Obituary: Rabbi Wenger, Noted Educator, Passes Away

Rabbi Eliezer Wenger, a noted author, educator and expert on Jewish law, passed away last week at the age of 62. Revered by students around the world and his pupils at Montreal’s Beth Rivkah Academy and Lubavitch School, he formulated a curriculum that has guided thousands in their daily lives, and served as the rabbi of the Oneg Shabbos synagogue.

According to Rabbi Yosef Minkowitz, principal of Beth Rivkah – where Wenger taught for more than two decades – the educator’s influence spread far beyond Montreal. Known for their methodical treatment of the legal minutiae governing holiday observances and their accompanying images and diagrams, Wenger’s volumes quickly became popular in schools throughout the Jewish world. They were reprinted dozens of times.

“He not only taught Jewish law at our school in a phenomenal way, he embodied Jewish law,” said Minkowitz. “He was a true role model for students: honest and patient.”

Wenger, whose students came from families of varying religious backgrounds, meticulously prepared his lessons so that they would be easy to grasp, explained the principal.

“He not only taught the material, but empowered the students to be able to learn it on their own,” said Minkowitz, “giving them the background and structure of the subjects.”

More recently, Wenger contributed detailed articles on Jewish practice to the Chabad.org Web site, and responded to many inquiries from users of the site.

Continued at Chabad.org – Challenging the Students