The Torah world and the Religious Zionist community are mourning the petirah of HaGaon HaRav Aryeh Stern zt”l, former Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem and longtime rosh of the Halacha Berura Institute, who was niftar at the age of 81.

Rav Stern had been ill in recent months, and his condition deteriorated overnight before he was niftar.

Born in 1944, Rav Stern grew up in a Religious Zionist and chassidish home. He learned in Yeshivas HaYishuv HaChadash, Yeshivas Chevron, and later at Yeshivas Merkaz HaRav, where he became closely connected to HaGaon HaRav Tzvi Yehuda Kook zt”l.

At Rav Tzvi Yehuda’s request, Rav Stern helped establish the Halacha Berura and Birur Halacha Institute, which became a major Torah project dedicated to clarifying halachic conclusions from the sugyos of Shas. Rav Stern led the institute from its founding and served as chief editor of its extensive Torah works.

Over the years, he was marbitz Torah in numerous yeshivos, including Merkaz HaRav, Yeshivas HaDarom, Ohr Etzion, Kiryat Shmona, Yeshivas Hakotel, Orot Shaul, and Aish HaTorah. He also helped restore Beit HaRav in Jerusalem as a center dedicated to the legacy of Rav Kook zt”l.

In 2014, after a long battle over the Jerusalem Rabbinate, Rav Stern was elected Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem alongside Rav Shlomo Moshe Amar, who was elected Sephardi Chief Rabbi. During his tenure, Rav Stern worked to preserve kedushas Yerushalayim, strengthen halacha, and protect Shabbos observance in the capital. He was known to personally go out on winter Fridays together with Shabbos activists to urge stores to close early.

Rav Stern also served for decades as rav of the Har Chorev kehillah in Jerusalem’s Katamon neighborhood, was a member of the Chief Rabbinate Council, and headed Yeshivas HaDarom.

He leaves behind a distinguished family and many talmidim. A decade ago, he suffered the tragic loss of his daughter Shira a”h, who was killed in a car accident at age 20.

Levaya details will be announced.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)