YWN regrets to inform you of the Petirah of Rabbi Neal Harris Z”L, a longtime pillar of Jewish life in Hunter, New York, and a dedicated Hatzolah volunteer.

For decades, Rabbi Harris played an instrumental role in maintaining and strengthening Jewish life in Hunter, a Catskills community that has drawn generations of families, Roshei Yeshiva and Yidden from across the spectrum.

Rabbi Harris served as the Gabbai of the Hunter minyan and was regarded by many as far more than that. Those who knew him described him as, in many ways, the unofficial Rav of Hunter Mountain — the person people turned to for practical advice, assistance and guidance.

He worked for many years at Yeshiva University and maintained a close relationship with Washington Heights Hatzolah, where he took numerous calls and assisted with logistics and the organization’s relationship with the YU community. He was also a longtime volunteer with West Side Hatzolah.

In Hunter, Rabbi Harris owned a bed-and-breakfast where he hosted countless guests over the years. His home became a gathering place for the community, with regular Shabbos Kiddushim held on his back porch. Over the past year, he also opened his home and property to host the local minyan.

Rabbi Harris was also deeply involved with the historic shul on Main Street in Hunter, which dates back to 1906. He devoted himself to ensuring the shul remained active, helping visitors find a minyan and a place for Shabbos while handling many of the day-to-day needs of the community.

Rabbi Joel Stern, Washington Heights Hatzolah Coordinator, remembered Rabbi Harris as a close friend who was relied upon for his “level-headed practical advice” on both community and Hatzolah matters.

The Levaya will take place Wednesday at 10:00 AM at Riverside Memorial Chapel, 180 West 76th Street in Manhattan.

Following the Levaya, the Aron will be taken to Hunter. The procession is expected to pass through Tannersville and make a brief stop at Rabbi Harris’ home before continuing to the Kol Anshe Yisroel section of Maplewood Cemetery on Route 23A for the Kevurah.

Yehi Zichro Baruch.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)