Rabbi Baruch Ben Haim was the guiding force of our community for over 50 years. He was born in 1921 in Jerusalem. He studied in Yeshivat Porat Yosef and was ordained by the great Gaon Rabbi Ezra Attieh, the Rosh Yeshiva, and by the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Ben-Tzion Meir Hai Uziel. He served as a member of the Sephardic Beit Din in Jerusalem with Rabbi Yehuda Shako and Rabbi Ezra Attieh.
In 1949, he was called by Mr. Isaac Shalom, President of the Magen David congregation, to come to the Syrian Jewish community in Brooklyn and serve as assistant Chief Rabbi to Rabbi Jacob S. Kassin. At that time, he was already considered a full fledged and respected scholar, a shining star amongst his peers, with a tremendous foundation of Torah and Gemara learning.
He successfully served our community as assistant to Chief Rabbi Kassin and also as a principal of Magen David Yeshivah.
Chacham Baruch rarely had a free moment. He officiated at many thousands of weddings. Everyone in our community had the honor of enjoying their own special and personal relationship with him. In addition to attending happy occasions, he always attended funerals and memorials, as well. He could often be found comforting grieving families. He was always willing to share his wisdom, from settling business issues, to dealing with family problems, to giving guidance to the community’s other rabbis.
When asked for advice, he always had the right answer. He easily quoted the Gemara, the weekly Parasha and from Tehillim. Whether the questions were about Torah or life in general, he was happy to help.
A few years ago, when Chacham Baruch gave a lecture on the laws of halachot of Pesach at Shaare Shalom congregation, the room was packed with men and women who came to hear the respected Rabbi speak on the various laws of kashrut and halachot of Passover, as they pertain to Sephardic Syrian customs. Chacham Baruch gave many interesting insights into laws over 2,000 years old.
His passing marked a tremendous loss to our community. Every family and individual in our community was deeply saddened. He educated thousands of our students in the ways of the Torah and mitzvot. Throughout his 50 years of service to this community, he was beloved and well respected by all.
The spiritual growth of the community is to his credit. He established the Shaare Zion Torah Center where many of our community members study on a daily basis. He dedicated much of his time to bringing people closer together and he protected the community from foreign winds that attempted to penetrate and lower our Jewish values and standards.
Chacham Baruch married Charlotte, the daughter of Chief Rabbi Jacob S. Kassin, in May of 1950. They had a great family—four sons Rabbi Eli Ben Haim (of the Lawrence Avenue Synagogue), Rabbi Yaacov Ben Haim (of Shaare Zion), Yehuda and David, all of whom are following in his footsteps. His contribution to the spiritual life of our community was enormous.
Upon his passing, thousands of people paid their respects, to acknowledge his decades of sacrifice and commitment to our Sephardic community.
His legacy will live on through the many lives he touched with his goodness, wisdom and compassion. He will be missed, but never forgotten.
His devotion, love and guidance inspired many to emulate him by pursuing their Talmudic and rabbinic studies. His humility and modesty served as a beacon of light to rabbis and laymen alike. He will never be forgotten for bringing our community to the lofty heights being enjoyed today.
