Green, London, and nosi of Hisachdus Kehillas Hachareidim. He was 93.

Rav Halpern was hospitalized in recent weeks at the Royal Hospital in London after suffering kidney failure. His condition then deteriorated.

Rav Halpern was born on Zos Chanukah in 1922 in the town of Kosice, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia), to his parents, Rav Dovid and Mindel Halpern. His father, Rav Dovid, who served as rov of Dovshitz, was a descendant of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz. His mother was a daughter of Rav Shmuel Engel.

He studied in his youth with grandfather, Rav Shmuel Engel, and Rav Yissochor Pardes. At age 14, he wrote a letter to the Rogatchover Gaon, who, in his reply, called Rav Chuna “harav hagaon.”

About 76 years ago, Rav Chuna arrived in London and became close to Rav Shalom Moskowitz of Shatz zt”l. He married a daughter of Rav Nachum Lidzerovsky zt”l, a noted Alexander chossid.

Rav Halpern ultimately opened his bais medrash, Bais Shmuel, in Golders Green, currently one of the largest shuls in the neighborhood. In 1960, he opened the Pardes yeshiva, named after his rebbi, Rav Yissochor Pardes. In 1984, after the passing of Rav Shlomo Schonfeld, he became nosi of the Hisachdus Kehillas Hachareidim.

Rav Halpern was very close to numerous admorim, including Rav Rav Avrohom Shalom Halberstam of Stropkov, the Sanzer Rebbe and the Satmar Rebbe Rav Yoel Teitelbaum. He considered himself a talmid of Rav Itzikel of Pshevorsk.

Rav Halpern was the mechaber of various seforim, including Sdeh Elchonon.

He is survived by a large family of rabbonim, marbitzei Torah and baalei chesed. They include his son-in-law, the Nadvorna Rebbe of Haifa; his son-in-law, the Makova Gaavad; his son-in-law, the Chernobyl Rebbe; his son, Rav Yitzchak Aryeh Leibish Halpern, rov of Ramot Gimmel; his son, Rav Yisroel Shmuel Dovid Nachum Halpern, rov in Hendon, London; his son, Rav Chaim Aharon Tzvi Halpern; his son, Rav Shalom Yosef Halpern, rov in New York; his son, Rav Moshe Yehuda Ber Halpern, rov of Bais Medrash Bais Shmuel in London founded by his father; his son-in-law, Rav Moshe Chaim Bransdorfer of London; and his son-in-law, Rav Yosef Moshe Schneerson, rosh yeshiva of Tchebin.

Source: http://matzav.com/rav-elchonon-halpern-ztl