Rabbi Wasserman Yartzeit Marked

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.