Having successfully undergone a kidney transplant, Rabbi Shlomo Ezagui was recovering at home when he slipped and injured several ribs. He wound up back in the hospital in the weeks before Passover, where he contracted COVID-19 and passed away on April 10.

A consummate community man, Ezagui inspired all those that had the pleasure of knowing him, totally given over to helping and looking after others.

In his occupation as a bodek (a Jewish ritual-slaughtering inspector) in a kosher poultry plant, Ezagui worked to ensure everything ran according to the highest standard of kashrut, and was known for his geniality and generosity.

Outside of his day job, Ezagui ran multiple free-lending operations catering to niche Jewish requirements, helping people with their needs for a wedding or baby boy’s brit milah. Whenever the burial society needed local community members to help with shmira (watching over the body of the deceased) he was an ever-present volunteer, donating hundreds of hours of his time for the opportunity to perform a mitzvah.

Ezagui always made an effort to attend Torah-study sessions and classes, even when he was struggling with ongoing health concerns.

He is survived by his wife and six children.

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