Rabbi Uri Lupolianski, a charismatic former mayor of Jerusalem and founder of the Yad Sarah volunteer organization, died on Jan. 7 after a prolonged illness, his family announced. He was 74 years old.
Lupolianski, who served as mayor of Israel’s capital from 2003 to 2008, becoming its first Haredi leader, was regarded as one of Israel’s most influential figures in the field of volunteerism and social welfare.
In 1976, he founded Yad Sarah after struggling to obtain medical equipment for his young son, transforming a personal challenge into a nationwide mission of care.
Today, Yad Sarah operates dozens of branches across Israel and has thousands of volunteers who provide medical equipment, home care, and social services to the elderly, the sick, the needy and people with disabilities. In recognition of its impact, the organization received the Israel Prize in 1994.
“Yad Sarah was never about equipment. It was about dignity,” he said.
“Kindness is not something you do in your spare time. It is the purpose of time,” he explained. “When someone is sick or in pain, you don’t ask who they are. You ask how you can help.”
Born in Haifa in 1951, Lupolianski studied in religious institutions, served as a medic in the Israel Defense Forces and worked as a teacher before entering public life. He joined the Jerusalem City Council in 1989 as a representative of Degel HaTorah and held key municipal portfolios.
Following the resignation of Ehud Olmert, Lupolianski was appointed mayor in February 2003 and was elected to a full term later that year. As mayor, he sought to navigate Jerusalem’s religious, social and political complexities, maintaining the delicate religious-secular status quo.
In later years, Lupolianski’s legacy was complicated by his conviction in the Holyland corruption affair. In 2014, he was found guilty of accepting bribes, though the funds were transferred to Yad Sarah. His prison sentence was later reduced by the Supreme Court to six months of community service due to his declining health.
‘The pillar of kindness’
Tributes poured in following his death. Yad Sarah said in a statement, “We have been orphaned. We are stunned and heartbroken over the passing of our revered leader, the pillar of kindness, Rabbi Uri Lupolianski, of blessed memory.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that he found in Lupolianski “a faithful partner in strengthening Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty. During his years as mayor, he helped build Jerusalem as ‘a city joined together.’”
Netanyahu noted that Lupolianski had founded “the great enterprise of Yad Sarah, transforming medical support services for the sick and wounded. Tens of thousands are helped each year by its volunteers, guided by Uri’s credo: ‘Every day I ask myself not how much good I did yesterday, but how I can help tomorrow.’”
Former Jerusalem City Council member and veteran MK Meir Porush (United Torah Judaism) called Lupolianski “one of the most precious figures of chesed (lovingkindness),” noting his decades of public service and the legacy of good deeds he leaves behind.
Economy and Industry Minister Nir Barkat (Likud), who succeeded Lupolianski as mayor, said, “Uri was a man dedicated to giving, who set up and managed the great charity organization Yad Sarah, and who also gave much to the development and prosperity of Jerusalem. I won’t forget his captivating smile and nobility.”
Lupolianski lived in Jerusalem’s Sanhedria neighborhood and devoted the last years of his life to developing Yad Sarah. In his final days, he was hospitalized with pneumonia at Hadassah Ein Kerem.
He is survived by his wife, Michal; their 12 children; and a large extended family. Thousands attended his funeral, which was held on Jan. 8 at the Har HaMenuchot Cemetery in Jerusalem.
