The former Chief Rabbi of France, Rabbi Joseph Haim Sitruk, was brought to his final resting place Monday morning in Jerusalem.

After a service in France yesterday evening, Rabbi Sitruk’s remains were flown to Israel early Monday morning.

Born in Tunis, Rabbi Sitruk immigrated with his family to France, where he later served as Chief Rabbi of Strasbourg and Marseille. From 1987 to 2008, Rabbi Sitruk served as Chief Rabbi of France, a position he held even after suffering a stroke in 2001.

On Sunday Rabbi Sitruk passed away at the age of 71, leaving behind his wife and nine children.

Jerusalem Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar eulogized Sitruk, saying that “All of the great rabbis valued and admired him. He exemplified the expression ‘anyone who fears God is heard.’”

A statement released by the Shas party said Rabbi Sitruk “He "elevated French Jewry in the manner and tradition received from previous generations, worked with pleasantness and charm to bring people to love of God and maintained strong connections with the French government in order to promote the needs of the French Jewish community.”