By COLlive reporter
Rabbi Dovid Raskin, one of the most prominent Chabad officials and Chassidim in the last generation, passed away on Tuesday, Iyar 6 5771.
He was 84.
A devoted and energetic Chossid, Rabbi Raskin played a key role in modeling the Chabad-Lubavitch movement under the leadership of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, with its focus on outreach and education.
As Chairman of the Central Lubavitch Youth Organization (Tzach), to which he was appointed by the Rebbe upon its founding in 5715 (1955), he spearheaded efforts to bring Jews from all walks of life back to their heritage.
Tzach, under his lead, has sent Chassidim and bochurim to New York City streets asking the famous question “Are you Jewish?” and offering to put on Tefillin, light Shabbos candles, learn Torah and keep kosher.
Chabad Houses in the Empire State have been established under his guidance, as were the iconic Mitzvah Tanks who reminded Jews about upcoming holidays. He also organized the Tahaluchos march to synagogues to inspire congregants.
In his position as Spiritual Director of the Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch at 770 Eastern Parkway, he taught and led farbrengens with bochurim, inspiring them to gain knowledge in Torah and Chassidus, be devoted Chassidim and do Shlichus.
Rabbi Raskin also had time to sit on the board of the umbrella Agudas Chassidei Chabad International, Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch, Machne Israel Development Fund, Associated Beth Rivkah Schools in New York and Vaad L’hafotzas Sichos.
At Lubavitch Headquarters – 770 in Crown Heights, he read the Torah in the Rebbe’s minyan and was part of the organizing committee (Vaad Hamesader) of the Rebbe’s farbrengens.
His repertoire of roles and accomplishments was so vast that the Rebbe once admiringly remarked about him, “How can it be that one man should fill so many positions.”
He was born in 5687 to his parents R’ Yaakov Yosef and Draiza Raskin. His family is remembered for living with and serving Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, the Rebbe’s father, during his last days in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
One of his siblings was Rabbi Leibel Raskin OBM, a legendary Chabad figure who served for more than 40 years as the Shliach to Morocco.
He was married to Chava Elka (nee Feder) who passed away 24 years ago.
Their children: Baila Devora Raskin OBM, Shterna Sara Klein OBM (who passed away last week), Rivka Raskin – Crown Heights, Chaya Mushka Pearson OBM, R’ Yitzchak Raskin – Crown Heights and Devonya Rubin – Crown Heights.
He is also survived by 12 grandchildren of the families Pearson, Rubin and Klein and 8 great-grandchildren of the families Seewald, Farrons and Klein.
He is survived by his sister Mrs. Tzivia Bravman of Kfar Chabad, Israel, and brother R’ Sholom Ber Raskin of London, England.
LEVAYA & SHIVA
The funeral will take place tomorrow, Wednesday, leaving Shomrei Hadas Chapels at 9:45 am and passing by 770 Eastern Parkway at 10:45 am.
He will be buried in the Old Montefiore Cemetery in Queens, near the Rebbe’s Ohel.
The family will be sitting Shiva at the Rubin residence – 1535 President Street, Brooklyn, NY 11213.
The family of R’ Sholom Ber Raskin – London, has asked that no one inform him of his brother’s passing.
Baruch Dayan Haemes
please post their email address for nichum aveili, thanx
Amazing.
It that in print? or recorded?
The rebbe said about Reb Dovid Raskin “he walks like a chassid, he eats like a chassid, and he sleeps like a chassid”
agreed
Did JEM ever interview him?
Such people aren’t “made.” They make themselves, with hard, hard work.
We have to make ourselves like that!
Saying “they don’t make ’em like that anymore” is a cop-out and a discredit to R’ Dovid’s efforts to be what he was!
Let’s work and work and iy”h they’ll say the same thing about you and me…
Let it be known to all the youngsters out there, we lost probably one of the LAST emese true SOLDIERS of the REBBE! someone has to write a book about his life, and his continuee connection to the rebbe throughout it all!! Also, lets mention his most amazing daughter Dvonia, who was there by his side EVERYDAY for the l;ast ten yrs, delivering food, attending to wtever need he had, all whilst trying to take care of her own family ka’h!!! May hashem repay her & her family with simchas AD BLI DAI!!!!!!!!! MOSHIACH NOW!!!!!
i had the zchus to visit him when he was in the hospital, when i walked in to the room i saw him laying there with a dvd player watching a farbrengen of the rebbe, now that was a tziur
#2’s post was very moving and very inspiring.thank you.
comment #2, you said it all so well…
a real man a real chosid they dont make such people nay more
The Rebbe placed him in ALL his top Mosdas…! That is how much the Rebbe trusted him. He also suffered Yisurim B’Ahava all his live. I’m sure he is now together with the Rebbe – Imei B’Michitzasi!!
the picture you posted for this article has another holy sould in it that is no longer with us. reb mendel deren. 2 holy jews no longer with us
Yes, the family gets up from shiva today. His granddaughter (who was sitting shiva) related at shiva that on Friday, they had 1 hour to leave the shiva house & shower before Shabbos. They found out that their grandfather’s heart was beating rapidly & they ran, in their torn shirts, to his bedside. They begged their Zaidy to hold on longer, they are suffering enough. And he did, for a few more days. BD”E
They get up from shiva this morning…..
shabbis kriah
i don’t think that ever did it happen, when meeting him on kingston avenue, that i shook my head “hello’ first. when i saw him coming from far, i started to get ready to say ‘sholem’, but somehow he always beat me to it. it says on rabban yochanan ben zakai that he was always makdim ‘sholem’.. i remember when the twins were in camp emunah. he was an incredible father. he constantly came to visit, he called the counselors all the time on the phone, he left huge amounts of money, for those days, for canteen, , for anyone… Read more »
Menahel of Tomchei Tmimim
he is my great uncle
reb dovid was a very seldon person to be found, he was street smart more than most people and at the same time so pure in emunoh kabolas oil and chasidishkait like a little kid, he had no tziur at all, what ever was needed for the rebbe he was always ready to do, he was totally botul to the rebbe, he never sold the rebbe for anything in the world-he was really loyal to the rebbe, all he had in mind was to be mekusher to the rebbe always, to do the rebbe`s kavono, and to always bring nachas… Read more »
This was one man who was above it all – he was never prone to corruption, petty politics etc. He just gone on with doing whatever it was he knew the Rebbe wanted him to do.
Many of us will fondly remember the famous line: “Vee shreibt min dine nomen,” which was his way of getting you to tell him your name even as he could not remember it.
A chosid durch un durch. חבל על דאבדין ולא משתכחין
The family of R’ Sholom Ber Raskin – London, has asked that no one inform him of his brother’s passing
when you need to jump you jump.when you need to lead you lead…when you have to be silent you are silent…but zein gantze metziyus is to listen to the king
mayhis whole family and talmidim and shluchim around the world be comforted with biyas moshiach
lubavitch and the jewish world will not have such people around anymore
Re-read the article above.
חבל על דאבדין ולא משתכחין
he was the last of the Rebbes soldiers Kol Hyoitzah Limilchemes ….. Moshiach Now.
didnt his daughter just pass away like 2 or 3 days ago?
There is only one sentence that describes Reb Dovid:
“דעם רבינס א מענטש”
The Rebbe put him into all of the above Mosdos, and he was the only one who cared that what the Rebbe wanted should happen.
חבל על דאבדין ולא משתכחין
Chaval al d’avdin vlo mishtakchin ….a chosid of a different era … an ish pnimi and baal mesiras nefesh, And Reb Dovid was a baal yesurim. No, I don’t mean a “person who suffered,” but a BAAL of the yesurim – One who Mastered the difficulties in his life, and they did not master him. Reb Dovid had so much yesurim in his life that would have vastly crushed a weaker person – perhaps most of us. But not Reb Dovid. Despite ALL the hardship, he was a steadfast Chosid, Mikushor and Mashpia, upon whose chitzoniyus you would never know… Read more »
I recently had the honor of being able to visit Rabbi Dovid Raskin in the hospital. His holiness was apparent even in the darkness of the ICU unit. Surrounded by pictures of The Rebbe and listening to farbrengens and Chassidishe Niggunim, I sat there and cried. May Hashem comfort his family and may they experience no more Tzar.