Page 7 - HaMizrachi #28 Pesach USA 2021

TORAT MIZRACHI

Rabbi Joseph Bronner ל"ז

Scholar, Leader and Visionary

abbi Joseph Bronner was admired Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner. He went into the College for many years. Yeshiva College’s
as a visionary, Torah scholar, and diamond business with his father but girls’ high school was later named for Dr.
Rcommunity leader in Johannes- continued his Torah study. Leila Bronner. He also established the
burg and Los Angeles, where he helped In 1949, he met Leila Amsel, daughter Maharsha Yeshiva, named in honor of
build and enhance the Jewish commu- of a Chassidic rabbi and valedictorian his late father, Shlomo Aryeh.
nities. He and his wife, Dr. Leila Leah of Beis Yaakov of Williamsburg’s class Through his teaching and vision, Rabbi
Bronner, a”h, were deeply committed to of 1948. They married and moved to Bronner was a major force in influencing
Religious Zionism and Jewish education, Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1951, the direction of religious life in South
and served as leaders in the Mizrachi after Temi, their oldest daughter, was Africa. He inspired many of his students
Movement.
born. Yosel founded a diamond busi- to move to Israel, and to become leaders
Joseph (Yosel) Bronner was born in 1923 ness and became a DeBeers site holder, a in communities around the world.
in Berlin. In 1936, a guard at his father’s great achievement. He was later elected The couple followed their two daughters
factory warned his father, Shlomo Aryeh President of the Diamond Club of South to Los Angeles in 1984. Quickly earning
Bronner, that SS troops would arrest Africa. respect for his encyclopedic knowledge
him the next day. Shlomo Aryeh fled of Jewish texts and wisdom in handling
to Antwerp that night, and his wife, complex matters, Rabbi Bronner was
Chana, and the three boys – Chaim, sought for his advice and began giving
Yosel, and Shimon, followed soon after. shiurim during Seuda Shlishit at Kehillat
They attended yeshiva in Heide, where Yavneh. He later published them in a
Yosel developed a love for Torah study. book, 10-Minute Torah Talks: Weekly

When the Nazis invaded Belgium in Parsha Insights. Rabbi Bronner was
1940, the family escaped to Bordeaux. President of Mizrachi-Religious Zionists
The Portuguese Consul-General in of Los Angeles until 1995.
Bordeaux, Aristides De Sousa Mendes, Mr. Bronner – as he was known in the
in defiance of his government’s orders, business world – served as the lead-
had begun issuing visas and passports so ing arbitrator of the Diamond Clubs
Jews could find safety in Portugal. With in South Africa and Los Angeles, and
his help, the Bronner family acquired the Yosel and Leila had two more children, was held in high esteem for his ability
necessary papers on June 15, 1940, and Moshe and Esther, and became leaders to create solutions that benefited both
were able to cross the border into Spain. in the Johannesburg community, where parties.
they were known as much for their ele-
From Spain, they continued to Lisbon, Rabbi Bronner was involved in many
where they obtained visas to the United gance and hospitality as they were for Jewish organizations, charities, univer-
States. After Yosel’s father had paid for their scholarship and vision. He served sities and yeshivot, in Israel and around
as a volunteer rabbi at the Bnei Aki-
his family’s visas, he distributed his va-Mizrachi shul and was President of the world, and leaves a worthy legacy to
remaining money to those behind him Mizrachi of South Africa, representing his family and community.
who needed help paying for theirs.
Mizrachi on the Zionist Federation for Rabbi Joseph Bronner died on January
The Bronners arrived in New York on 15 years. They were founders and long- 27, 2021. He is survived by his children
January 9, 1941, when Yosel was 17. time leaders of Yeshiva College, the first – Temi (Bernard) Monderer, Moshe
Yosel, who spoke seven languages, stud- and later largest Orthodox day school in (Amira) Bronner, Esthie (Walter) Fein-
ied at Yeshivat Chaim Berlin in Brook- South Africa. Rabbi Bronner acquired blum, and by many grandchildren and
lyn, where he received smicha from the land and helped in funding Yeshiva great-grandchildren.

ךורב ורכז יהי

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