Father Drowns in Jordan River Trying to Save Daughter

In a tragic incident on Monday, a chareidi man drowned in the Jordan River in an attempt to save his daughter, who was struggling with a strong current, according to media reports.

Harav Shlomo Zalman Blau, z”l, 46, dove into the river after his daughter, only to lose his own life.

Family members stopped passing motorists near the Arik Bridge, who then pulled him out of the water, but were not able to revive him. Subsequent resuscitation efforts by the Magen David Adom emergency service, which arrived right after that, also failed.

The 16-year-old girl, tbl”c, survived unharmed.

He was born in Yerushalayim in 1971 to Rabbi Dovid Nachman Blau, z”l, one of the heads of Chinuch Atzmai and Agudas Yisrael, and Maras Leah Malah a”h.

Rav Shlomo Zalman Blau, z”l, leaves behind 16 orphans, ybl”c, the youngest less than a year old.

In his youth, he studied in Yeshivas Slonim and Yeshivas Atik, where he excelled.

He is survived by his wife Esther, tbl”c, daughter of Rabbi Yehoshua Heschel Zlotnick, z”l.

After they were married, he joined Kehillas Adas Yerushalayim-Hamasmidim under the aegis of Harav Leib Mintzberg, where he again distinguished himself as a baal chessed and meikim batim b’Yisrael. He was known as a person of cheerful countenance, overflowing with kindness.

The levayah of Shlomo Zalman Blau, z”l, was scheduled to depart for Har Hamenuchos in Yerushalayim at 11:30 p.m., Israel time, Monday.