The Negev chareidi community was cast into deep mourning upon
learning of the petirah of the righteous Rebbetzin
Tova Gittel Deutsch, o"h, wife of HaRav Avrohom
Deutsch of Ofakim. She passed away after bitter suffering for
five years due to a serious illness. She leaves behind 17
children and a pained, bereft family.
The levaya, held on the second day of chol
hamoed, was attended by a large throng. It was headed by
maranan verabonon the gedolei haTorah, roshei
yeshiva, rabbonim, and many family members. She was
buried on Har Hamenuchos in Jerusalem.
Rebbetzin Deutsch was born on the 14th of Kislev, 5714 in
Kiryat Ata. Her father is Reb Nochum Leichter. Her maternal
grandfather was Reb Moshe of Zanetz, Hungary: a great Torah
supporter, whose home was open to all. In this home,
saturated with the outstanding qualities of her great
forbears, Tova Gittel imbibed pure yiras Shomayim and
love of Torah and chessed. Her other ancestors
included HaRav Kalev Feivel Schlesinger who was the av
beis din of Toplachan in Czechoslovakia, author of
Toras Bar Nash and an outstanding student of the Ksav
Sofer. His son, Reb Nochum continued in his father's
footsteps. He was the author of the Chazon Nochum.
Despite her unique talents and the fact that she was one of
the finest teachers in the Beis Yaakov system, she was
totally unassuming. Her close friends say that she was a
living mussar book, and that this aspect of her
character was particularly evident during the period of her
difficult illness. She was known for the extreme care she
took not to hurt or offend anyone nor to speak unkindly or
inconvenience others.
She built her home on the banks of Torah and yirah
with great mesiras nefesh and extraordinary wisdom. In
her pure yiras Shomayim and her histapkus, she
was a living instance of the Jewish mothers of yore. She was
particularly kindhearted, and lavished boundless love on each
and every one of her children, caring for their individual
needs with endless patience.
She inculcated her children with love of Torah, teaching them
to have middos tovos and genuine yiras Shomayim
and emunah. She devoted herself with every fiber of
her soul to her husband, enabling him in his Torah
dissemination, his kiruv activities and his many acts
of chessed.
She and her husband, HaRav Avrohom Deutsch, one of the
leaders of the chareidi community of Ofakim, built an
outstanding Torah home. HaRav Avrohom is known to all for his
many communal activities and as the head of prominent
kollelim in the Negev.
Five years ago, it was learned that a malignant disease was
festering in her body, and the doctors said that she had only
a short time to live. However, her husband made great efforts
to help her overcome her illness, and during that period she
underwent a number of operations as well as difficult
treatments in Eretz Yisroel and abroad. She bore her
suffering with love, and did all in her power to behave in a
pleasant manner to all who visited her, although she suffered
excruciating pain.
During that period, she merited nachas from her
children and grandchildren. Her daughter married Rav Yisroel
Greenblatt, one of Ofakim's finest avreichim. While
she was sick, her family conducted the household in
accordance with her aspirations and way of life.
Before her final trip abroad for treatments, she participated
in the wedding of her son, the prominent avreich Rav
Elkana, to the daughter of HaRav Boruch Auerbach zt"l,
and merited to see grandchildren and to derive true
nachas from them.
Prior to the yomim noraim, she expressed a desire to
return to Eretz Yisroel to her home in Ofakim.
However, her strength gave way, and she was hospitalized on
erev Succos. At first, her condition improved. But on
the second day of chol hamoed it rapidly deteriorated,
and she soon was called upon to return her pure soul to her
Maker.
The bitter news spread rapidly throughout the chareidi
community of Ofakim as well as other Negev chareidi
communities. Those who had prayed for her recovery were now
overcome by mourning over her petirah. All were deeply
shocked by the terrible catastrophe which had befallen the
family.
In the afternoon, a huge throng assembled in at the Shamgar
funeral home in Jerusalem. It was headed by maranan
verabonon, gedolei haTorah, roshei yeshiva, rabbonim, and
many members of the chareidi communities of Ofakim and its
environs. The weeping of the entourage over the great and
terrible loss reached the heavens.
Because it was chol hamoed, no hespedim were
delivered, except for brief words of parting by her father-in-
law, HaRav Yehuda Tzvi Deutsch, one of the important
talmidei chachomim of Yerushalayim and the words of
the moro de'asra of Adas Yerei'im of Ofakim, HaRav
Shimshon Pinkus.
She is survived by her eminent husband, HaRav Avrohom, her
father, Rav Nochum, and 17 children, the youngest of whom is
only five years old. All her sons are outstanding talmidei
chachomim who are studying in the tents of Torah. Her
daughters are pursuing the path she charted for them. She is
also survived by grandchildren and nine brothers and sisters.
The entire community of Ofakim feels orphaned, and deeply
mourns her petirah.
On Monday night, the 2nd of Cheshvan, at seven p. m., a
his'orerus rally will be held in the Kivisi Hashem
synagogue in Ofakim. It will be attended by prominent
roshei yeshiva of the Negev as well as by rabbonim and
family representatives.
