BD’E Harav Avrohom Aharon Lunczer zt”l

Klal Yisroel joins the Jewish community of Antwerp, Belgium, in morning the petirah of one of the elderly talmidei chachomim of its city, Harav Avrohom Aharon Lunczer zt”l.

Rav Lunczer was raised in Austria and came to Antwerp before WWII, and learned in Heide, a suburb of Antwerp, before the outbreak of the war under the leadership of Harav Mordechai Pogromansky zt”l. He was on a transport to the death camps when someone threw him off the train, which saved his life.

After the war, Rav Lunczer joined the fledgling Ponovez Yeshiva, where he developed an extremely close relationship with Harav Shmuel Rozovsky zt”l. Harav Dovid Povarsky zt”l set him up to learn with his son, the young Harav Berl Povarsky shlit”a.

He was married to Rochel nee Schwab, the daughter of Reb Shlomo Schwab of London.

Rav Lunczer served as a magid shiur for the highest level in Yeshiva Yesodei Hatorah in Antwerp, where he taught several generations of talmidim.

For thirty years, he learned as a chavrusa with the Gaavad of Yerushalayim, ybl”c Harav Tovia Weis, who at the time was one of the dayanim of Antwerp. In addition, he enjoyed a special relationship with Harav Chaim Kreiswerth, the rov of Antwerp, who often seemed to be directing his Shabbos Hagadol drashos to the ears of Rav Lunczer.

For the past few months, due to his declining health, Rav Lunczer lived in London with his son, Rav Moshe, who serves as a Rosh Yeshiva in London.

Rav Lunczer is survived by his son Reb Naftoli Lunczer of Antwerp, Rav Moshe of London, Reb Betzalel of Lakewood, and his daughter Mrs Esther Schon of Yerushalayim.

The levaya will be held in London, and the kevurah will be in the bais hachaim of Antwerp located in Putte in the Netherlands.