Shmuel Auerbach (September 21, 1931 – February 24, 2018) was a Haredi rabbi in Jerusalem. He was considered a leader in the non-Hasidic Haredi community in Israel. His followers formed a political organisation known as the Jerusalem Faction. In 2013, as the Israeli government launched a campaign to draft Ultra Orthodox men into the IDF, the organisation adopted a controversial policy of demonstrations and incitement against the draft.

Biography

Auerbach was the eldest son of Shlomo Zalman Auerbach and his wife, Chaya Rivka Ruchamkin. He was born in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Sha'arei Hesed—as was his father —and resided there all his life. He married Rachel Paksher (d. 11 January 1990). They had no children. He named his musar sefer Ohel Rachel in her memory.

Rabbinic career

Auerbach was the rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Maalot HaTorah and the Nasi (president) of Yeshivas Midrash Shmuel and Yeshivas Toras Simcha, both in Jerusalem. For a short time, he also served as one of the roshei yeshiva of Yeshivas Itri in Jerusalem. He was the head of the Bnei Torah party (colloquially referred to as "Etz"), which he founded.