BARUCH DAYAN HA’EMES – LAKEWOOD LOSES A GADOL: Harav Shlomo Gissinger Zatzal, Rav of K’hal Zichron Yaakov [UPDATED – LEVAYA INFO]

It is with great sadness we report the Petirah of Harav Shlomo Gissinger Zatzal, one of Lakewood’s leading Rabbonim.

Rav Gissinger Zatzal, the Rav of Khal Zichron Yaakov, led the Kehilla for many years, and was renowned throughout Lakewood for his Askanus and helping thousands of people.

”You don’t understand what a man we lost,” a close Talmid of his told TLS. “This is a man who for the last 40 years had every broken person, every childless couple, every type of person in his home.”

Just yesterday, the Rav, with minimum strength, sat in his home discussing the needs of children who were without a school. Hours afterwards, he was brought into the hospital.

“I have one question: Where will everyone be tonight, if they can’t sit in his home? Who will take his place?”

For the last while, the Rav suffered from a serious Machla, which recently took a turn for the worse.

Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.

UPDATE 7:55 PM: The Aron will be in the Bais Medrash (Khal Zichron Yaakov, 175 Sunset Road) between 12 AM-5 AM for Tehillim. The Levaya will take place at 10:30, with Kevura in Lakewood.

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69 COMMENTS

  1. Rabbi Gissinger will be forever known as a true gadolinium with an open door to anyone without reservations. There is no doubt that he will be meilitz yosher for his family, his kehillah and the entire klal Yisroel.

    We should all be grateful to have been around in the same generation as the giant Rabbi G was.

    Baruch Dayan haemes

  2. Boruch dayn haemes may his nishma have an aliya and we all know only HAPPINESS and joy and may we all dance by each other simchas

  3. Rav Gissinger was our family’s Rav too. He is not replaceable. He loved us unconditionally and that love can never be replaced. It is so so sad and painful. We are afraid of what will be for our family’s future. However, the Rav always taught us to have trust in Hashem. Hashem will never let His lovable children down and He will provide us with another Moreh Derech that shows us how much Hashem loves and cares for us all.

  4. He was the Rav for the whole Lakewood and beyond. It’s hard to say if anyone from Lakewood has not benefited from him. This is such a massive hit for Lakewood and Klal Yisroel at large.

  5. THE WORLD LOST A FATHER!!!
    I have a family today because rabbi gissinger cared. He had no night or Day… HE HAD TIME he made time for everyone!!!
    The only Nechama I can imagine is in rabbi gissingers soft way he will say to Hashem send down all the Neshama’s to the childless couples to make them feel complete and bring moshiach …

  6. THE WORLD LOST A FATHER!!!
    I have a family today because rabbi gissinger cared. He had no night or Day… HE HAD TIME he made time for everyone!!!
    The only Nechama I can imagine is in rabbi gissingers soft way he will say to Hashem send down all the Neshama’s to the childless couples to make them feel complete and bring moshiach …

  7. He just wished me such a warm Gut Shabbos in shul Shabbos day. We were supposed to continue a conversation we were having…. I’m in shock. Bd”H

  8. IRREPLACEABLE!TZADIK YESOD OLEM!
    his waiting room late at night would be full with every type of jew! sweet patient caring true Ahavas yisroel list goes on and on!
    Rabbi Trenk Rabbi Kalman Krohn Rabbi Gissenger all in same year. I dont know what has to be done but this is no coincidence no its not! Hashem help us!

  9. Heartbroken, I could not agree more… We would not have our beautiful family today without the intervention of Rav Gissinger zatzal. I cannot believe I just wrote zatzal…

    I am “happy” (if one can say that) that at least he will be buried in Lakewood. Because if you think he did so much for so many while here, a fortiori how much he will do for us in Shamayim.

    He was a one of a kind Gadol. A true selfless Gadol who gave up everything for anyone.

    May Hashem comfort his family and his kehilah whom he lead with such grace and dignity and fatherly love for so many years…

  10. We moved out of Lakewood close to 20 years ago. We will never forget the Rav and how he supported us through infertility, shailos, mental health struggles and the like. It wasnt uncommon to bump into him years later and be greeted with a hug and kiss, like a father to a son. He helped so many people but we each felt so special!

  11. I’m shocked! There is no one in the world today that had the patience and knowledge to deal with every single situation no matter what it was, he was more knowledgeable about medicine than any doctor or specialist out there, his patience with couples and families as if they were the only people that mattered, people with fertility issues Rabbi G was the solution. You can come into the waiting area of his home at 2AM 15 people waiting with one issue after the next and every person there felt as if they were the only person that mattered to Rabbi G.
    Anytime a person had a medical issue Rabbi G would be “tell the doctor to send the lab work over to me” and he would literally tell people what to do and save them or their pregnancies.
    Any couple that would want to get separated, Rabbi G would spend hours with the couple and save countless marriages.
    What Rabbi G did for this world is unfathomable, and there is no one today that can fill that void that was just created.

  12. Besides for being such a talmid chacham and Bal chesed,what stood out to me the most was his simplicity and anivus as I would see him shopping in the store just like everyone else.
    Such a tremendous loss.

  13. There are not enough words to say about the way Rabbi Gissinger ZL was an amazing influence to our family and the wonderful things he did for us. We are forever grateful for all his loving and caring help he provided.

  14. I’m sure anyone who frequented Kahal Zichron Yaakov fondly recalls Rabbi Gissinger jumping into the middle of the dancing on Simchas Torah or Purim and spinning around with the energy of a 16 year old yeshiva student the moment people started singing “Ashreinu, Ma Tov Chelkeinu.”

    Something that made a deep impression on me was the way Rabbi Gissinger refused to allow anyone to praise him in public. Speakers–even well-known ones–would barely get halfway through a sentence before he practically shoved them away from the shtender like he’d just found out they were contagious.

    He was a great man who did it right and meant every word. Wealth, power and prestige didn’t scare him; he was as honest and kind to any one person as he was to any other, and you knew that what he told you was unvarnished and completely sincere.

    It is rare that anyone like him shows up more than once in many generations, and it’s hard to properly describe the profound loss we’ve suffered to anyone who didn’t merit to know him. Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.

  15. He was NOT my Rov and I NEVER davened shabbos in the beautiful shul and when a situation came up that needed his guidance and expertise he spent hours with us helping and guiding until everything was resolved. He felt for every yid and helped everyone. A terrible loss. Mei yitein lonu temuraso!

  16. Speechless. Heartbroken. We dont understand Hashems ways. There is NO ONE that can replace the rav. Noone. He cared and loved every individual for who they were. He had patience to another level. He was calming reassuring and so beyond smart. He was a “buckee” in halacha. Without his expertise guidance we wldnt have one of our daughters today. Mah lanu mah chatunah?!!! Why Hshem why?!?!!! What are we doing wrong that You had to take him from us?!?!

  17. אבד חסיד מן הארץ. Have never seen such an incredible special person. May him and his yedid Reb dovid Trenk both who cared selflessly for all be a מליץ יושר just as they had done while they were in our midst.

  18. BDE oy! All his extended families and children will be lost without him

    I know nobody else cares abt this now…but PLEASE change the picture. this is one of the worst photos I’ve ever seen of him
    He had such a varmkeit and his face was always aglow with simcha. Please change it to one that refelcts that!

  19. He’s a father to me ..
    He was always there for me and my family ,, down to earth and he looked at everyone special doesn’t make difference who is the person …
    Even the middle of the night when I need him specially when my parents passed away .. he will always be missed .. ‏ ‏תהיה מנוחה ‏גן עדן

  20. In the over 20 years that we have been living in the neighborhood and davening in the shul we always seen him exemplify the opening words of the Igeres Haramban to speak “all your words benachas, to every person, at all times….. taaleh al libchah midas haanavah.”
    We were all zocheh to watch all the chessed, torah, tefilla, all wrapped in the midah of anavah. We know countless people that were helped by Rabbi Gissinger with endless patience, love, and insight.

  21. The Rav ZTL was there for all klal yisroel.more then Just a Posek. his concern for every yid, for shalom bayis, for Bonei Olam and Atime, for all. His days didnt stop till end of nights. He was there for so many.

    He never would take money for his time. We gave Shaloch Manis with a check. He never cashed the check.

  22. BDE
    what a loss for klal Yisroel of such a tzaddik devoted to helping anyone in need 24-7

    Now for the other side of the story

    1)it is all our sad loss but Boruch Hashem rabbi Gissinger is now currently in a much better place-the olam harmed-then when he was our rav in Lakewood.

    2)perhaps if we all wake up and face reality. And do teshuva together as a nation then the mageifa of losing so many tzaddikim just in the last 2 months alone will come to a halt and hopefully also bring mashiach so we can greet Rabbi Gissinger ZT”L together in Yerushalayim as our rav again.

    May his neshama have an aliya and may his family have a nechama

  23. I grew up in his shul, and with his kids. I will always see him in my mind on Purim night waving his hands with his big smile, encouraging the children to keep the noise going by (the last) Haman… and The way he danced on Simchas Torah with his face shining, dancing with such joy, and energy of someone 3/4s his age! It was real! I remember recognizing that as a young girl. It was hard not to notice.
    He took such an interest in each person, sincerely and made us all feel so important to him.
    @R’ Dovid- so true. KOL d’varav b’nachas.

  24. I have a child today because of him. I am who I am because of him. I do not know what to do now that he is gone. If someone had any ideas for who all of us yesomim can now speak to please share. I am sure I speak for all when I say we are lost, lost and all alone. Who will even attempt to take his place? Who will even attempt to follow in his ways?!
    I think it is very important for rabanim/askanim to let the public know who they can turn to. For many of us this is sudden. For many of us we know no other way, no other place! I am sure there are hundreds who have no idea what to do now.
    May hashem help all of us and please rabbi gissinger please dont stop helping us, you were not human when u were alive kal vechomer now!!!

  25. Rabbi Gissinger’s best kept secret was that he was a gaon adir who had kol hatorah kula in front of him at all times. When speaking in shul and he would quote psukim from Tanach, the words would roll off his tongue as if he were reading them inside. Every word was measured he never said anything superfluous. Anyone who has sat in his tiny simple office could only be amazed at how every square inch was used to hold more and more seforim, most looking worn through. And yet he made nothing of himself. May he be a meilitz yosher for everyone!

  26. i was not a member of his shul but i once had a issue that was very complicated and was advised to go to rabbi gissinger. when i came in there was a huge line and i waited my turn. when it came my turn i sat down and started crying from all the pain deep inside. he looked at me and said ” tzaari alecha achi, tzaari alecha achi “( meaning, i feel your pain my brother) and he kept on repeating it over and over until i stopped crying.i told him i feel bad everyone is waiting. he told me “no no.its ur turn now and u can take as much time as u need. let me go get u a tissue” the amount of ahavas yisroel i felt coming from him was unimaginable. this was the first and only time i met him( he gave me a eitza the worked practically instantly). ever since then i felt very very close to him. i am completely heartbroken .

  27. Ovad chossid min haaretz
    OUR rov OUR Posik OUR friend !! We spent many hours in that famous study hours upon hours ! His wisdom anivous unbelievable amount of time for all 1 am 2 am .
    Some 20 years ago the rov had a radiologist open his practice on shabbos for us we walk all the way across from todd plaza , on the way back the rov was waiting for us on the corner of james street !! He was a friend to all of Klal Yisroel May we continue to give him nachas and may he be a melitz yoshor for all of us

  28. I knew Rev Gissinger from yeshiva days in the early 70s. Gentle masmid, he had been an extremely close talmid of Hagaon Rav Yaakov Kamenetzky zatzal. He would tell over psokim and chiddushim from him constantly. And at the same time he accepted the Lakewood derech and the guidance of Maran Hagaon Rav Shneur zatzal. In some ways this blending of yeshivos and love of all ehrliche yiden was what he personified. I heard that Rav Yaakov gave him one of his notebooks because he considered a true talmid.
    The world is a poorer place tonight. מי יתן לנו תמורתו

  29. Where is everyone going to go now ? who are they going to cry to and beg for help ? !The amount of parents that he has been speaking to over the summer and over the past week that have suffered and have begged and who’s wives have been crying themselves to sleep over the past couple of weeks!WHat should they do ?! . Harav Gissinger TZ”L should storm the gates of shamayim and beg hashem to open the hearts and souls of the principals of the elementry schools and the high schools in this town .

  30. Baruch Dayan Emes.
    Rabbi Gissinger z”l helped and guided many people with wisdom, understanding, patience, humility, encouragement and care. Rabbi & TBLch”T Rebbetzin Gissinger shared in our Simchos and supported us in the challenging times like loving parents.
    Such a special person who we can all learn from and we will sorely miss.
    May he be a Meylitz Yosher for all of us,

  31. What a loss! How shocking and painful! Rabbi gissinger helped us for a few years so patiently and knowledgeably without expecting anything in return or knowing us beforehand, while we battled the painful nisayon of infertility and he was as happy as a grandparent when our precious firstborn was born! He was available until the wee hours checking lab work results and guiding us with instructions and medical advice. He came down to our house a few times and spoke with us in person. What a loss! What a heartbreak! What a tzaddik! I have an email from him from just a few weeks ago with chizuk…. ????☹️

  32. I’m very sad. There is literally no one even remotely like him in Lakewood or beyond. There are thousands of people without a viable alternative rav now. We simply don’t know where to turn.

  33. The Rav was not only humble, but he was fearless in presenting daas Torah, especially as he heard it from his revered Rebbe, Reb Yaakov zt”l. If it was emes,it did not matter that it wasn’t politically correct. That is indeed a rare combination and something we must mourn for. He had a sense of humor that made you immediately at ease, and when you were with him in his office, he treated you like an equal, even if you were just a young yungerman.

  34. Rabbi Gissinger ZT”L WAS NOT MY RAV, but he tought me the biggest lesson in life.

    One of the Rav’s talmidem took me to discuss a situation that he had against me.

    And I have to agree with that person, that he was very hurt.

    We came into the Rav’s room, he had never met me before, and we discussed the situation.

    I told the Rav, that the reason why I am doing what I am doing, is because my personal Rav told me to do that.

    So the Rav told his tablmid, that he had to listen to what my Rav said.

    The talmid turned to the Rav, and asked him, can he have TANES on me.

    The Rav’s response shook me.

    He said NO.

    The talmid asked why?

    The Rav responded, BECAUSE HE IS LISTENING TO HIS RAV AND THAT’S WHAT HE HAS TO DO.

    THE RAV CONTINUED AND SAID, IF YOU WANT YOU MAY HAVE TAYNES ON HIS RAV, AND YOU CAN DISCUSS IT WITH HIM, BUT NOT ON ME.

    WHAT A STRONG LESSON.

    MAY THE RAV BE A MALITZ YOSHER FOR HIS FAMILY AND ALL OF LAKEWOOD AND KLAL YISROEL.

  35. Rabbi Gissinger was not my rov nor did i daven in his shul. But my wife was having a rough time with her pregnancy and we spoke to him. He was the nicest person. He knew right away what was going on (he knew better than the doctor) he told us what had to be done. Followed up with us to make sure it was working out. When my son was born i invited him to the bris he didn’t want the כבד. What a צדק was lost today…. no words

  36. The Rovs favorite song was אשרי איש שלא ישכחך . The rov would dance with all his energy when this song was played. Who can forget. His life was living and dancing HaShems Torah. May we all follow in his ways. צדיקים במיתתם נקראים חיים.

  37. Rabbi Gissinger TZL is a true example of what it means to serve the Klal. I remember waiting in line to speak to the Rav and was amazed at the avodat Kodesh the Rav and HIS ESHES CHAYIL were continuously consumed in. I can’t imagine passing by the home and not seeing the paper of the Ravs hours for the day. May we be better ourselves and be zoche to have MAShiach beH

  38. The Rov was such a special person. I would get the warmest Hello whenever I met even tho he only knew me from “around” he would come to Minyan Shelanu several times during the year, like Chanukah, Purim or a siyum, whenever there was dancing. He would greet the boys there, the ones that you look away from, with such a love, and the biggest smile and hug.

    @heartbroken – we dont ask why. It’s not our place. Yes its incredibly painful but there is a cheshbon and you need not know it. The best way to comfort yourself from this pain is Improve yourself in one or two small ways for the Rav’s Neshama. Then you’ll feel your giving back something.
    “Stay strong”. Thats what the Rav would tell you.

  39. The last picture you have posted is from Rabbi Trank’s levaya, he just finished speaking and was so weak that he needed to be held to cross the street to get home, however as he got to the sidewalk I witnessed in my own eyes, he turned back and walked halfway back into the street to thank the police officers who were there to help out… at his weakest times he was still leading by example.

    No words can describe the loss the world suffered today.

  40. I keep thinking about the irony of how suddenly he passed away. We barely bad a chance to say a perek of tehillim and we got the shock that it’s over…
    He was misaseik b’tzarchei tzibbur around the clock, davenening for us and holding our hand.. And yet we barely had a chance to daven for his recovery.. Almost as if giving us the message not to be matriach us to daven on his behalf
    What a tzaddik.. Just a pure giver…

  41. V’hchai yiten el libo!

    All who were zocah to know the Rov zt’l recognize that he was a gadol in many areas and we must strive to emulate his ways. It’s a lifetime task.

    There is a midda that we find by Moshe Rabbinu which is that he was noson einu v’libo to be nosah bol. The Rov zt’l was a gaon in emulating this midda.May we strive to practice this midda each of us in our own capacity.

  42. Rabbi Gissinger was a class act always asking everyone regardless of being Frum or not ” how are you – how’s your family and always sincere.
    A very special man has been lost-, may you always RIP.

  43. One selfless man!! No day no night,always helping and caring for others. My wife had a complicated pregnancy and the Dr. wanted to do something that the rav ztl felt should not be done so i told the rav that the Dr still wants to do it, he said don’t worry i’ll call him ” we’re friends ” and of course he called him and after a half hour of working and talking to him the dr said “Rabbi your right”.
    There were still some issues and
    It was a half hour to shabbas, I called the rav to discuss he answered his cell phone as calm as anything and gave me all the time i needed , moitze shbs five minutes after the zman i was talking to him again discussing issues and when I finally had the baby His excitement was amazing and said “Good need for the jews”.
    What an amazing person Bde

  44. Rabbi Shlomo Gissinger Zatzal helped me get into school over 20 years ago there by saving me spiritually he was my role model. The countless chesed i have seen growing

  45. @lost not that this is important but I must have heard from him a few hundred times that his favorite song was chazu chazu bonei, he would constantly says so. So I now say to the rav “chazu-look are ur children, we cannot be mishtakchen betzara delhoin-we cannot forget our pain!” ????????

  46. Harav Shlomo Gissinger was a true Tzaddik will be missed by all
    Reb shlomo i did not daven in your shul but your were always there for me whenever i needed help please continue what you did best
    be mispallel for all of us by the kessia hakovod

  47. Such a tremendous loss ???? I davened by the rov for many years. Always there for every yid. No matter who it May be. This is a unfathomable loss ????

  48. I, like thousands of others, used to ask Rabbi Gissinger Zatsa”l my most crucial Sheilos in Hashkafa, Kedushas Habayis and Binyan Habayis. To paraphrase everyone, we’re at a total loss right now. There is no one else on the American scene with his blend of broad scope life experience, intuition, care and strong Mesorah. When I asked him why doesn’t he take others to relieve him, he told me: Reb Moshe, I would need a clone!

    Hope we’re Zocheh to a new generation of Manhigim who will cover some of the gap. Here is a suggestion though:
    It is customary for families of Anashim Chashuvim to gather by email or letters, personal stories about the Niftar.
    I think that in this case, the gathering effort should include as well Hadracha {Sage Advice), Piskei Halacha, Mesoros, Hashkafas Hachaim, Manhigus etc. (even those who will never make it to a published Sefer) as most of them were given in private settings and are at risk of getting lost for us and future generations. If the crowd-sourcing effort is successful, we could hope that future Manhigim will have access to that database and use it to lead us in the Rov’s Derech.
    Yehi Zichro Boruch.

  49. Klal Yisroel lost a giant of a man. Once Rabbi Gissinger had family simcha and he needed the shuls simcha hall for shabbos but one of his mispallelim had already reserved it. What Rabbi Gissinger did was rent a different hall from a yeshiva in the neighborhood than use his own simcha hall. This is Gadlus, this was Rabbi Gissinger.

  50. Everyone is asking who will replace Rabbi Gissenger Zatzal. And clearly no one will because he touched so many of us. We are at a great loss. But perhaps what he has left behind is the middos he portrayed. We have seen the purity and the right way to lead a life. We can never pay back what he has done for us all, but perhaps if we try to emulate even an iota of his middos and chesed, perhaps that will be the least we can do and his impact can live on forever.

  51. Whenever I visited my daughter in Lakewood I would daven in Zichron Yaacov. Rav Gissinger always welcomed me with opened arms and a smilr.i felt a closeness to the Rav even though I was only a distant guest from Los Angeles. תנצב”ה

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