“A Yiddishe Mameh” — Remembering the Heart of Chanie Elewitz
As we approach the Shloshim of Chanie Elewitz A”H on Chof Teves, we have been sitting with the messages that have poured in from so many people who knew her.
Friends. Former students. Parents. Neighbors. People from different stages of her life, some from childhood, some from decades ago, some who have only crossed paths with her briefly. Each message has been a reminder of how Chanie touched others, often without realizing it herself.
Whether it was a former student recalling the excitement and joy Chanie brought to teaching Chumash, a woman who still sings and teaches the niggunim she first learned in Chanie’s classroom, or a family that continues to use a kvort Chanie lovingly designed as a second-grade prize, the stories shared all reflect the same quiet impact. Others remembered her tznius, gentleness, and kindness in everyday moments, like the simple warmth of a smile at a bus stop that made someone feel seen. Again and again, people described Chanie as a devoted teacher, a caring colleague, and a mother who instinctively saw the best in every child and always found something encouraging to say.
But the words that came up most often were “Yiddishe Mameh.”
For three years, Chanie battled a devastating illness with courage and Bitachon. Through treatments, surgeries, and terrible pain, her focus never shifted inward. Her thoughts remained with her children, how to continue caring for them, supporting them, and being present for them in every possible way.
Even in illness, she cooked, packed, planned, and worried, not about herself, but about how her children would be okay.
That was Chanie. Her children were her entire world.
Now, her six unmarried children are facing a future without the mother who anchored their lives. As a community, we cannot replace their mother. But we can help carry them through these uncertain times. Let’s alleviate the financial burden for Chanie’s family.
As we reach Chof Teves, the fundraiser established to help Chanie’s children will be coming to an end.
We are turning to you, as a community, and as people who were touched by Chanie’s life, to help us ensure that her children are taken care of in the way she so deeply wanted. If Chanie gave you something, Torah, encouragement, warmth, or a smile, this is a way to give back.
And if you have a story or memory of Chanie, please send it in to memoriesofchanie@gmail.com. These words have brought Chanie’s family comfort and strength, and they matter more than we can express.
May every act of support be a zechus for Chana bas Shmuel Nota Hakohen.
The Campaign is being authorized by:
Rabbi Yossi Lieberman- Chabad of West Hempstead
Rabbi Levi Volovik – Chabad of the Berkshires
