Rabbi Avraham Ravitz, dead at 74
Rabbi Avraham Ravitz, dead at 74Israel News Photo: (file)

The long-time chairman of the Degel HaTorah party, Knesset Member Rabbi Avraham Ravitz, succumbed to a long illness in the wee hours of Monday morning in Jerusalem.

Rabbi Ravitz, 75, passed away at Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center, where he had been hospitalized since early January after losing consciousness at his home in the capital.  He suffered from a severe heart condition, and recently had surgery to install a pacemaker. He leaves behind a wife, 12 children and 77 grandchildren.

PM Olmert: "Long before he thought about politics and membership in the Knesset, he made time to teach me the words of the leading commentators of the Talmud and Mishna, and I would drink his words with thirst."

In Nov. 2000, Rabbi Ravitz received a kidney donation from his eldest son, Moshe, who won the privilege of doing so in a lottery.  All 12 of the rabbi’s children, as well as his wife, had competed among themselves for the privilege of granting their ailing father the organ.  His wife was found to be an improper match, and the seven daughters were disqualified because of child-bearing considerations.  Of the five sons, health reasons ruled out the younger three, and when neither Moshe or Shimshon would cede to the other, a lottery was agreed upon.  Their names were written on slips of paper, and a three-year-old niece pulled out the piece with Moshe's name on it, resolving the matter.

Rabbi Ravitz, whose Degel HaTorah party comprised the non-Hassidic faction in the larger hareidi-religious United Torah Judaism party, served for 21 years in the Knesset in a variety of roles.

Most recently, the rabbi was the powerful chairman of the Knesset Finance Committee, but had also served in the past as Deputy Housing and Construction Minister, Deputy Education Minister and Deputy Minister of Welfare and Social Services.

Rabbi Ravitz served as the Dean of Yeshiva Ohr Sameach's Israeli Division prior to entering his career in politics. He also served in the IDF and even earlier, as a fighter in the Lehi militia before the formation of the State.

His funeral is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and will proceed from his home in Jerusalem.

PM Olmert: My Friend and Teacher

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert issued a statement saying, inter alia, "MK Rabbi Avraham Ravitz was my personal friend for decades. Long before he thought about politics and membership in the Knesset, he made time to teach me the words of the leading commentators of the Talmud and Mishna, and I would drink his words with thirst... He was clear, sharp, pragmatic, heartfelt and pleasant. He was a son of this land, who lived all its aspects, fought its wars, felt its pains and rejoiced in its fortunate moments... He made an important contribution to our public life... We planned to retire from the Knesset together, and discussed this more than once. But from the Knesset, yes - not from life!  He died before his time.  His large family, his wife Avigayil, his many children and granchildren, his students (including myself) and countless friends, and his teachers who were proud of him - all bemoan his untimely passing."

Binyamin Netanyahu said, “MK Ravitz was a loyal and dedicated emissary of the public… He was attentive and caring not only to his own voting public, but to all of Israel.”

MK Uri Ariel said, “Rabbi Ravitz was the type of Jew who left you with a feeling of wanting more. He had a great share in building up the Land of Israel and bringing the hareidi public to Judea and Samaria.”

Jewish Home: “He will be remembered for his pleasant ways and his integrity.  As a Torah scholar, he contributed of his wisdom to the Knesset and the country’s Jewish character.”