BDE

 

With deep sorrow, we mourn the passing B'sayva tova, of our founding Member and first Chairman, Professor Hillel Blondheim Z"L.

 

The funeral took place Sunday, 1 Chol Hamoed Pesach at Eretz Hachaim Cemetery in Har Tuv (near Bet Shemesh) at 4:00 PM.  Shiva will begin after the chag.

 

Professor Blondheim was born in 1918 and recently celebrated his 100th birthday. His first wife, Dr. Syril Blondheim Z"L passed away on Yom Kippur in 1989.  In 1991 he married Eva who recently passed away.
 

The success of our Community over the last 40 years was largely due to the way and type of Shul which Professor Blondheim  created when the Congregation was first established.  He introduced many ideas of his own, always  halachically correct, which were often known as “Blondheimisms”.  Most of the Chairmen who followed him learned a lot from him how to manage the Community. Our shul in recent years is known throughout the Jewish World as “ Hovevei”  but in its infancy was known as “ Blondheim's Shul”.  In those early days he was supported by his late wife Dr. Syril Blondheim and his children who were also very active in the Community. Our Community was fortunate to have had him as our first Chairman.  

 

We were very pleased on its completion to name our Communal Hall "The Blondheim Hall."  It was also a delight to welcome him, some 18 months ago, at our 40th Anniversary celebrations and to present him a certificate .

 

Among his many honors, Professor Blondheim was named Yakir Yerushalayim in 2012.

Professor Blondheim's biography can be found at http://www.blondheims.com/html/family_zone/autobiography.htm

Chapter XV refers to his founding and involvement in our shul .