Rabbi Chaim Meir Wozner Passes Away From COVID-19 At Age 82

BNEI BRAK (VINnews) — Rabbi Chaim Meir Wozner, the son of Rabbi Shmuel Wozner and head of the Chachmei Lublin yeshiva and the Zichron Meir Beis Din, passed away Sunday from coronavirus at the age of 82.
Rabbi Wozner was born in 1938 in Vienna. His parents immigrated to Palestine that year and left him with his mother’s parents in Pressburg. He survived the war with the help of a righteous gentile who hid him and was reunited with his father in 1946. He studied under his father for many years and became one of his main disciples. He married the daughter of Rabbi Avraham Eliyahu Meises, one of the heads of the Torah Ve’Yirah yeshiva which was affiliated with the Neturei Karta. He was later appointed as a teacher in the Chachmei Lublin yeshiva which was headed by his father and later became a Dayan (rabbinical judge) in the Beis Din of his father, where he became famous for his rulings.
Forty years ago he decided on his father’s advice to move to London where he served as rabbi of the Yitev Lev Satmar community for many years. During the periods when there wer disputes within the Satmar community in England, Rabbi Chaim Meir succeeded in lowering tensions and therefore was much loved by all members of the community.
After 18 years his father asked him to return to Israel and take up a leading role in the yeshiva and in the Zichron Meir Beis Din. He was officially appointed to fill the position of his father after Rabbi Shmuel passed away in 2015 (5775).
His students describe him as a special person and genius in Torah knowledge as well as a devoted Rosh Yeshiva who educated generations of disciples in Torah and Yiras Shamayim.
Rabbi Wozner participated recently in the wedding of his granddaughter with the grandson of the Temshover Rebbe. A few days later he collapsed at his home and was diagnosed with COVID-19. He was taken to Maayanei Hayeshua hospital in Bnei Brak where his condition fluctuated for a while. On Sunday his condition deteriorated and he passed away.
Rabbi Wozner is survived by his family of 13 children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren including his oldest son Rabbi Yosef Binyamin Wozner who served as his right-hand man over the years, as well as his other sons Rabbi Aharon, Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Mordechai Zev, Rabbi Moshe Shimon and Rabbi Yisrael. His daughters are married to Rabbi Mordechai Gelber the Admor of Kossov-Boro Park and rabbi of the Shevet Halevi community in Ashdod and to Rabbi Shalom Zvi Englander, the head of the Machnovka Kollel in London.