The Short Vort by Rabbi Eisenman

Yesterday, I awoke in Yerushalayim and davened Vasikin just minutes away from where Hashem chose as His "home".

Today, I awoke in Passaic, NJ, and will also daven Vasikin; a little further away from His "home", yet, we believe still within "earshot".

Nevertheless, it's just not the same.

Today is also the 174th Yahrtzeit of my great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, the patriarch of our family, who instilled in me and my children a love of Eretz Yisroel.

I present an appreciation of his life:

Rabbi Avraham Shlomo Zalman Tzoref-

1786-1851

On his 174th Yahrtzeit

It is doubtful the name Rabbi Avraham Shlomo Zalman Tzoref, who was killed in Jerusalem in 1851, will ring familiar to most of you.

Nonetheless, Rabbi Avraham Shlomo Zalman Tzoref was the first victim of terror recognized by the State of Israel. On Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day), his name and those of over 3,000 victims of terror are read.

Rabbi Avraham Shlomo Zalman Tzoref managed to obtain permits from Egyptian ruler Muhammad Ali, and later from Turkish authorities, to rebuild the Hurva Synagogue in Jerusalem's Old City, which Arab creditors had burned down in 1721.

Rabbi Avraham Shlomo Zalman Tzoref did not live to see the synagogue rebuilt. He was murdered in 1851, five years before the reconstruction work started.

Rabbi Avraham Shlomo Zalman Tzoref's successful redemption of the Hurva sparked the jealousy and hatred of the Arab residents of Jerusalem.

One night, unknown assailants tried to kill Tzoref by gunshot, but they missed their target.

The shooter, who fled to one of the courtyards, fell into a cistern and drowned.

Months later, close to sunrise, when R' Tzoref was making his way to Vasikin as was his wont, murderers attacked him from behind.

He was struck on the head with a sword and fell, wallowing in his own blood.

Jews, also heading to daven, found him and brought him back to his home while he was still alive.

He lived for another three months and died on the 19^th of Elul in 1851.

The Hurva Synagogue was dedicated 14 years later.

For some 80 years, the synagogue was the center of the religious and community life of Jerusalem's Jews until the Jordanians blew it up, along with other Shuls in the Old City, in 1948.

The newly rebuilt Hurva Shul was dedicated on March 15, 2010.

Rav Avraham Shlomo Zalman Tzoref was my great, great, great, great -grandfather.

His Yahrtzeit is today.

His descendants continue to daven in the same Shul he helped build in 1836.

In fact, my son Meir is speaking there today at an event marking his Yahrtzeit.

May his memory be for a Brocha to all.