Rabbi Asher Deutsch, leader of the hardline Jerusalem Faction and head of the Ponevezh Yeshiva, passed away Monday at the age of 79.
In recent weeks, mass prayers had been held for his recovery, including a gathering at the Western Wall organized by his students.
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Rabbi Asher Deutsch, leader of the hardline Jerusalem Faction and head of the Ponevezh Yeshiva
(Photo: Ronen Shteltzer)
The funeral procession is scheduled to depart at 8:00 p.m. from the Ponevezh Yeshiva building in Bnei Brak. In accordance with the late rabbi’s wishes, no eulogies will be delivered.
Born in Bnei Brak, Rabbi Deutsch was known for editing the works of Rabbi Elazar Menachem Shach and for authoring reference books and commentaries on the Talmud and Jewish law. His father, Binyamin Ze'ev Deutsch, served as an assistant to Rabbi Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman, the head of the Ponevezh Yeshiva in Lithuania, and managed some of its institutions.
Rabbi Deutsch assumed leadership of the Jerusalem Faction after the death of its founder, Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach, in 2018.
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The faction, established over a decade ago, is an extremist movement that has long maintained that even visiting the draft office to obtain a military service exemption is forbidden. This stance has led to arrests for desertion, mass protests and accusations that ultra-Orthodox politicians are "collaborating with extermination decrees." The faction is notorious for blocking roads in protest against the arrest of ultra-Orthodox individuals who refuse to enlist.
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Jerusalem Faction members blocking roads in protest against the arrest of ultra-Orthodox individuals who refuse to enlist
(Photo: AFP)
In a speech earlier this year, Rabbi Deutsch remarked that a drone attack on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Caesarea was a sign from God. “If the Holy One, blessed be He, wills it, they can harm the leader of their country.”
He also condemned certain yeshiva leaders who suggested that those not actively studying in yeshivas could enlist in the IDF. “The greatest danger today,” he said, “is the advancement of the conscription law, and who knows what form it will take. The danger is even greater if it proceeds with Haredi consent. Sadly, we are already hearing, even from Torah scholars, that those not in yeshiva can enlist, even though the danger for them is far greater.”
Significant traffic congestion and road closures are expected in Bnei Brak ahead of the evening funeral procession. Drivers are advised to use navigation apps for updates on roadblocks and alternate routes.