112th Yahrtzeit of Harav Yaakov Ehrenreich to Be Marked Thursday

Thursday marks the 112th yahrtzeit of Harav Yaakov Ehrenreich, zt”l. Numerous Yidden will be visiting his kever at Washington Cemetery on the outskirts of Boro Park to recite Tehillim and tefillos.

This year, visitors who annually flock to the tziyun will find a new secure walking path, which has been arranged by askanim and great-grandchildren of Harav Ehrenreich and is delineated with yellow signs and posts, to enable mispallelim to find the kever readily and to maintain the kavod of the niftarim interred nearby.

Yom Kippur Kattan is an auspicious day to be mispallel at kivrei tzaddikim; this year, the yahrtzeit will fall on Yom Kippur Kattan mukdam.

Harav Ehrenreich was born to Harav and Rebbetzin Chaim Yehudah Ehrenreich of Sabrantz, whom the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, zy”a, termed one of the tzaddikei hador. He was a son-in-law of Harav Avraham Yehudah Hakohen Schwartz, zt”l, the Kol Aryeh, married to his oldest daughter, Hendel Reizel, upon the strong recommendation of the Divrei Chaim.

The Ehrenreichs had two sons and four daughters.

In the 1880s, Reb Yaakov was compelled to flee his native Hungary, taking with him his wife and daughters. His sons, who had remained in Europe, developed into Gedolei Yisrael under the tutelage of their grandfather, the Kol Aryeh. His older son, Harav Shlomo Zalman, was Rav of Shamloh in Hungary and authored Leshem Shlomo and other sefarim. His younger son, Harav Chaim Zvi, succeeded the Kol Aryeh as Rav of Mahd and wrote Ketzei Hamateh, a commentary on the classic Mateh Ephraim on the halachos of Elul and Tishrei, and She’eilos Uteshuvos Kav Chaim.

After his arrival in the United States from Hungary with his wife and daughters, he served as a role model for others as he raised a family of frum, ehrliche Yidden and was active as an askan for Torah causes. He assisted Harav Yaakov Joseph, Rav Hakollel of New York, in strenghening Yiddishkeit on these shores. He founded and served as Nasi of Kehillas Ahavas Yeshurun on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and helped to establish the first Bais Yaakov school in that neighborhood.

Askanim have arranged for the cemetery to remain open on Thursday until 7 p.m. to enable people to visit the tziyun,  located in section 3, Ahavas Yeshurun Anshei Ungaren chelkah.

The GPS address of the cemetery gates allowing for easy access to the tziyun is 5417 21st Ave. or 5752 Bay Pkwy.

Zechuso yagein aleinu.

This article appeared in print on page 12 of the June 25th, 2014 edition of Hamodia.