Harav Yeruchem Kaplan of Bensonhurst, Noted Talmid Chacham and Rosh Yeshivah of Mikdash Melech, Niftar at 84

Harav Yeruchem Kaplan of Bensonhurst, a prominent talmid chacham, distinguished member of the Bais Hatalmud community, and beloved rosh yeshivah of Yeshivat Mikdash Melech in Flatbush, was niftar Sunday morning following a long illness, at the age of 84.

Rav Yeruchem was born in Baranovich in 1937, and escaped the Holocaust with his family by fleeing to Shanghai.

His father, Harav Mendel Kaplan, zt”l, was a legendary rosh yeshivah at Bais Medrash L’Torah of Chicago — which earned Rav Yeruchem the lifelong nickname “Reb Yeruchem Chicago” — and later Philadelphia Yeshiva.

Rav Yeruchem was a talmid at Mirrer Yeshiva in Flatbush, and at Bais Hatalmud in East New York, where he was a chavrusah of the yeshivah’s illustrious founder and rosh yeshivah, Harav Leib Malin, zt”l, whom Rav Yeruchem would always consider his rebbi muvhak.

In the mid-1960’s, Bais Hatalmud moved to Bensonhurst. Rav Yeruchem, zt”l, and, tbl”c, his wife, Rebbetzin Rena (Baker) Kaplan, lived with their family in that neighborhood, where Rav Yeruchem was admired as one of the chashuvim in a community of lomdei Torah.

Rabbi Naftali Rakow, who in recent years learned b’chavrusah with Rav Yeruchem in Bensonhurst, and considered himself a talmid of Rav Yeruchem, told Hamodia, “Rav Yeruchem’s  chinuch was his father and Reb Leib. He quoted them frequently and lived, throughout his life, as if in their presence.”

Rabbi Rakow also recalls an incident that showed the depth of Rav Yeruchem’s concern for others.

“One Shabbos morning after davening, the oilam congregated around Rav Yeruchem as usual, to share divrei Torah. A special-needs boy then walked by, and I spoke with him. Rav Yeruchem asked me who the boy is, and I told him that he is a special-needs child who requires lots of care, and that his family is moser nefesh for him — his father is up pretty much all night taking care of him. Rav Yeruchem instantly burst out crying and put his head down, stricken with pain, imagining the difficulties of that family.”

Renowned for his lomdus and tzidkus, Rav Yeruchem was adored by generations of talmidim at Mikdash Melech (which closed a year ago), who appreciated that their rosh yeshivah was approachable and available for a friendly conversation on any subject.

“Rav Yeruchem was a great talmid chacham, and could connect with every talmid, and every person in the yeshiva,” recalls David Heskiel, a former talmid at Mikdash Melech. “The janitors, the cooks, the staff, the bachurim, Rav Yeruchem was able to connect with each person on their level and relate to him, and was an inspiration to all who knew him. He had a great personality, and was the embodiment of hevei mekabel es kal ha’adam besever panim yafos.”

NYPD Inspector Richie (Yechiel) Taylor, a former Mikdash Melech talmid, remembers that his rosh yeshivah “always had a friendly smile, and warm, open demeanor, and was very welcoming. We wanted to be in Mikdash Melech, because Rav Yeruchem set the tone that Yiddishkeit is about happiness and love and warmth.”

A levayah was held Sunday afternioon in Bais Hatalmud, then continued on to Lakewood.

Kevurah will be in Lakewood.

Yehi zichro baruch.

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rborchardt@hamodia.com

Photos of the levayah in Bais Hatalmud by Reuvain Borchardt/Hamodia