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Massive Funeral Procession U.S. Rabbi Buried on Mount of Olives; Eulogy by Father

August 11, 1972
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Rabbi David Wachtfogel of Philadelphia, who died in Philadelphia last Saturday at the age of 62 and whose remains were brought to Israel for interment, was buried yesterday on the Mount of Olives. Rabbi Wachtfogel left the Old City of Jerusalem 40 years ago and settled in the United States, serving as a leading Orthodox rabbi for many years in Philadelphia.

The eulogy was given by his father, Rabbi Yitzhak Wachtfogel, who is head of the Mea Shearim Yeshiva in Jerusalem and president of the Jerusalem Rabbinical Court. Though he is believed to be more than 80 years old, the father is still very active as a rabbi and rabbinical judge.

Jerusalem’s religious community turned out in force to accompany the bodies of Rabbi Wachtfogel and of Rabbi David Cohen, a faithful disciple of Rabbi Abraham Kook, the first Chief Rabbi in pre-State Palestine. Rabbi Cohen died at the age of 86 after a long illness. President Zalman Shazar and Israel’s two Chief Rabbis led one of the largest mourning processions in years for the two rabbinical leaders.

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