BDE: Rebbetzin Leah Kelerman, A”h, Widow of Rosh Yeshivas Rechasim

The Torah community in Rechasim and further beyond mourned Sunday the petirah of the elderly Rebbetzin Leah Frumet Kelerman, a”h, at the age of 85.

Rebbetzin Kelerman was the wife of Hagaon Harav Uri Shraga Kelerman, zt”l, who was Rosh Yeshivah in Yeshivas Knesses Chizkiyahu in Rechasim.

She was born in Germany, in Cheshvan 5693/1932, to Harav Chaim Yosef Yaakobowitz – later a Rosh Yeshivah in Yeshivas Kol Torah, Yerushalayim – and Rebbetzin Dinah.

The family moved to Eretz Yisrael in 1935, when Leah was all of three.

When she came of age, she married Rav Uri Shraga Kelerman. They settled in Rechasim, where he served as a Rosh Yeshivah, while Rebbetzin Leah was a noted mechaneches in Beis Yaakov in Chaifa. She left a deep imprint of ahavas haTorah and yiras Shamayim on her thousands of talmidos.

In Rechasim, they lived close to the Mashgiach, Hagaon Harav Dov Yaffe, zt”l.

The Rebbetzin did all in her power to assist in her husband’s avodas hakodesh. Harav Uri Shraga was niftar in Sivan 5753/1993.

The Rebbetzin suffered much personal tzaros over the years. Her daughter, Rebbetzin Elisheva Shechter, a”h, wife of Harav Yitzchak Shechter, Rav of the Bnei Beitcha neighborhood in Rechasim, was niftar in 5749/1989. Last year, her son Harav Betzalel Moshe Kelerman, a noted melamed in Bnei Brak, was niftar at the age of 53.

The Rebbetzin was hospitalized in recent months, and was niftar on Sunday morning in Netanya’s Laniado hospital, surrounded by many descendants.

She is survived by her sons: Harav Yitzchak Meir Yechiel, Rosh Yeshivah in Yeshivas Orchos Torah; Harav Chaim Yosef Yedidyah, of Karmiel; Harav Avraham Yeshayah, of Bnei Brak; Harav Yisrael, of Yerushalayim – a council member for UTJ; Harav Eliyahu Eliezer, Mashigach in Yeshivas Ponevez; and Harav Yechezkel of Bnei Brak. Her daughter are: Mrs. Miriam Miller; Mrs. Bruriah Mishkovsky; Mrs. Dinah Lifschitz; Mrs. Hadasah Tzivyon, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The levayah was held in Rechasim, where she was buried near her late husband.

Yehi zichrah baruch.