A Memorial Gathering for Rabbi Azriel Yitzchok Wasserman‘s 27th Yortzeit will take place on Monday, August 20, 2012 at 7:30 pm at the home of Rabbi Mayer and Shaindy Gutnick in Crown Heights.
Family, friends and students of Rabbi Wasserman obm are encouraged to attend and share memories about how they were inspired by his life.
Rabbi Wasserman, a beloved father and teacher at Lubavitcher Yeshiva and Machon Chana was niftar on July 22, 1985, 4 Menachem Av at the young age of 37 years old after battling an illness that lasted 1 ½ years.
Every Jew is a Beis Hamikdash and Shabbos during the Shiva week, Shimshon Stock a”h got up in 770 after davening and proclaimed, “This week, we lost two Botei Mikdosh…”
At the time of his passing, his daughter Nechama Dina was 10, son Menachem Mendel was 7 and son Sholom Dovber was 5. His wife, Daniella was expecting, and three months later, a precious baby boy was born and named Azriel Yitzchok. Today, Rabbi Wasserman’s family tree continues to grow and flourish K”H with grandchildren from all four children, Baruch Hashem.
Rabbi Wasserman spent his first Shabbos in Crown Heights on Chol Hamoed Sukkos 1970 at the home of Rabbi and Mrs. Goldman. He was a College graduate and was seeking spirituality. He was a vegetarian at the time and Mrs. Goldman recalls how she prepared special vegetarian food for him. He attended his first Farbrengen with the Rebbe and was totally inspired. He felt that he had come home. He was searching for a leader, a community and a purpose in life and he finally found it all in 770 Eastern Pkwy. Then and there, he decided that he wished to join the Chabad Community and study to become a Rabbi. Although he was offered a full scholarship to a University graduate program, he registered at Hadar Hatorah.
He went into Yechidus with the Rebbe in Shevat for his Birthday. He told the Rebbe, that he was thinking of going to study at a non-Chabad Yeshivah. The Rebbe’s response was,”Each person should find his own way.” He stayed at another Yeshivah for three months and returned to Hadar Hatorah. He realized that although the learning was very structured, the study of Chassidus teaches us how to apply the lessons to our daily lives. He finished the year in Hadar Hatorah and spent the summer at Camp Shaloh in the Catskills. There were times that Rabbi Jacobson a’h, the dean would remind him to take a break from learning in order to eat.
He taught himself fluent Yiddish so he could understand the Rebbe’s Farbrengens. He would stand on the bleachers which were in the back of 770 and translate the Rebbe’s words as he spoke. He was able to hear the Rebbe on Shabbos when there was no microphone and translate word for word for the people standing nearby. Many people were amazed that he could accomplish this.
Rabbi Wasserman asked the Rebbe at another Yechidus: “How do I achieve Hatzlocho with my students?” The Rebbe’s answer to him was 1.”Words from the heart will enter the heart.” 2. Be a Dugma Chai – A living example. 3. Teach with Simchah!
Mrs. Sorah Shemtov, Shlucha in Riverdale, NY had Rabbi Wasserman as a teacher at the Day School in the Bronx run by Rabbi Altien. Sorah recalls, “I still remember Rabbi Wasserman so clearly and can picture myself sitting in his classroom learning with him. Once, at dismissal, I asked him why he always says Tehillim from his little Sefer every time he’s not teaching. I was in 4th grade and I always remember his response, given with infinite patience and gentleness. ‘The world stands on Torah, Tefilah (prayer) and Gemilus Chassodim (acts of kindness), and if one pillar is broken the world cannot exist. I want to make sure that if for one second there is nobody anywhere in the world davening, that somebody will still be davening and so I say Tehillim every spare moment, just in case.’ It made such a strong impression on me,” she says.
Rabbi Wasserman spent the last summer of his life in 1984 as Camp Rabbi in Emunah. Although, he was in pain, one would never have known. He led the camp all summer long with tremendous Simcha. He taught lessons, sang songs and even broke out color war.
Today, his daughter Nechama Laber runs the Jewish Girls Retreat in Troy, NY a camp for girls of all backgrounds who are coming closer to Yiddishkeit. “It is my father’s example that has inspired me to devote myself to the girls of JGR, who give my father a’h Nachas with every new Mitzvah that they take on with passion and excitement,” she says.
In order to pass on his inspiring legacy to the next generation, friends and family will tell stories from his life at the first annual memorial gathering on August 20.
Nechama Laber will present a multi-media presentation on the life of her father. A booklet of memories will be printed. Please e-mail your memories for our memory book to [email protected] by Thursday, August 16.
Rabbi Wasserman was my teacher at Bais Chana, the girls’ branch of Achei Temimim Lubavitch Yeshiva of the Bronx, whose dean was Rabbi Mordechei Altein. He was everything that everybody wrote and more than can be put into words. Another memory: We were invited to join Rabbi Wasserman and Daniella for a seuda after megilla reading at 770. When we arrived at their home, Daniella told us that her husband, Azrielle, would be coming home much later because he thought that he may not have heard one syllable of one of Haman’s sons and to be 100% sure, he went… Read more »
Bottom row left to right
Berel Landa, Sholom Elberg, Dovid Ptalis, Yanky Lain, Yitzi Vail, Shmuly Teichtel, Zalman Osdoba
2nd row left to right
Yossi Oretz, Shmuly Sklar, Moshe Majeski, Levi Blesofsky, Mendy Borenstein, Eli Zisman, Avi Oberlander, Dovid Pinson
Top row left to right
Rabbi Wasserman OB’M, Mendy Barnett, Ari Greenwald, Daniel Benjamin, Nachman Levitz, Ephraim Silverman, Mendy Wasserman, Yaakov Lehrfeld, ????
I remember Rabbi Wasserman. He was a tzadik. We were neighbors for a short while. One time on Sukkos the landlord had put wooden slats for schach on top of the Sukkah and he was concerned whether we could eat there. I looked it up in the Pischei Teshuvah on Shulchan Aruch and found that there were those that permitted it. I was a teenager at the time. I am happy to see that his family is doing well.
Yehei Zichro Baruch.
I was zoche to be in Rabbi Wasserman’s 2nd grade in 5743. We all know how important chinuch is at such a young age of 7-8 years old and Rabbi Wasserman was a Rebbe that encouraged and inspired us when we were in his class. There are a few things that I can recall from that year. There is the general chayos, varimkeit, and how he showed us a true chossid is supposed to be, a true dugma chaya, he “walked the walk” as the saying goes. What really stuck with me was the lebedikeit and the many niggunim that… Read more »
I was with Reb Azriel when he passed away in San Diego California after coming here for treatment for his disease. He was very inspiring in his courage and emunah even then. He never gave up. The many friends that came to be with him testified to his great love for Hashem, the Rebbe and his family. All were truly touched by his humility and holiness. I will never forget him.
What an honor to know such an unforgettable, special person, he achieved so much, Moshiach Now
Nechama, you are a true heiress of your father’s legendary bitachon and simcha! May Hashem bentch you in all your amazing endeavours…
L.N.
During one of the countless simchas the Wasserman’s made for other baalei tshuvah for whom they were serving as surrogate family, I remember being (awe)struck by the sharp contrast between the apparent gashmius and the palpable ruchnius. While b’gashmus, their home was plain, simple, and somewhat lacking in niceties; b’ruchnius, it was truly a palace.
Thank you for sharing your inspiring memories.
Would you like to share your memories at the gathering next Monday? You can respond to [email protected]
To those sharing memories, it is greatly appreciated!!
I also remember Rabbi Wasserman In Camp Emunah I still remember the song Kingston ave , Kingston ave Is the best Avenue…… May his neshama have an aliyah
Rabbi Wasserman a’h was my Rebbi in 5745 and he remains the most memorable Rebbi I’ve ever had. His care, Simcha and realness had an effect on us even at that age. It was a tough year as he was sick that year and for a couple of months we had a substitute as he was really not well then but for the bulk of the year he was our teacher and left a remarkable effect on me and the other talmidim in the class. And yes #17 I definitely remember the dried pineapples and healthy snacks he would give… Read more »
Rabbi Wasserman was one of the teachers in Machon Chana when I was there. From him I learned the most and, of all of the excellent teachers, he had the most impact on my life, until today! He LIVED what he taught. Even though it wasn’t known how unwell he was, his struggle with the reality of Hashem in his life could be felt. And he was passing on hard earned lessons in bitachon to us. Even when he didn’t feel good, he gave and gave of himself. Together with his wife then, they had an open house and who… Read more »
It was 5743 and what a remarkable Rebbi, Rabbi Wasserman A”H was. I was lucky to be in his class, his varimkeit, the chayos he gave us and the many niggunim he taught us I remember ’till today, (can’t forget the dried pineapple and bags of corn chips) who would give every Friday) nearly 30 years later. What touched many of us was how to implement what he taught, we would very often as 2nd graders and sing songs for the senior citizen home a few blocks away. He showed us that “Hammase Hu Hiker”. May Hashem send Moshiach and… Read more »
B”H My memories of Azriel: 1.In his final days he told someone who visited him that he had no braigas to Hashem.No braigas, I thought, how could he not-In the prime of his short life, even shorter if counted from his days as a Baal Tshuvah, with young children and a young wife.This is a lesson well worth absorbing in daily life (all should be protected from his tragic story) 2. I am forever haunted by the heart wrenching screams of his widow from their apartment onto the street as the procession proceeded down Eastern Parkway between Albany and Kingston.… Read more »
He helped make me FRUM, stood next to him at 770 as he translated the Rebbe’s discourse into english, and always remember Azriel dancing on the Fri. nite shabbath table with me A HONOR TO KNOW HIM, Kalman,mitzvah tankist.
I had him in 2nd grade his last year of teaching and I haven’t had as good a teacher yet.
I was in camp emunah the year he was a Rabbi their. I rememeber the simcha and the happimess he had. I remember him teaching us a song he made up called “kingston ave” is the best ave……….cause it taakes you right toi 770…with the Rebbe……
May we merrit to see him once again with moschiach speedily.
First picture is around 5743.
Top row, middle two are Gadi Heshkop and Y’Y lipsker
Middle row: ?, ?, DS Barnett, A Blsofsky, MM Goldberg, Eli Broner
Bottom Row: ?, L”Y Zarchi, ?, Shmuel Raskin, ?
I had the schoose of having Asreil as a room mate at Hadar Hatorah in 1971-2. One day he got up, and went to the Bais Medrash and never looked back. I asked him, “Asreil, what got into you/!”. She said to me (name with held), I see you running around, doing mitzvos, being B’Simcha, and that got me motavated”! I don’t believe ‘I’ can take any ‘credit’ for his Avodah. He would learn at night, yes at night, after everyone went to bed, with his Chavrosah, Reb Tuvia Bolton, (who Tuvia had a dream that the Rebbe came to… Read more »
I have thought about my first Rebbe (I moved from out of town during that year) Rabbi Wasserman a”h often over the past 27 years. I remember that I loved his class so much, I didn’t want to miss a day. Even when my parents had to go away for a few days and asked me to come with them, I begged to stay so as not to miss his class. I remember many nigunim that he taught us as well. He would take us to sing them at a nearby senior center from time to time. One of those… Read more »
I remember him like today, his warmth, enthusiasim and love for the children! he truly lived up to the way the Baal Shem tov told us to love a yidishe kind.
he passed away so tragically, may his neshama have an aliya!
I love hearing stories about my Zaidy a’h, whom I never met. Please share more stories with us!
Rabbi Wasserman’s first teaching job was at the Day School in the Bronx in the 70’s. He taught in Lubavitch Yeshiva in the 80’s until his passing.
These are the true heroes you should be writing about constantly. Maybe then, the aspirations of our youth will be directed to the proper places.
Rabbi Wasserman was my third grade Rebbe & probably one of the best. H provide me with my first shabbos experience in Crown Heights & first glimpse of The Rebbe Mh”m in person in 1973. His life of course was taken R”L way too early
He was an amaaaazing teacher, all loved him.
2nd grade in ULY.
Always sang ‘every jew possesses a neshama from above, it’s pure etc…’
Thank you for this article.
May his neshama have a aliya
What a giant of a man.
Can anyone identify the years and/or classmates of the class pictures posted?
I remember when he came to CH what a Tzadik he was, the impact he made on who ever knew him was just impeccable .I visited him many many times in the hospital, what he spoke to me each time was just of doing what the Rebbe wants from us, and the last time i visited with him the bitochon he had actually impacted my life, today i continue to learn every day a Mishna in his memory for he asked me to, May his Nashomo go maala maalo, and we be zoche to the geula right now. Reb. Mendel… Read more »
Thanks for sharing this with us. may he be a good beta for us, and his children.