R' Isaac Chaim Avigdor

Rabbi Isaac C. Avigdor Spiritual Leader of the United Synagogues of Greater Hartford for 50 years passed away on November 24, 2010 at the Sephardic Home in Brooklyn, NY. Rabbi Avigdor was born in Sanz, Poland in 1920 to a legendary Rabbinic family with an unbroken chain of rabbis dating back to King David. He was the son of Rabbi Dr. Jacob Avigdor, known as the Drohobyczer Ray and later the Chief Rabbi of Mexico City.

As a 15 year old boy, Rabbi Isaac studied in the famous Yeshiva of Chachmei Lublin, the Mir Yeshiva in Poland as well as the Belz Yeshiva. When the 2nd World War broke out, he was separated from his parents and incarcerated at the infamous Mathausen Concentration Camp where he was liberated on May 5, 1945 together with the well known philanthropist, David Chase.

After liberation, Rabbi Isaac founded a rehabilitation Kibbbutz in Abbiate Guazona, Italy where he gathered refugees and survivors of the war, rehabilitated them and relocated them to Israel. After reuniting with his illustrious father, Rabbi Isaac Avigdor relocated to the United States where he built a new life in New York City as the Executive Director of the Shiomo Kluger Yeshiva on the East Side, and the Director of the National Hapoel Hamizrachl.

He was a well known author who published five books and countless articles in Hebrew, English and Yiddish and a contributing member and writer for the Rabbinical Council of America. Rabbi Avigdor leaves behind his beloved wife Esther, his four sons, Rabbi David Avigdor, spiritual leader of Cong. Bikur Cholim of New Haven, Rabbi Morton Avigdor, Rabbi Merrill Avigdor and Mt Jacob Avigdor of Toronto as well as his brother Dr. Abraham Avigdor of Mexico City. He also leaves 15 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.

Rabbi Avigdor used to say that he wanted to live to be a "Tzaddik". He passed away at the age of 90, which is the mathematical equivalent of the Hebrew letter "Tzaddik". May his memory be for a blessing. Published in The Hartford Courant on November 27, 2010

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/hartfordcourant/obituary.aspx?n=is...

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http://www.jewishledger.com/2010/12/rabbi-isaac-avigdor-90/