BD’E — Harav Avraham Mordechai Hakohein Isbee, Zt”l

We are saddened to report the petirah of Harav Avraham Mordechai Hakohein Isbee, zt”l, who served as the Rosh Yeshiva of the Gerrer Yeshiva Beis Yisrael in Ashdod. He was 79 years old.

Rav Avraham Mordechai’s family hailed from Detroit, Michigan, where his paternal grandfather, Reb Nechemia Isbee, settled a century ago. Reb Nechemia imbued his family with his great mesiras nefesh for Yiddishkeit as he raised an illustrious family of bnei Torah in the wilderness of America. His son, Rav Leible, went to learn in the great yeshivos of Europe, and his daughter, Rebbitzen Shifra, married Harav Gedalia Schorr, zt”l.

Reb Yaakov Isbee raised his family in the same manner, sending his son Avraham Mordechai to learn in Telshe Yeshiva in Cleveland. When Reb Yaakov took ill with a terminal illness, he moved to Eretz Yisrael to spend his last days there. After his passing, his son, along with his sons-in-law Harav Shalom Shapiro and Harav Asher Zelig Rubinstein, published a joint sefer titled Pri Yaakov in his memory.

Rav Avraham Mordechai, who was known for his incredible hasmadah, became one of the great talmidei chachamim of the generation, and was chosen by the Lev Simchah of Ger, zy”a, to serve as Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Beis Yisrael in Ashdod. In that capacity, he taught hundreds of talmidim, who grew in Torah and yiras Shamayim under his guidance.

Several years ago, Rav Avraham Mordechai was stricken with Alzheimer’s, which affected his health and mental acuity. On the day of his grandchild’s wedding, his family secured for him a medication which was intended to help him focus for a while during the festivity. After ingesting the pill, he felt some clarity and immediately headed for the beis medrash to learn. Despite the pleas of his family, he refused to leave his learning to attend the wedding, saying that if he finally had a chance to learn, he did not wish to squander it on attending the wedding.

Rav Avraham Mordechai left a wife and family of bnei Torah.

His levayah was held Monday morning in Yerushalayim, and kevurah was on Har Hamenuchos.

Yehi zichro baruch.