Adar 19

Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld (1848-1932), the beloved leader of Jerusalem Jewry during the first part of the 20th century, at a time when the community was reestablishing itself after many centuries of exile. Whether dealing with immigration issues, fending off violence from Arabs, or ensuring the spiritual sanctity of Jerusalem, Rabbi Sonnenfeld stood at the forefront of the battle to protect Jews in the Jewish capital. In that difficult time, he was a man of courage, scholarship, kindness, integrity and piety -- who came to symbolize and shape the Holy City that he loved.