Rabbi Ze-ev Tapoohi
Rabbi Ze-ev Tapoohi was born in Narewka in 1915. Narewka, a town in north-eastern Poland, was formerly in the Grodno Gubernia of the Russian Empire. As a child, Ze-ev went by the name Wolf Jablonovich. His father, Srol (Israel) Jablonovich, and mother, Masha, had nine children, of whom Wolf (Ze-ev) was the youngest. In 1925 he commenced studies in the Kemenitz Yeshiva of Poland. In 1932, in the face of the increasing persecution of the Polish Jewish community, he began to make his way to Palestine. The circumstances of his journey were harrowing and in 1934, at the age of 18, he finally reached his destination. He never saw any of his family again, all having perished during the Holocaust. Ze-ev married Nechama Hirshberg in Jerusalem. They had three children, two boys, Chaim and Israel, and a girl, Rivka.
The 18-year-old Ze-ev Tapoohi joined a community of pioneering Jewish farmers and worked on the land for a period before returning to his studies, first in the Ponovitz Yeshiva and later in the Yeshiva of Rav Kook. He obtained his rabbinical diploma at the age of 26, after passing examinations by the Chief Rabbi of Palestine, Rabbi Herzog, the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, Rabbi Frank, and Rabbi Unterman, who went on to become a Chief Rabbi of Israel after independence. During the War of Independence, Rabbi Tapoohi served as a chaplain in the Israel Defence Forces.
|
In 1953, at the express request of Rabbi Frank, he became minister of the leaderless Jewish community of Stockholm, and served in that position for ten years before he and his family left Sweden for Australia.
Having arrived in Australia, Rabbi Tapoohi was initially a minister at the Brisbane Hebrew Congregation and later at the South Brisbane Hebrew Congregation. By 1968 he had moved to Sydney to become the minister of the Strathfield and District Hebrew Congregation. He served in that position until 1975, when he became the minister of Coogee Synagogue. He continued in that position until his death in 1978. |
Rabbi Tapoohi Eulogized in the Press
A short tribute to Rabbi Tapoohi appeared in the Australian Jewish Times on 16th February, 1978. The following lines are excerpted from the published text:
“BURIAL IN ISRAEL FOR SYDNEY RABBI
Rabbi Zeev Tapoohi, minister of the Coogee Synagogue, passed away last weekend after fifteen years of service to the Jewish Community in Australia.
In accordance with his wishes, the rabbi will be buried on the Mount of Olives in Israel.
His remains, accompanied by his son Izzy, left Sydney for Jerusalem this week.
… … …
Rabbi Tapoohi was widely regarded as a kindly and hard working minister, with a special interest in the younger generation.
He channelled much of his energy into ensuring the success of the Coogee kindergarten.
He also served as shochet while he was minister of Coogee.”
A short tribute to Rabbi Tapoohi appeared in the Australian Jewish Times on 16th February, 1978. The following lines are excerpted from the published text:
“BURIAL IN ISRAEL FOR SYDNEY RABBI
Rabbi Zeev Tapoohi, minister of the Coogee Synagogue, passed away last weekend after fifteen years of service to the Jewish Community in Australia.
In accordance with his wishes, the rabbi will be buried on the Mount of Olives in Israel.
His remains, accompanied by his son Izzy, left Sydney for Jerusalem this week.
… … …
Rabbi Tapoohi was widely regarded as a kindly and hard working minister, with a special interest in the younger generation.
He channelled much of his energy into ensuring the success of the Coogee kindergarten.
He also served as shochet while he was minister of Coogee.”
Rabbi Tapoohi's special interest in the younger generation can be seen in the news article below, published in the Australian Jewish Times.