Athens chief rabbi for four decades dies

Yaacov Arar, 76, took up his post in 1964; he was buried in Israel

The Beth Shalom Synagogue in Athens (Gavin Rabinowitz/JTA)
The Beth Shalom Synagogue in Athens (Gavin Rabinowitz/JTA)

Rabbi Yaacov Arar, who served as the chief rabbi of Athens for over four decades, has died.

Arar died July 31 in Israel, according to the Athens Jewish Community. He was 76.

A native of Larissa, a town in central Greece, Arar took up his post as chief rabbi of Athens in 1964 and served for 46 years.

“He was a man of deep knowledge, professionalism, kindness and love for his people,” the community said in a statement. “We also express our gratitude for the valuable contribution to our community and hope you rest in peace.”

Arar was buried in Israel, according to his wishes.

Most Popular
read more:
If you’d like to comment, join
The Times of Israel Community.
Join The Times of Israel Community
Commenting is available for paying members of The Times of Israel Community only. Please join our Community to comment and enjoy other Community benefits.
Please use the following structure: example@domain.com
Confirm Mail
Thank you! Now check your email
You are now a member of The Times of Israel Community! We sent you an email with a login link to . Once you're set up, you can start enjoying Community benefits and commenting.