The Netanya community was shocked to learn of the sudden petira of Rabbi Shimon Gabbai zt”l, 63, a known giant in the Netanya bal tshuva movement. The rav was attending a kenos rabbonim at Ginosar Hotel in the north, which was also attended by Israel’s chief rabbis shlita. The rav got up for tikun chatzos, and according to reports, collapsed immediately thereafter. Emergency medical service medics attempted to resuscitate the rav, but were unsuccessful.

Corresponded Dovid Alon of the Netanya Hadera Kol Ha’Ir publication referred to the niftar as the “Admor of Netanya”. It is reported the niftar was a talmid of Rav Bentzion Abba Shaul and Rav Nissim Toledano.

The rav served as rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Tifferes Moshe as well as mosdos Nachlat Shmuel and Ohr Tzion in Netanya.

The levaya is scheduled for Monday afternoon at 1:30pm, 6 Shevat, from Netanya’s Tifferes Moshe Yeshiva located at 40 Ben Eliezer Street and the kvura will be in the Shikun Vatikim cemetery. Shiva will be in the home of the rav zatzal at 4 Ramat Chen Street in Netanya.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)