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The Chassid Who

Built Neveh Tzedek

Moshe
Nachmani Commemorating 100 years since the passing of Shimon Rokach

e’re all familiar with the neighborhood of
Neveh Tzedek on the border of Tel Aviv. In
1887, it became the first Jewish neighborhood
Wfounded outside Yafo (Jaffa). The neighborhood
and those built in its wake marked the beginning of the
emergence from the walls of Yafo and expansion of Jewish
settlement in the area, and the construction of Tel Aviv was
an extension of this first neighborhood. Among scholars,
Neveh Tzedek is widely viewed as the wellspring of Jewish
Tel Aviv.
But while Neveh Tzedek is well known to Israelis, Shimon
Rokach, the extraordinary Chassidic founder of the
neighborhood, the “grandfather of Tel Aviv,” is unfortunately
unknown and forgotten. In commemoration of his 100th
yahrzeit, this article is dedicated to Rokach’s life of unending
service to the Jewish people.
Shimon Rokach was born to a Chassidic family in the Old
Yishuv of Jerusalem. His grandfather Yosef Rokach was
an influential member of the Sadigura community. In
1840, before coming to the Land of Israel, he went to bid
farewell to the Sadigura rebbe, and there met his fellow
Chassid and friend Yisrael Beck, the man who founded the
Jewish community of Mount Meron (the Jarmak), brought Shimon Rokach
Hebrew printing to the Land of Israel, and was among the Rokach energetically set about organizing the scattered
builders of Jerusalem. Yisrael Beck took a liking to Yosef’s flock, establishing a small association of thirty individuals
son, Yitzchak, whom he chose as a groom for his daughter. called Bnei Tziyon, which ran a charitable fund for the poor.
The tena’im were signed at the table of the Sadigura rebbe, The members of the association would gather for friendly
as is the Chassidic practice. discussions over a cup of tea, and their bond strengthened
In 1863, Yitzchak Rokach’s eldest son Shimon was born. accordingly.
At the age of 13, he commenced three years of studies at A year later, assisted by his brother Elazar, Shimon Rokach
Yeshivat Etz Chayim, the leading educational institution founded a large association named Ezrat Yisrael, which
in Jerusalem, and his studies bore fruit. Subsequently, he provided assistance to new immigrants, who generally
dedicated himself to study in a room that his father set entered the land through the port of Yafo. As director of
aside for the purpose in his home. During this period, he Ezrat Yisrael, Rokach purchased a building and laid the
dedicated himself mainly to the study of the Tanach, the groundwork for the first public hospital in Yafo, with the
vast majority of which he committed to memory. burden of expenses resting on his shoulders.

After Shimon’s marriage, his father obtained a lease of the In 1887, Rokach became the leader of a new and
Yafo–Jerusalem travel tax. Shimon was sent to settle in revolutionary project: the establishment of a new Jewish
Yafo to supervise the business, and it is at this point that neighborhood outside the walls of Yafo. The Jews of Yafo
his public works begin.
had never before dared to leave the security of their homes
At that time Yafo was quite small, consisting mostly of in the Old City to settle the sands of the Mediterranean.
the narrow, dark streets of the Old City. The mainly Shimon Rokach, however, was not one to shrink in the face
Sephardi Jewish community possessed limited means of obstacles. Together with his friends, Rokach hauled away
and had neither leadership nor benevolent organizations. a hundred baskets of sand a day to flatten the ground for

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