Avichai Rontzki, a former IDF chief rabbi, has died at the age of 66 after a battle with cancer.
Rontzki, from the settlement of Itamar, served as chief rabbi of the army from 2006 to 2010 and later made an unsuccessful bid for the Knesset.
Naftali Bennett (r) with former IDF chief rabbi Avichai Rontzki. (Yossi Zeliger/Flash90)
Politicians, mainly from the right, are eulogizing him ahead of his funeral, scheduled for 5 p.m.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls him a “fighter and sage, who loved the people of Israel and the Land of Israel.”
Jewish Home head Naftali Bennett praises Ronski as a “daring commander” for his service in the Yom Kippur War of 1973.
“He was an educator and a leader, but for me he was mainly a teacher and a partner. … You’re already missed,” he says.
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From the Liveblog of
Sunday, April 1, 2018
