A Goodbye to Esty Cohen

By COLlive reporter

Hundreds of people participated Tuesday in the emotional funeral for Esty Cohen, a Chabad Shlucha in Manchester who passed away at the young age of 33.

Family members from the U.S. joined community members in England as they paid their last respects to the dedicated wife, loving mother and community leader.

Just before sundown yesterday the procession left Beis Menachem, the Jewish Community Center in Salford she and her husband Rabbi Mendel Cohen led.

The Cohen and Rubin families were said to be successful in fending off the British authorities’ demand for an autopsy to reveal the cause of death.

Esty OBM gave birth 6 weeks ago to their 6th child who was named Avraham Tzvi.

Her untimely passing was received with shock in the local community and the worldwide Lubavitch community as Tehillim was said for her in recent weeks.

In a comment on COLlive.com, written on Monday, Rabbi Cohen wrote: “It hurts me to write at this time, but seeing that this might scare people to have children I want to point out that her illness was not related to the pregnancy.”

Her husband added that “Esty’s greatest joy would be an increase of children in her zchus not the opposite chas veshalom.”

A fund has been opened to support the family in their time of need and COLlive readers are urged to contribute via TheShluchimFund.com

Nichum Aveilim

Husband Rabbi Mendel Cohen ([email protected]) and her parents Rabbi & Mrs. Yisroel Rubin ([email protected]) are sitting Shiva at 20 Rutland Drive, Manchester. They can be reached at +-44-161-478-8942.
Other siblings are sitting Shiva at 122 S. Main Ave in Albany, NY. They can be reached at (518) 482-5781 or [email protected].

A collection of memories and reflections of Mrs. Cohem by family and friends, as well as her own childhood journal entries, have been posted on a new blog RememberingEsty.blogspot.com.

Below are excerpts from her speech at the Kinus HaShluchos in 1989 as a young daughter of Shluchim:

I?m just a young girl. But I?m old enough to know that Shlichus is not just a bed of roses. It isn?t all that easy, and there are always new, hard, challenges at every step of the way. There are many sacrifices to make. Many sacrifices, both spiritual and material. You have to give up many personal comforts. It can be very hard to be a Lubavitcher where everyone else is different. The Chinuch isn?t always what you want for your own children, and it?s hard to send kids away from home.

I was the only one my age at school, and there were very few girls to be friends with. Now I?m in Bais Rivka, with so many girls, it?s hard to imagine life back home. I remember it was very lonely.

Still it was so special. Being the oldest girl is a big responsibility, everyone looks up to you, and learns from you. I?d help my mother in her Shlichus with all the people who came to our home. Each Friday I would take a younger girl along, and we would visit Jewish patients in the local hospitals.

With a flower, a Challah, and a friendly cheer, we`d wish them a Good Shabbos. So many people remembered us; we learned that a little smile can go a long way.

Other people don?t think as we do, and we have to be fine examples to show them the way. Not everyone wants to listen to what we have to tell them. It can be frustrating selling diamonds when people think you?ve got coal.

When my family first moved to Albany, people actually bet money that we wouldn?t stay. Go back to Brooklyn, they said. But stay we did, and those people lost their bets. Actually that was my father?s very first fund-raiser. We showed them that with the Rebbe?s Kochos, we can thrive anywhere. And help others grow too?

Ashreynu Ma Tov Chelkaynu! Me, just a young girl and l?m the Rebbe?s Shlucha. The Rebbe?s very own messenger.

Ashraynu, Happy our we! How joyous is our lot!
Rebbe, you chose me! You gave me a share!
Thank you Rebbe.