Rabbi Uri Lupolianski, former mayor of Jerusalem and founder of the Yad Sarah organization, passed away late Wednesday evening at the age of 74 after battling a serious illness.
Lupolianski founded Yad Sarah, a nonprofit organization that provides medical and social services to the elderly, the sick, and people with disabilities. Later in his public career, he served as mayor of Jerusalem from 2003 to 2008.
His family stated that in his final years, Lupolianski struggled with severe illness and suffering until his passing. About two weeks ago, he was hospitalized at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in serious condition.
Lupolianski will be laid to rest on Thursday morning at 11:00 a.m. The funeral will depart from his home in the Sanhedria Murhevet neighborhood and proceed to Har HaMenuchot, where he will be buried.
Born in Haifa in 1951, Lupolianski studied in religious educational institutions in the city. He continued his Torah studies at the Torah Or Yeshiva in Jerusalem and the Negev Yeshiva in Netivot. He served as a medic in the IDF, worked as a teacher, and studied public administration.
In 1976, Lupolianski founded the Yad Sarah nonprofit organization after struggling to find medical equipment for his young son. The organization, named after his grandmother who perished in the Holocaust, grew into a large network of volunteers and medical services, earning national recognition. It was awarded the Israel Prize in 1994, along with the President’s Volunteer Medal and the Knesset Speaker’s Prize, among other honors.
Lupolianski began his political career in 1989 as a member of the Jerusalem City Council, where he held senior municipal positions. In February 2003, he was appointed mayor on behalf of United Torah Judaism after Ehud Olmert’s resignation. He was elected for a full term in June 2003 and served until November 2008.
In 2010, Lupolianski was investigated in the Holyland affair, and in 2014, he was convicted of accepting bribes, with the funds transferred to Yad Sarah and other institutions. After an appeal and due to his medical condition, his sentence was reduced to six months of community service. The fine imposed on him was paid through a public fundraising campaign.
Lupolianski lived in the Sanhedria Murhevet neighborhood of Jerusalem. He is survived by his wife, Michal, 12 children, and a large family. His son, Rabbi Yitzhak Lupolianski, serves as head of the “Nachalat Yair" yeshiva in the community of Metzad in Gush Etzion.