"Pleasant in speech": Rabbi Issachar Wasserlauf, the father of Minister of the Negev and Galilee, Yitzhak Wasserlauf, passed away last night (between Saturday and Sunday) after a battle with illness. Two of his students recall special moments with the rabbi and describe a unique figure with the ability of authority combined with love and insightful perception of the person before him.
One of his students wrote an emotional Facebook post, describing the assertive and sensitive personality he had: "Issachar Wasserlauf, the father of the minister, was my principal in the elementary school in Beit El. A warm man with kind eyes. In 8th grade, I went with my friends to take exams at the high schools 'Netiv Meir' and 'Yeshiva L'Tza'irim,' and I received negative responses.
"Rabbi Wasserlauf picked up the phone and tried to make an argument, but they explained to him that the Mizrahim quota was full. I remember the words of encouragement he had with me in his office, when I was desperate and with swollen eyes from crying. He surely did a million great things in his life aside from this conversation, but this is my personal memory. May his memory be blessed."
Another student bid farewell and wrote about the positive relationship he received from him and memories from school: "My school principal (Mamad Beit-El) as a child in second grade. He was the only one I felt truly respected and valued me. Moments in his presence influenced me greatly in the near and distant future. His pleasant and soothing words instilled hope and renewed strength within me. A feeling that was unfamiliar to me as a 7-8-year-old child, usually not given much importance. Rabbi Issachar made me feel that I am important and loved in his eyes."
"Despite all our encounters being a result of a teacher sending me to him as a punishment for inappropriate behavior, he graciously made me feel that he put aside all his activities and, in those moments, I was the only thing occupying his attention. Looking back, I can't recall another person who treated me this way as a child, and I hold deep respect and admiration for his unforgettable character. As he walks his ascending path, we all find solace, and his cherished memory remains in the hearts of many."