Mrs. Sarah Rochel Schochet, wife of the Los Angeles Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Ezra Schochet, passed away Tuesday, 9 Adar 5770.
She was 65.
Mentor to hundreds of girls and women, a matriarch to yeshiva students of Ohr Elchonon Chabad Yeshiva in Los Angeles, is mourned by family and countless individuals who benefited from her wisdom and her character.
“She was a woman of real valor, of strong principles,” says Batya Lisker, a niece, describing her aunt as a woman of a nobility who held herself to unusually high standards and made even mundane activities a learning experience for others.
“She was never intimidated by what was popular or what was common.” Her life, Lisker says, was a life of contribution, of quiet acts of kindness that she managed while teaching at both Bais Yakov and Bais Chana girls high schools in Los Angeles.
Widely referred to as the Rebbetzin, or by the sobriquet “the Roshette,” a feminized form of “the Rosh” as her husband is known, Rebbetzin Schochet made her home an extension of the yeshiva, where students felt free to come at all hours always benefiting from her gracious hospitality.
Born Sarah Rochel Wineberg in Tiberias, Israel, she was the granddaughter of the Slonim Rebbe. Her family soon moved to Bnei Brak, where, as a young woman, she met her husband, then a yeshiva student at the Brisk Yeshiva. The couple married in Israel and moved to Toronto, where they began their lives together dedicated to spreading Torah and Chassidus.
A learned woman, well versed in Jewish law and tanach, she was, says her niece, both in demeanor and principles, “of another era.”
“She carried herself with great dignity, and lived a life of dedication to her deeply held values, hard work and complete involvement in her community, while always nursing a love and yearning for the Land of Israel, the home she left as a bride.”
Exuding warmth with genuine concern to the sensitivities of others, she was, says Ms. Lisker of her aunt, a force of unity.
“She was the glue that held the extended family together. She was the glue that connected people to each other and the glue that held the disparate communities she was involved with, together.”
Rebbetzin Schochet is survived by her husband of 44 years, and their six children, all who are involved in Jewish educational and outreach: Rabbi Menachem Schochet of Israel, Mrs. Chana Wilhelm of Minnesota; Mrs. Hadassah Spalter of LA; Mrs. Yehudis Farkash of LA; Rabbi Yehuda Schochet of Manchester, and Rabbi Avraham Schochet of LA.
The funeral will take place Wednesday evening at 8 PM at Yeshiva Ohr Elchanon Chabad, 7215 Waring Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90046.
She is to be buried in Israel.
Boruch Dayan Ha’Emes.
My brothers went to LA yeshiva and all i heard about was the “rosh” and the “roshette”…they impacted so many people by just being strong in their shluchis…….
המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים.
עד מתי!
נחום שטראקס
Yes someone with a video of the rabbi shochets speach shoould post it was so moving. everyone should watch
i can not …………. no words it is so sad
I don’t even know waht to say.
Rebbetzin Schochet was my friend and my teacher. I learned so much from her. She was a Tzaddakis. Her chesed was unlimited. Her memories will stay with me forever.
boruch dayan hoemes!!!
she was someone about which we can truly say SHELI V’SHLOCHEM SHELOH HU!!!
yhei zichro boruch
Rebbitzen Shochet was the sincerest person i ever met, and the entire Bais Chana will miss her terribly! Moshiach now!!
I remember how she would beam with joy whenever I got a good report card
although Rebbetzin Schochet was not my teacher and she didn’t even know my name, she always greeted me and everyone else with a smile. At the levayah, the Rosh spoke about how if she could, she would tell everyone that we shouldn’t only get together for tragedies…. Instead of just mourning, let’s all try to fulfill what it says in Pirkei Avos “Bisever panim yafos”-even strangers (which the Rosh also mentioned in her name).
I MISS HER SO MUCH!!!!
She was such a special person!
she will alway be engraved in my heart n i will alwayz rmbr the life lessons she taught!!!
she was the best teacher in bais chana she was so nice we realy miss here
she was at my bar-mitzvah
about 3 weeks ago
the rosh is sitting shiva in la he is coming back from isreal on motzei shabbos baruch dayen emes
the rosh and his son menachem are going to Israel until after shabbos then they are returning for the remainder of shiva here in la with the rest of the family
Shiva in LA will be after sunday I believe
there are literally no words to describe Rebbetzin Schochet she was the most amazing person ever she was a true tzadekes. Whenever she rebuked us it was out of love and her ahavas yisrael was clearly shown she loved every single Jew. She spoke of her family with such pride but whenever we praised her she was humble and dismissed it. She will be in our hearts forever and her lessons will be carried on forever. rip mrs schochet you’ll forever be missed
It is my understanding that Rabbi Schochet and his son Menachem are going to return from Eretz Yisroel on Sunday morning. Because of Purim they will be sitting Shiva on Tuesday and you should come and be Minachem Oval at that time.
The rest of the children are sitting Shiva at the Schochet home already.
I attended the memorial service last night at the Yeshiva with at least 2000 others. Rabbi Schochet’s gave the most moving and inspirational speech I have ever heard. PLEASE someone post a video of it as everybody HAS to see it!
May mrs. Shochet’s memory be a blessing to her family and entire klal Yisroel. R’ Schochet, Yehudis and Hadasa and the entire family please accept our condolences.
M and M Dubinsky
From what I know the Rosh will be going to Israel and his family will be sitting shiva here. in la
batya, your description of your aunt resonates with me. you put into words her essence. i wish you and your family a nechama.
Before I book a flight to LA, please clarify, will the Rosh be sitting shiva in LA at all? Thank you for any info you may provide. If it not too big a chutzpah, may I add my email address – [email protected]. Many thanks in advance.
she had a stroke. hammeridge or annerism. she was in a coma for a couple of days. we all miss her here nd r crying but we kno tht wat she wudve wanted from us is to be happy nd still see nd hv faith in Hashem even tho it might be hard. we will nvr forget her or wat she taught us all. i still didnt fully process it in my brain yet. its hard. shell be engraved in our hearts forever
The family will be sitting shiva here, in los angeles
Rebbetzin schochet was such a special lady.
Why is it that achaei mos kedoshim emor?
we should learn to appreciate people while we still have the chance
she was just teacjing in our school like last week!
Boruch Dayan Ha’Emes
Rachels passing leaves a tremendous void in the LA community. She was a dear friend to me, a beloved teacher to my daughters, a rock for her husband and a wise caring beloved mother and grandmother. I hope to see you soon with the coming of Moshiach.
its so shuking to hear of the psssing of mrs. schochet obm ,i met her afew years ago in 770 ,she was such aspecial lady ,could any body tell me what happend to her ?i just heard it today .may hashem will give the familiy only simchas .with the bigest simcha the hitgolut of the rabbi melech hmoshiach with mrs. schochet betocham
I’M SO UPSET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I only saw Mrs. Schochet a few times when she came to her daughter, whose daughter is my best friend, but I saw how special she is. A loss to all of klal yisrael.
i miss her!!!! such a special woman
Rebbetzin Shochet was an amazing teacher and woman. Words cannot even express what a great lady she was; so real, so caring. Just less than a week ago she was up, healthy, and teaching. The whole school was mourning and crying today..Bais Chana will never be the same again. Where did our all of our tefillos go? How is it possible that such a horrible thing can happen..and so quickly??
Rebbetzin Schochet! 🙁 we luved u as a teacher, mentor and everything else u were to us. u always were happy nd ulll be greatly missed here
WEVE LOST SO MANY ALREEADY HASHEM WE NEED MOSHIACH RIGHT NOW AMEN WE WANT MOSHIACH
NOW!!!!! LOVE A FELLOW JEW WHO LOVES REBBETZEIN SHOCHET A LOT AND LOVE ALL HER KIDS TOO MOSHIACH NOW!!
Rebbitzen schochet was a mother, friend, teacher, guider, mentor, mashpia, and bubby to the entire community and to all her students. She was sincere in everything she did and said. Her smile was contageous and brightened up anyone day. She was a beloved mommy to all her students who she cared for like children. She was genuine in all. She was true to her word and honest when speaking to us, her students. When she would share a personal story in class it was not to waste time, rather to bring out a valuable lesson in it. She was a… Read more »
It’s really not a good thing for L.A.
she was a good person and the la community
are loosing good people we need Moshiach.
And I think Rabbi Schochet is 35 years old
not 44 like you write!!!!
why don’t they give info on the Levaya in Israel?
Does anyone know if the Rosh will be back in LA for shiva? Having been on Ohr Elchonon graduate from the 80’s, roots run deep, and I would want to pay respects in Los Angeles if possible.
even montreal kids said tehillim could u imagine across the border! 2 times a day they said it even in middle of french
baruch dayaan hoemes
this should be a comfort to us all. Knowing that fro Mrs. Schochet we will never say goodbye!!
Before embarking on a journey from your place of residence, arrange a Chassidic farbrengen and receive a parting blessing from your good friends, and as the familiar expression goes: Chassidim never say farewell, for they never depart from each other. Wherever they are, they are one family.
What a shock to the world. The entire Lubavitch is grieving together with the Rosh. The Rosh has touched the lives of thousands, and everyone knows that she was his rock. What a woman. Boruch Dayan Ha’emes
We wish the beloved Rosh much nechomo and strength in these trying times.
We love you dearly!
We need moshiach. This is a real tragedy, I cannot concentrate today. Thinking about the Rosh in such pain hurts me physically. Ad Mosai
My brothers go there!!! I didn’t realize she had such a serious heart attack! Baruch Dayan Emes
I still remember how my mother always reminisces that when she would come late to shul and all the chairs were taken, Rebetzzin Schochet OBM would slide over on her chair so my mother could share 1/2 with her. She had true ahavas yisroel even for the simple Jew.
Though I personally never met her, my heart goes out to the whole family; My son was in LA for 2 years, for Yeshiva/ Semicha, and has only the highest regard for the Rosh and his family; We share in your tragedy and pain and may Hashem give you the strength to overcome and to cope with this tragedy that has hit your family so hard;
The Chabad world is with you. . .
hamkom yenachem eschem besilch shar aveli yerusholoyim only simchas
hamoken yenachem eschem!!
all the yeshivah bachurim are hers, thousend of them.
יהי זכרה ברוך
hamakom yenachem
הראש ישב שבעה במוצאי שבת בלבד עד השעה 23:00 בבית בנו מנחם שוחט ברחוב ירמיהו 6 ירושלים
לאחמ”כ הרב שוחט ישב שבעה בביתו בקליפורניה
In the early 1980’s the “Roshette” admonished me why I was in a park where there are many non-tznius woman. (It was an Israeli Atzmot Day.) She said, would you want your children growing up in such an atmosphere? Her words have never left me, and it was her strong standard that has guided me “Would you want your children growing up in such an atmosphere”. Who ever ate her home on a Shabbos and Yom Tov felt as if you were part of her family. May Hashem send Brocho to the entire family. She was the Pillar of stregnth… Read more »
ברוך דין האמת Does anyone have information on if and where in Israel the Rosh will be sitting shiva I would appreciate the info.
What a tragedy! To lose your precious Mother.
May der Aibishter comfort you.
Geula Now!
Love an old friend
We join Anash throughout the world in mourning the untimely passing of this special women.
Mishpachas Wolf, Chicago
The entire Lubavitch is grieving together with the Rosh. The Rosh has touched the lives of thousands, and everyone knows that she was his rock. What a woman. Boruch Dayan Ha’emes.
May the entire Schochet family around the world know only of Simchas b’toov leivav!
– from Toronto, Canada
Boruch dayan emes, the Farkash family are grieving with you! Sorry
Hamahkoim Yinachien……….
SHE ALWAYS HAD A KIND WORD
A PILLAR IN THE LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY!
this is a huge loss!
HAMAHKOIM YINACHIEN……………
Boruch dayan emes this is such a tragedy! We turn to hashem and ask isnt it enough already
A great loss to the world!