Rockland County, NY – Thousands Of Monsey Chasidim Pay Their Respects To Elder Son Of Viznitzer Rebbe (photos)

Rockland County, NY – Several thousand people turned out in Monsey this afternoon to honor Borough Park’s Viznitzer Rebbe who died this morning in Manhattan of spinal surgery complications.

Rabbi Pinchas Shalom Hager z’l was the oldest son of the Viznitzer Rebbe, Rabbi Mordechai Hager’s 14 children. The father of nine and the grandfather of many, Rabbi Pinchas Sholom Hager underwent spinal surgery in Mount Sinai hospital several weeks ago.

“It was serious, significant surgery,” Community Liaison for Ramapo Police Yisroel Kahan told VIN News. “He was already getting better and unfortunately this morning it took a turn for the worse.”

The misader kiddushin at almost every Viznitzer wedding in Borough Park, Rabbi Hager was a beloved figure who did his best to avoid controversy, according to a LoHud.com report.

“He was a very distinguished rov, a very ehrliche yid,” said Kahan. “No one could ever say a bad word about him. He didn’t even know how to hurt a person or to think bad of a person. It is a terrible loss for the community.”

The levaya for Rabbi Hager began in Borough Park at the Viznitzer shul and continued in Monsey at the Viznitz beis medrash on Phyllis Terrace. Route 306 was closed to vehicular traffic as thousands of mourners made their way north from the beis medrash to the Viznitz cemetery on Brick Church Road, carrying Rabbi Hager’s aron by hand to the cemetery.

At one point, the crowd filled Route 306 from Calvert Drive north to Viola Road, filling the entire roadway with a sea of black hats and coats as far as the eye could see.

Officer Eugene Scorzelli of the Ramapo Police Department, who was stationed at the corner of Calvert Drive and Route 306, estimated the throng to approximately three quarters of a mile long. Officer Scorzelli told VIN News that he was impressed by the turnout for Rabbi Hager.

One of Rabbi Hager’s grandchildren was married just one week ago. His brother, Rabbi Mendel Hager, married off a grandchild tonight in Israel, and as of this afternoon, had not yet been informed of Rabbi Hager’s passing.

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