by Simcha R. Klal Yisroel was plunged into mourning late last night with the petirah of the great gaon, Rav Chanoch Aryeh Friedman זצ״ל, Rosh Kollel and Av Beis Din of Kollel Beis Yechiel in the Har Nof neighborhood of Yerushalayim.

Shortly before Purim, Rav Chanoch traveled to the United States to raise funds for the kollel. Despite being in a weakened state, he insisted on making the journey, feeling a responsibility for the yungerleit who depended on him for the kollel’s support. While in Chicago, he fell ill over Purim and remained in critical condition from that time onward.
After battling his illness for approximately a month and a half, he returned his neshamah to its Creator late last night, leaving behind a grieving family, kehillah, talmidim, and the wider Torah world.

Rav Chanoch Friedman was born and raised in Chicago, where he began his Torah education at Skokie Yeshiva. At the young age of 16, he traveled to Lakewood to learn in Beth Medrash Govoha, where he studied under Rabbi Aharon Kotler זצ״ל. He was one of the youngest talmidim of Rav Aharon at th time. During his years in Lakewood, he learned b’chavrusa with Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch, with whom he developed a close friendship.
Rav Chanoch was a towering talmid chacham, whose hasmadah was extraordinary. In addition to being fully immersed in the sugyos studied in the kollel, he would complete Shas Bavli and Shas Yerushalmi annually, marking a siyum each Simchas Torah.

Rav Friedman was the brother of Rabbi Avraham Friedman, Rosh Yeshiva Emerites of Skokie Yeshiva (HTC) and Mrs. Debbie Greenspan.

The levayah is scheduled to take place today, Erev Shabbos, Friday, April 10, at 2:00 p.m. at Congregation Adas Yeshurun, Chicago. A second levayah is scheduled to take place at 10:00 AM on Sunday at BMG in Lakewood, after which arrangements will be made for kevurah in Eretz Yisroel.

Yehi zichro baruch.