Avraham Herzlich, z’l, who was known as the “Jewish shepherd,” passed away on Wednesday morning at the age of 85.

Herzlich, z’l, was born in Brooklyn to a secular family. As a young man, he felt something missing and began exploring Zionism. When he was 23, he traveled to Israel by ship and began learning Hebrew. He became interested in Yiddishkeit on a visit to a Teimani shul in Jerusalem, where he was moved by the authentic sound of the davening. His interest in Teimani customs led him to the Teimani community of Rosh Haayin, where he joined a yeshivah and began learning Torah.

It was in Rosh HaAyin that he also began to be interested in shepherding. He was directed to Kfar Zeitim, a village near Tiveria, where he not only learned how to shepherd but met his future wife. After his marriage, he and his wife Aviva, raised 11 children while Avraham worked as a shepherd and his wife sold milk and cheese from the flock.

After 30 years of shepherding in Kfar Zeitim, his son convinced him to move his flock to Kfar Tapuach in the Shomron. He resisted the change at first but once he moved, he felt a boost of ruchniyus due to being closer to Yerushalayim Ir Hakodesh.

Two years later, in 2000, he suffered a terrible loss when his daughter and son-in-law, Talia and Binyamin Kahane, H’yd, [son of Meir Kahane, H’yd] were killed by terrorists outside Ofra, leaving their six children, including a two-month-old infant, orphaned. The children were raised by Talia’s sister [who had 8 children of her own] with the help of her parents, Avraham, z’l, and Aviva, who lived next door.

The niftar left behind 11 children and 80 grandchildren.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)