Moshe Hirsch | |
Native Name: | Yiddish: משה הירש |
Native Name Lang: | Yiddish |
Birth Date: | 1927 |
Birth Place: | New York City, New York, USA |
Death Place: | Jerusalem |
Resting Place: | Mount of Olives |
Organization: | Neturei Karta |
Movement: | Anti-Zionism |
Children: | Rabbi Meir Hirsch and 2 others |
Relatives: | Abraham Rabinovich (cousin) Rabbi Aharon Katzenelbogen (father-in-law, deceased) |
Moshe Hirsch (Yiddish: משה הירש) (born 1927—May 2, 2010)[1] was the leader of the anti-Zionist Neturei Karta group in Jerusalem and advisor of Jewish affairs to Yasser Arafat.[2] Hirsch was described by Mahmoud Abbas' advisor as "the leader of the Palestinian Jews," who are part of the Palestinian state.[3] Following Hirsch's death, shiva visitors included senior Fatah members, including Adnan al-Husayni (who brought a personal letter of consolation from Mahmoud Abbas), Hatem Abdel Kader and Bilial A-Natsha.[4] Hirsch was the son-in-law of the now deceased Neturei Karta founder Rabbi Aharon Katzenelbogen and his first wife,[5] and was the leader of one of the movement's factions. He was originally from New York City, and later moved to Jerusalem, though he never became an Israeli citizen.[6]
Hirsch had one glass eye due to an injury sustained when someone threw acid in his face. According to his cousin, journalist Abraham Rabinovich, the incident had no link with Hirsch's political activities but was connected to a real estate dispute.[7]
He was the father of three children.[8] One of them is Rabbi Meir Hirsch.[9] Meir who is his oldest son had taken over a lot of his fathers duties when he was reportedly suffering from Alzheimer's disease.[10]