Shocking tragedy in Bnei Brak: the passing of HRH"H Rabbi Aharon Yehuda Klein in the prime of his life; a beloved and valued mechanech with an exemplary family, a chassid devoted to his Rabbanim of Bobov, a faithful assistant of the Zutchka Rebbe* His widow and nine orphans are left at home and are in need of immediate assistance

A two-year-old toddler searches for Abba. He wanders around in the house, his innocent eyes asking a question for which there is no answer. Abba will not be coming home. Along with him, his eight traumatized brothers and sisters stand around their weeping mother. Nine young orphans, none of them married, are suddenly left without a father and without someone to support them.

The depth of the grief is indescribable. The beloved mechanech HRH"H Rabbi Aharon Yehuda Klein zt"l was niftar in the prime of his life at the age of only 46. Rabbi Aharon Yehuda was a living example of Torah and yir'as Shamayim. For twenty-five years he educated generations of bachurim in Bobov's Yeshivas Eitz Chaim and Yeshivas Tal Torah with mesirus nefesh. He was simultaneously the trusted assistant of K"K the Admo"r of Zutchka shlit"a, his faithful representative for any davar she'b'kedusha.

The talmidim of Rav Klein, graduates of yeshivas in which he served as a mashgiach for many years, followed his mittah with bitter tears. Rav Klein was a mechanech who loved his talmidim and was much loved by them in return. With wisdom and understanding he found a way to each talmid's heart, encouraging, guiding, setting him on the right path, and leaving the talmid feeling respected and good about himself.

But everything turned around about two years ago. The machala attacked Rabbi Aharon Yehuda without mercy. The house was upended in a whirlpool of torment, confusion, and painful treatments. It was believed that he would recover; his beard had begun to grow anew; the atmosphere around him lightened; but then the disease reappeared with a vengeance.

Rabbi Aharon Yehuda accepted his suffering with love and complete emunah, but while his spirit was strong his body continually weakened. Thursday morning, surrounded by his family and K"K the Admo"r of Zutchka shlit"a, his pure neshama left this world.

The silence in the Klein household screams louder than words. His devastated widow is left alone, completely broken, with the nine orphans, who need to eat, to get dressed, and to somehow continue with their lives. Baruch HaShem they do have 'Areivim' to help with the weddings in the future, but they need sandwiches for tomorrow morning, bread and milk…who will pay the household expenses without a breadwinner?

The Rabbanim of the kehilla are have first-hand knowledge of the desperate situation and instructed Kupat Ha'ir to immediately set up a fund for the family. The eyes of the widow and nine orphans are raised to us now in a silent plea to help them grapple with the crushing poverty. Please help them!