Large crowds gathered in Zichron Yaakov on Thursday to pay final respects to Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh Pollak, a prominent community leader and local council member who died at age 65 after battling a severe illness.
Born on the first of Adar 5721 (1961), Rabbi Pollak was the eldest son of the renowned Rabbi Avraham Pollak, who served as mashgiach (spiritual supervisor) at the prestigious Slobodka Yeshiva. Growing up in his father's home, he absorbed Torah learning and ethical teachings while witnessing firsthand the dedication required to maintain a major yeshiva and guide students.
As a young man, Rabbi Pollak studied at Yeshivat Knesset Chizkiyahu in Rechasim, where he developed his Torah scholarship under the institution's leadership. He later married the daughter of Rabbi Moshe Chaim Shinker and the couple settled in the coastal town of Zichron Yaakov, where he would spend decades building the local haredi community.
Over the years, Rabbi Pollak became a central figure in local governance, serving as deputy mayor representing the Chai faction of Degel HaTorah, a major haredi political party. Colleagues described him as tirelessly working to assist anyone who approached him, strengthening the haredi community in the town, and supporting Torah institutions.
Beyond his municipal work, Rabbi Pollak previously managed Yeshivat Knesset Yisrael-Slobodka and spent many years as a kashrut supervisor for the Badatz Edah Haredit at a fish processing facility in Kibbutz Ma'agan Michael, where he devoted himself to maintaining strict kosher standards. Those who knew him recalled a warm individual who greeted everyone with a smile and dedicated his life to helping others.
Upon news of his passing, Degel HaTorah's municipal department issued a special mourning notice expressing deep sorrow over the loss of their representative. "Rabbi Pollak was a devoted public activist faithful to the path of Torah leaders," the statement read. "He carried out his communal responsibilities for many years with dedication, faith, and a sense of mission, working extensively to strengthen Torah, preserve Jewish values, and improve the welfare of the town's residents."
Menachem Shapira, head of the municipal department, eulogized: "Degel HaTorah representatives throughout the country share in the heavy mourning of this distinguished family. The deceased was a man of extraordinary kindness who sanctified G-d's name through his conduct and behavior, leaving behind a glorious legacy of work for the community. May the Almighty comfort the family among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem."
He was laid to rest in the Shomrei Shabbat section of the local Zichron Yaakov cemetery.
May his memory be a blessing.
