Nearly 10 Years Later: Stories That Still Define Rabbi Aryeh Finkel

Nearly a decade after the passing of Rabbi Aryeh Finkel of blessed memory, the stories told about him continue to inspire students, families, and communities across the Torah world.

Rabbi Finkel, who passed away in 2016, served as Rosh Yeshiva of the Mir Yeshiva in Modiin Illit and was widely respected for his warmth, humility, and deep care for every individual.

Rabbi Mattityahu Goldavski, one of his students, shared several remarkable stories that reveal the heart behind the greatness.

“You Need the Picture”

A few years before Rabbi Finkel’s passing, a Torah scroll was being written for a dormitory connected to Keren Hayelad. As part of the fundraising effort, organizers invited leading rabbis to symbolically write a letter in the Torah scroll and take a photo to encourage donations.

When Rabbi Goldavski approached Rabbi Finkel, the rabbi explained sadly that his eyesight had deteriorated so badly that he could barely see and could no longer write.

Then, suddenly, his mood changed.

“You need the picture,” he said warmly. “Give me a dry pen and I’ll ‘write’ for the photo.”

Rabbi Goldavski recalled how deeply moved he was watching the elderly Rosh Yeshiva make the effort simply to encourage younger students and supporters.

Before posing, Rabbi Finkel even insisted on changing into more proper clothing so the picture would be respectful.

For Rabbi Goldavski, the lesson was unforgettable: true leadership means understanding what people need, even in seemingly small moments.

Two Hours Before Shabbat, He Traveled to Ein Gedi

Another story was shared by one of Rabbi Finkel’s students after the rabbi’s funeral.

As a young yeshiva student, he once decided to hike alone in the Judean Desert on a Friday. He became lost, dehydrated, and eventually collapsed.

Rescue teams found him shortly before Shabbat, but in his weakened state he could barely remember his own name. The only phone number he could recall was Rabbi Finkel’s.

The rescuers called the rabbi and explained the situation.

What happened next stunned everyone.

Rabbi Finkel immediately packed challah, wine, and Shabbat necessities, took a taxi to Ein Gedi, and planned to spend Shabbat with the student so he would not be alone.

Eventually, the student was transferred by ambulance to Hadassah Hospital on Mount Scopus, and Rabbi Finkel joined the ride.

Only after the student was safely settled in a hospital ward did Rabbi Finkel leave. Then, in the middle of the night on Shabbat, he walked all the way home across Jerusalem.

A Taxi Ride Guided by Faith

A third story came from Rabbi Finkel’s own family.

Rabbi Aryeh’s grandfather, Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, once wanted to invite a lonely relative to a family celebration. The challenge was that nobody knew where she lived.

He turned to his grandson, Rabbi Aryeh, and asked him to find her.

“How?” Rabbi Aryeh asked.

His grandfather simply handed him five lira and told him to take a taxi.

Rabbi Aryeh obeyed without hesitation.

When the taxi driver asked for a destination, Rabbi Aryeh replied, “Drive until the meter reaches five lira.”

Eventually, the taxi stopped in a distant Jerusalem neighborhood. Rabbi Aryeh went building to building, apartment to apartment, searching until he finally found the woman.

She was astonished that someone had made such an effort simply to bring her to a family celebration.

Those who heard the story saw in it not only a remarkable outcome, but Rabbi Aryeh Finkel’s extraordinary faith in the guidance of his grandfather and his willingness to act with complete dedication.

A Legacy That Still Inspires

Nearly ten years after his passing, these stories continue to capture what made Rabbi Aryeh Finkel so beloved.

His greatness was not only in scholarship or leadership, but in the quiet acts of kindness, sensitivity, and responsibility that shaped the lives of the people around him.