Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis, founder of HINENI and pioneer in the world of Kiruv, passed away on Tuesday, 19 Av, 5776.
She was 80.
The Rebbetzin was a trailblazer, for over a half century, crisscrossing the globe with her message of loving-kindness and hope. She was a teacher of Torah to millions of Jews from every walk of life.
She spent her life showing the beauty of Yiddishkeit to Jews across the globe bringing countless neshomos back to their roots.
Rebbetzin Jungreis was born in Szeged, Hungary in 1936, where her father HoRav Avrohom HaLevi Jungreis zt”l was Chief Rabbi.
A Holocaust survivor, Rebbetzin Jungreis made it her life mission to bring back Jews to authentic Yiddishkeit. She was a pioneer in the world of kiruv/outreach and founded the international HINENI Movement.
The Jungreis family had been deported with other Jews from Szeged. After suffering through many concentration camps, B’chasdei HaShem, the family eventually arrived in Switzerland.
In 1947, after being spared the horrors of the concentration camps and the Holocaust, the Jungreis family arrived in Brooklyn, New York where the Rebbetzin married a distant cousin, HoRav Meshulem HaLevi Jungreis zt”l. The newly-married Jungreis couple settled in North Woodmere, New York, where Rabbi Jungreis was the spiritual leader of Ohr HaTorah.
The Rebbetzin, together with her husband embarked on a lifelong mission devoting their lives to combatting the spiritual Holocaust that was occurring right in front of their eyes here in the United States. She waged a fierce battle against interfaith marriages, secularization, and other forms of assimilation, which she firmly believed was an existential threat to the continued existence of K’lal Yisroel.
Under the Rebbetzin’s leadership HINENI became a worldwide movement, inspiring Jews to seek out their roots and return to Yiddishkeit. Rebbetzin Jungreis authored several best-selling books including “The Jewish Soul On Fire”, “The Committed Life”, and “The Committed Marriage”, all of which have been translated in many languages with millions of volumes disseminated in every corner of the globe. Her latest book – “Life Is A Test” was widely acclaimed as one of the 10 best Jewish inspiration books of all time.
The Rebbetzin’s pioneering work has been widely recognized, and she received brochos and encouragement from numerous gedolim, including such giants as the Satmar Rebbe, HaRav Yoel Teitelbaum zt”l, HaRav Yosef Eliyahu Henkin zt”l, HaRav Moshe Feinstein zt”l, and many others.
She was also recognized by numerous world leaders for her work within the Jewish community to advance Yiddishkeit. Among them were such notables as the late Prime Minister of Israel Menachem Begin a”h and President George W. Bush who asked the Rebbetzin to accompany him to Yerushalayim for the celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the State of Israel in 2008.
The Rebbetzin was an incredible woman – a person who has literally influenced and touched countless people. The many thousands of individuals who were fortunate enough to receive her brocho immediately felt the connection with this unique person.
Rebbetzin Jungreis is survived by her children Chaya Sora Gertzulin, Rabbi Yisroel Jungreis, Slovi Wolff and Rabbi Osher Jungreis, and by many grandchildren and great grandchildren.
The Levaya will be held on Wednesday morning at 11:00AM at the Agudath Israel of Long Island, located at 1121 Sage Street in Far Rockaway, NY.
Boruch Dayan Ha’emes.
VIDEO:
In 2009, Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis was interviewed by COLlive. She shares her moving and inspirational story of courage, hope and survival in the Bergen Belsen Concentration Camp, and her fight for Judaism in the 1950’s in America.
Bd”e
I read her book about FRUM courage in Holocaust – translated into Russian. Very inspiring.
BDE
There are those who argue that before the Rebbe
came to America, there were efforts to mekariv Yidden,
who we were losing. This was by making available
places of learning for Yidden to go to, plus reaching out
and encouraging them to go to these Yeshivas.
However, all must admit that it was the Rebbe who advanced the efforts of kiruv beyond that, to an unprecedented scale.
Rebbetzin Jungreis was indeed a woman who had the zchus to touch the hearts of many through her organization . She was incredibly gifted and used her talents for the right things I . I think however that as chassidim of the Rebbe we should know that she walked on the path blazed by a he Rebbe The Rebbe did not care if people did not mention his name whenever it came to being mekarev yidden .but as someone who was around in the “old days”,I think it is important for the younger people to know where the Rebbetzin herself… Read more »
Rebbetzin Esther Jungreiss, Z”L, was an amazing leader for world Jewry. She experienced the worst possible gehinnom on Earth. Anyone who (especially as a child!) survived a place like Bergen-Belsen had a good excuse to give up and go off the derech. Not only did she not give in to that, But, here she devotes her life to bringing back countless lost Neshamos. I had the z’chus of meeting her pesonally, in 2008, and buying her book,”Life is a test,” with her autograph. I will keep this like a valuable treasure. Klal Yisroel lost one of the greatest. See (Warning!… Read more »
Too sad – what a loss to the world!
May her memory serve as a blessing for all and may her great work be continued!
For everything she did and for the countless lives she touched and made better in one way or another.
The world is surely worse off, without her.
Please all Jews everywhere, anyone reading this should pass this request onto your facebooks and whats up. Please Please Please lift up and daven for her dear children and grandchildren,relatives, and friends as their loss is so tremendous now and they very much need our love and support without delay.
She was the example of incredible strength and stood for and lived by”Ahavas Yisrael”with unimaginable emunah and so this is the gift we can give to Rebbetzin also. We all together now with unity in one accord loving this family back to strength🌹
A truly inspiring heart touching woman
She will be missed by the 1000’s of people whose life she touched and affected
A shining example of a full life of accomplishment.
after hearing her speak 40 years ago my husband and I starting keeping torah and mitzvos. She was very inspiring.Very special person.I am very grateful to her.
Baruch Dayan Ha Emes. 😢 i had the merit to see her speak many times and even to have a private audience with her. She blessed us. She is a tzadekes!!! Her merit was protecting us all and we should all do a little more teshuva. Ana Hashem hoshea na!!!
i was extremely saddened by learning of the passing of Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis,as is everybody who was touched by her numerous never ending articles and books and speeches.She truly ‘Hot Gekert A Velt’ in the literal sense! Now that she is close to HaKodosh Boruch Hu,she certainly is going to continue her passionate influence, and standing now before The Kisei haKovod,with all her’well earned credentials’,she will beseech Hashem in her unique style to finally bring an end to this bitter Golus.i am convinced that the Rebbetzin will totally be successful in her new mission, now On High.It is certain that… Read more »
May we merit the coming of Moshiach already, with V’Hekitzu V’Raninu Shochnei Offor.
and the list goes on
She became apart of my family, encouraged me always to continue being the best Chabadnik, She spoke to me privately in her office many times and on one occasion spoke so highly of our Rebbe. She was very sweet and wise and would always have something positive to say about all of the people she met or knew. Rebbetzin loved Torah truth and tried to help Jews everywhere. We were so fortunate to have had her here with us. She showed great strength and leadership and when speaking could be captivating even though she was very petite in statute. She… Read more »
Baruch Dayan Ha Emes. 😢 i had the merit to see her speak many times and even to have a private audience with her. She blessed us. She is a tzadekes!!! Her merit was protecting us all and we should all do a little more teshuva. Ana Hashem hoshea na!!!
I met her 25 years ago, she personally suggested me shidduch.
BDE
I heard rebbetzin jungreis speak many years ago. Her passionate words made a huge impression on me, I never forgot them. May Hashem comfort her family.
To klal yisroel
I read her columns for many years, and her books. She spoke once at ULY Crown Heights for a fundraiser — unforgettable — and she nodded and said hello to me when she saw me looking at her. That greeting (it was a bracha, really) will stay with me forever. Surely she will march in the front lines to the Geula — may it be today.
A real pioneer
Heartbreaking. A great, great woman. My wife & I both read her column in The Jewish Press very often.
‘Boruch Dayan HaEmet.’