Renowned Chazzan R’ Chaim Adler Z”L Niftar at 87

 

Renowned chazzan R’ Chaim Adler z”l, who was niftar on Motzei Simchas Torah at the age of 87 – on his birthday.

R’ Chaim served for many years as chief chazzan of both the Great Synagogue in Yerushalayim and the Great Synagogue in Tel Aviv, and was regarded as one of the leading figures in Ashkenazi chazzanus of his generation.

Just days before his petirah, on the first day of Sukkos, R’ Chaim received an aliyah at the Gerrer Beis Medrash.

Born in Tel Aviv on 23 Tishrei 5701, R’ Chaim was the son of R’ Tzvi Yitzchak Adler z”l, a respected baal tefillah and kashrus figure. As a young man, he learned at Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim in Kfar Saba under HaGaon HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman zt”l, and later continued his learning at Yeshivas Chevron in Yerushalayim.

Over the course of his distinguished career, R’ Chaim served as chazzan in major kehillos around the world. He spent approximately 15 years at the Young Israel of Forest Hills in New York, later served in London, and spent approximately a decade at Congregation Ahavath Torah in Englewood, New Jersey. He also held chazzanus positions in Toronto.

After returning to Eretz Yisroel in the early 2000s, he became chief chazzan of the Great Synagogue in Tel Aviv. In 2009, he was appointed chief chazzan of the Great Synagogue in Yerushalayim, a position he held until 2015.

R’ Chaim was also well known for his appearances at major Siyumei HaShas, where his rendition of “Kel Malei Rachamim” was heard by tens of thousands. He performed around the world and recorded albums featuring the niggunim of Radomsk and Modzitz.

He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Shoshana Adler, as well as children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His son is singer and chazzan R’ Yisrael Adler, and his grandchildren include chazzanim Simcha and Yisrael Rottenberg.

The levayah is scheduled to leave his home at 3 Chanina Schiff Street in Yerushalayim at 10:00 p.m. on Motzei Simchas Torah, proceeding to the Kiryat Shaul cemetery in Tel Aviv, where he will be brought to kevurah.

Yehi zichro baruch.