By Abraham Buxbaum
My brother in law, Menachem Stark was killed this weekend. A 39-year old father of seven, he will be missed by his wife, children, friends, and so many others. He had so much ahead of him and his loss is a tragedy for all of us. He left home Thursday, and simply never returned home. To our shock and horror, he was kidnapped, his body burnt and dumped in a garbage dumpster. We are in shock, our lives forever changed. Indeed, with that as we have seen throughout history, another Jew has been killed.
My brother-in law and friend Menachem was a great husband and great father. He smiled and was a man who was involved with his children and never missed a chance to spend time with them – and help others in the community. He spent hours weekly with each of his kids, and gave charity. His children will never again hold their fathers hands, and he will never be able to dance at his children’s weddings. Menachem “Max” was someone who always made the people around him smile, and was so good to so many.
His murder by the men who killed him is a tragedy which will haunt and affect all of us. He was murdered a second time by The New York Post who ran his picture with a front-page headline “Who didn’t want him dead?” Their sick, despicable and untrue story was character assassination, providing justification for the murder of Menachem. Terrible untruths against a man no longer able to defend himself, against a family who doesn’t deal with the outside world. Indeed, we cannot even repeat the words of their headline. We miss him and love him and our hearts ache.
Despite media allegations and innuendos, Menachem Stark has never been arrested, and never charged with any wrong doing. While he has had some business difficulties in the last few years, these last few years in the real estate market have been tremendously challenging for so many Americans. No one in the media spoke to the many tenants who will sing his praises.
Media implications that murdering a landlord is acceptable is horrific. What happens if the next victim is a Jewish lawyer or doctor? Or an accountant when it is tax time? Menachem was a good man who tried his best – and for us, he was someone we loved. A family member, a father, a brother.
The old adage of two sides to every story clearly doesn’t apply when it comes to a Jew wearing Hasidic garb. There are Jewish orphans throughout history who have seen their fathers killed with impunity. The media has sent the message that Jewish blood is cheap.
As we sit Shiva, in mourning, we sit in more pain due to the hateful newspaper headlines. We don’t read The New York Post or other secular newspapers, and we don’t watch TV. What we do know is that we don’t deserve to have his murder sensationalized at this time of tragedy. This story encouraged anti-Semitism and violence, and hurt us tremendously.
At times like these, we continue to put our full faith in the almighty, and trust that Menachem’s soul is at peace. Menachem: We will miss you and we love you. Baruch Dayan Emet.
Abraham Buxbaum is married to Menachem Stark’s older sister. They are brother-in-laws, and spoke multiple times a day.
Unbelievable act by reshoim, of the worst kind, yemach shmom vezichrom. Do not know you but we are with you as one loving family participating in your sorrow, which is the loss of Klal Yisrroel.
המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים ואך טוב וחסד יבטוב הנראה והנגלה ימצא אתכם תמיד כל הימים
For his wife and beautiful children. Unspeakable grief for every Yid.
Can someone please list the advertisers who don’t drop their business with the paper after this? Sometimes advertising is paid several issues in advance, so be careful not to punish those who are in sympathy with this protest.
I posted that advertisers should not support NY Post. If we all post in numerous categories negative comments we will fill their classifieds up and send a message to a lot of people. And its all automatic. They will post your messages.
These innocent children! Heart rending
They have 8 kids with no father and business was not good in recent years?…
DO NOT Download their app.. it will not disappear and will just give them more ‘downloads’.
Better to get a list of the NYPost advertisers and call/boycott them.
TRUST ME, they don’t need it!
Here is a way how you can acutely do damage for the NY Post, with 2 simple steps. 1) Download the NY post app from google play or from the app store into your smart phone. 2) Rate and comment a bad review with only 1 star. The more bad reviews they get, the app will fall lower on the list of “News” apps, and if it reaches more than 65% of negative and 1 star reviews google will actually throw it down from the Play store. Keep in mind not to uninstall the app for at least 48hrs,… Read more »
Thank you for a well written, sensitive, thoughtful article. I’m amazed that you were able to pen this while in so much pain at this horrific murder (and disgusting NY Post article). May Hashem grant you and your family much comfort – and Hashem Yikom Damo. Hamakom yenachem eschem besoch shaar avlei tzion veyerushalyim.
Has a fund been set up for the wife and children? Are their needs taken care of financially?
We want to help if help is needed!
A horrible tragedy. It tears my heart in two. Hamokom Yenachem eschem bsoch shaairei avolei tzion.
1) Stop buying it and call the publisher’s office and tell them that you will never buy it again and why – and, takeh, never buy it again.
2) Call advertisers and ask them why they support this garbage paper. Tell them you will not buy from them as long as they do.
I worked for many years at a well known Real Estate company in Willimsburg and recall meeting Menachem Stark among the many people that visited my former bosses; what a disgrace for a newspaper to brazenly take the side of the criminals; there is no way if and when the murderers are apprehended that true justice can ever be served in this State as the media looking to create sensationalism as a way to increase readership has shamelessly condemned the victim; who ever is responsible for the headline captions deserves to be incarcerated; I cant stop thinking that on Yom… Read more »
beautiful- thank you for clearing things up and what they said was disgusting
So tragically painful…. hamakom yenachem eschem b’soch shaar avlei yerushalayim.
Ad Mosai!!
may the Aibersheter avenge his blood.
hamokom yenachem ethchem bethoch shar avlei tzion veyerushalaim.
I never new him, and yet I feel grief stricken for you and your family.
hamokom yenachem ethchem bethoch shar aveilei tzion veyerushalaim.
המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים
So sad
Moshiach now!!
the post should be sued for liable/ defamation of character and anything else a good lawyer can think of. they cannot be punished enough and dare I say it? “who doesn’t want whomever wrote, and whomever approved of that article/headline dead?” well if not dead like I said punished and humiliated/ fired and blackballed. Death would be too easy. may they souls rot for what they said and what they feel.
I really feel for this innocent family may they only live
happily and may moshiach come now!!
from someone who also had an uncle and
aunt who was murderd.
I spent today at Yad V’Shem. So much blood was spilled in senseless murder. May HaShem provide us with true comfort. May all those who slumber in the earth arise and dance with the Geulah Sheleima
He was murdered twice. NY Post must be held accountable through the courts. They must pay for there crime. Would like to see them brought to their knees.
One thing though: chassidic garb does not place anyone who wears it above criticism. I am not criticizing Reb Stark, and also not his brother-in-law, but I think more could be accomplished without sentiments that will irk the public
Think about it!
May his family be comforted
the call of the hour is that all decent peoples of every background should and must protest the NY post’s handling of this matter. it has given licence to murder and mayhem as a way of life. By these words the Post dehumanized mankind and truth and made money and ratings their new religion. mob rule has been given a green light. May this man’s blood be avenged and comfort be brought to this family.
BS”D no one could make up such heartfelt words and feelings for another person. They must be true, The Post went way overboard in many ares of reporting-for ex the number of violations for the amount of buildings he owned was miniscule and a number that most landlords have
Zal der Kodish zein a guteh bettern far de ganze Mishpocha un clal yisroel..
How true your words ring!….
May Moshiach come now mamash and take us all out of this golus, so that we will all dance and be b’simcha, as it is supposed to be.
If we have to wait even a second longer, may you be comforted in knowing that Menachem was a wonderful person and he is surely davening for his family, and for Moshiach!
May Hashem avenge his blood.
Noone deserves to die this way.