Israeli Charedi leader Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky dies aged 94

One of Israel’s most prominent ultra-Orthodox leaders died on Friday afternoon, aged 94.

Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, the author of Derech Emunoh and Derech Chochmoh, collapsed at his home in Bnei Brak after falling ill this week.

Despite their efforts, a local medical team was unable to resuscitate him and he died a few hours later.

A group of his followers had gathered outside the house, waiting for news. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennet had tweeted, saying he is praying for Kanivesky’s health.

Born in 1928 in Pinsk, a city now located in Belarus, Kanievsky, became one of the widely accepted leaders of the Charedi community after the death of Rabbi Aharon Yehuda Leib Shteinman in 2017.

For many years thousands of people would visit Kanivesky at his home to ask for advice and blessings.

He attracted controversy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the early stages of the crisis he reportedly told followers that one of the best ways to defeat the virus was to avoid lashon hara (gossip).

After residents of Bnei Brak became disproportionately ill with COVID he announced that all his followers should follow the Israeli Health Ministry’s guidelines on COVID-19.

However when most schools closed in October 2020 he advocated for his community’s educational institutions to stay open.