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A True Loss For Klal Yisrael

"A True Anav": Rabbi Tzvi Pittinsky mourns Rabbi Elazar Meir Teitz ob"m

Rabbi Teitz was a long-time leader of the Jewish community in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Memorial candle. Illustration.
Photo: New Africa/Shutterstock

Rabbi Tzvi Pittinsky, otherwise known as the "Tech Rav," gave a heartfelt eulogy for Rabbi Elazar Meir Teitz ob"m, a longtime leader of Elizabeth, New Jersey who passed away today at the age of 89.

Rabbi Pittinsky called Rabbi Teitz's death a "massive loss" for the community he was building in the United States.

He noted that "I did not know Rav Elazar Meir Teitz Zatzal well but had the privilege to interact with him firsthand and be involved both as a parent and teacher in the beautiful schools he built, Rav Teitz exemplified two traits which I think sometimes are sorely lacking, modesty and normalcy."

Rabbi Pittinsky then took noted of his unique middot, the first of which was genuine modesty: "Rav Teitz was a true Anav. I don’t mean that he paraded around with others bestowing how modest he was as unfortunately we sometimes see in modern day “gedolim”. I mean he was unassuming. He did not walk around with special rabbinic garb.

"Rav Teitz never asked for Kavod, expecting people to bend to his will or pronouncements. We all knew he was special, of a different generation, but he never comported himself in that way."

The other trait that he "saw in my interactions with Rav Teitz was his normalcy. I think this is a mida of the Teitz family. He was never extreme in any way. He did not make others feel they needed to take strict positions in order to truly practice Judaism."

Rabbi Pittinsky then ended his eulogy with the following sendoff: "Rav Teitz was the Rav of a centrist community started by his father and continued by him, fully involved in the real world but equally and completely committed to Halacha. This is how he modeled his schools which became the model for all NJ day schools as well. He will be missed."

Baruch Dayan HaEmet.


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