A wave of grief has swept through the Chareidi community of Kiryat Ata following the tragic petirah of Rav Menachem Moshe Weiskopf z”l. A prominent figure in the city’s kehilla, Rav Weiskopf passed away on Monday afternoon at the age of 75 after losing consciousness while swimming at the separate “Quiet Beach” (Chof HaSheket) in Haifa.
Emergency medical teams from Magen David Adom rushed to the scene and immediately began resuscitation efforts. “We found him unconscious on the shore, without a pulse or breathing,” said MDA emergency medic Chai Takatch. “We were told he had been spotted floating in the water, unresponsive. He was pulled out right away, and we began CPR and administered medication as we transported him to Rambam Hospital. His condition was critical, and unfortunately, he was later pronounced dead.”
Rav Menachem Moshe Weiskopf was born on 9 Cheshvan in 1949 to his parents Reb Tzvi z”l and Mrs. Zisl a”h. After his marriage, he settled in Kiryat Ata, where he became one of the esteemed members of the local Torah community.
He was known as a tamim and yashar, a man of humility, calmness, and unwavering yiras Shamayim. He was a steady kove’a itim laTorah, raising his children with selfless dedication to Torah and avodas Hashem. Rav Weiskopf was a longtime mispallel at the Chaneichei HaYeshivos shul in Kiryat Ata, a true talmid chacham who lived quietly and modestly, always avoiding honor.
For his livelihood, he worked as an accountant at the institutions of Migdal Ohr, under the direction of Rav Yitzchok Dovid Grossman in Migdal HaEmek.
His sudden passing has plunged the community into mourning.
Tragically, this is the second blow to the Weiskopf family in just one week. Rav Weiskopf’s nephew, Rav Tzvi Hirsch Weiskopf z”l of the Givat Shaul neighborhood in Yerushalayim, passed away at the age of 48 after a lengthy illness. Rav Eliezer Weiskopf of Haifa, brother of Rav Menachem Moshe and father of Rav Tzvi Hirsch, is now sitting shivah for a second time in the span of days.
Rav Weiskopf leaves behind an exemplary family. His wife is one of the veteran teachers at the Bais Yaakov in Kiryat Ata. His sons include Rav Mordechai and Rav Tzvi of Bnei Brak, and Rav Yaakov of Yerushalayim. His son-in-law is Rav Nesanel Raskin of Rechasim.
The levayah and kevurah took place Monday night at the Eretz HaChaim cemetery near Kiryat Ata.
Yehi zichro baruch.
{Matzav.com Israel}