Rabbi Avraham Hamra, the chief rabbi to Jews from Syria and Lebanon, died on Friday.
Hamra, who was the last Chief rabbi of Syria, was 78.
"I received with great sorrow the news of the death of Rabbi Avraham Hamra... Rabbi Hamra oversaw kashrut, marriage and education of the Jewish community in Syria, while he formed friendly relations with the president, helping to preserve the community,” said Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef.
Yosef said that Hamra was instrumental in bringing Syrian Jews to Israel and helping their communities and culture continue.
The funeral was held in Holon on Friday at 3 p.m.
(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)