Rabbi Cooperman zt"l - founder of Michlalah College For Women and groundbreaker

In Jerusalem Rabbi Dr. Yehuda Cooperman chairman and founder of the Michlala College for Women in Jerusalem, and author of the commentary on the Meshech Chochma and Sforno on the Torah. His commentaries and annotations of these books have become popular throughout the Jewish world and tens of thousands of copies were sold.
His funeral was held this evening, and will leave at 19:30 from the Michlalah College, and at 20:00 from his home on 66 Hapisgah Street toward the Sanhedriya cemetery. The deceased was 86 years old at his demise.
Many students were educated in the institution he established, who did not always toe the line on the Haredi view, but provided subjects and academic studies at a suitable atmosphere of Torah and Mitzvos. He first established an institution for girls, and later for men.
Despite the institution being unique in its way and approach as stated, among the thousands of college graduates over fifty years, there are major figures and even prominent Rebbetzins. For, despite the liberal conception regarding Torah Im Derech Eretz, conservatism about the life of Torah and Mitzvos was kept strictly, as distinct from what is happening in other institutions.
In fact, Rabbi Cooperman was groundbreaking in his approach and work alongside the Torah method. His concept which was considered as revolutionary and different, has become popular over the years and is increasingly apparent in parts of the Haredi community.
His biography: Rabbi Cooperman was born in Ireland, and a few years before the Six Day War, he immigrated to Israel. Already in 1964, he founded the college in Jerusalem from his conception and a desire to combine research and training of teachers at a suitable academic level as well as recognition of the authority of religion.
Rebbetzin Cooperman served alongside him as a figure in the management of the institution. They were Torah and major educational figures at the college for four decades, and had a part in molding the image of college graduates.
Rabbi Cooperman even had a special method of learning the written Torah, according to "ein mikra yotze midei pshuto". It is based on the words of the Ramban that "Chazal did not say that there is but pshat in the Mikra". In his way, he combines academic research with the interpretation of Chazal and and faith in Torah from Heaven.
In his articles Rabbi Cooperman frequently based himself on the words of Rishonim and Achronim. In 1985 he won the Harav Kook Prize for Torah literature. In 2006 he was awarded the Yakir Yerushalayim prize.
Rabbi Cooperman's daughter, Prof. Devorah Rosenwasser, currently manages the college in Jerusalem. His son Rabbi Hillel Cooperman is the director of the large Gemach Cooperman, well known at the Mir Yeshiva.

May his memory be blessed.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!