The gaon and tzaddik, the Clevelander Rebbe, z’tl, was niftar about 7:45 a.m. on Tuesday morning at the age of 88.

The Rebbe was hospitalized in critical condition in Ma’ayanei HaYeshua hospital in Bnei Brak in recent days and many heartfelt tefillohs have been said for him. His condition deteriorated late last week and his relatives were called to his bedside.

Although the Rebbe was very weak in recent months after falling in his home, he conducted his usual Chanukah lighting ceremony this past Chanukah including distributing damei Chanukah to his chassidim, according to a Kikar Ha’Shabbos report.

https://twitter.com/Hasidic_news/status/1232175261245984768?s=20

ראש עיריית רעננה חיים ברוידא בהדלקת נרות חנוכה אצל האדמו"ר מקליוולנד pic.twitter.com/1ORBhYFlo6

— משה ויסברג (@moshe_nayes) December 29, 2019

The Rebbe, known for his incredible ahavas Yisrael, was mekareiv countless people to their father in Shamayim through his beis medrash and community in Ra’anana.

אל תשליכנו לעת זקנה: הסבא קדישא האדמו"ר מקליוולנד בסליחות pic.twitter.com/cXQQ0hoZ8e

— צבי פרנקל (@tzvi_frankel) September 2, 2018

The Rebbe, Haravav Yitzchak Eizik Rosenbaum, was born in Romania to Rav Yissachar Ber, the Strozhnitzer Rebbe, who was the son of the Nadvorner Rebbe, Harav Issamar Rosenbaum of Nadvorna. The Rebbe’s mother, Rebbitzen Chaya Esther Rosenbaum, a’h was the daughter of the Gaon Rav Meir Issacson of Kretshnif, the son-in-law of Harav Issamar of Nadvorna.

Following his marriage, the Rebbe established a beis medrash for Clevelander chassidim in the city of Cleveland and led a kehilla there for many years.

Later, the Rebbe moved to Israel and settled in Ra’anana at the instruction of his father, establishing a community and beis medrash there to spread Yiddishkeit in the city.

The Rebbe drew Ra’anana residents close to him and his beis medrash was known as an accepting and warm place for Jews of all stripes. Even completely secular residents of Ra’anana attended his tischen on a regular basis as the Rebbe treated each person lovingly regardless of religious status.

The Rebbe even established a network of kollelim for avreichim who travel to Ra’anana every day from Bnei Brak in order to spread Yiddishkeit.

The Rebbe left behind his only son, Harav Uri Leib Rosenbaum, the Rav of the Clevelander community in Beitar, who is expected to fill the Rebbe’s place.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)