Posted to Notices on
by Dovid Zaklikowski - Lubavitch Archives

Boruch Dayan Hoemes: ‘Uncle Yossi’ Goldstein OBM

This morning Rabbi Yossi Goldstein, veteran educator passed away at the age of 85. He was most known for his tape series Uncle Yossi, which told over Jewish stories with profound lessons.

He began his studies at 770 in 1941. When he was looking for a place to dorm in instead of travelling everyday from Borough Park to Crown Heights, via two trains, he was asked to dorm in 770 to keep an eye out for the synagogue in middle of the night.

He would say, “I had the merit to be at the right place and the right time, to be with the Lubavitcher Rebbes’ of righteous memory.”

He was very much attracted to the learning of Chabad philosophy by Rabbi Shmuel Zalmannov and later by Rabbi Yitzchok Dov Ushpal.

His educational activities began from the very first Jewish parades, in the 1940’s, that the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory organized, at first doing the logistics and leading the children.

He remembered the revolutionary idea and how the Rebbe, known then as the Ramash, would stand on a chair and talk to the children in Yiddish and someone would always translate.

He would always entertain the children with a story at the children rally’s in 770 and at times was asked translate the Rebbe’s talks during them.

He would later become principal for many years in the Bais Yaakov in Borough Park that was founded by the sixth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak, until he moved to Poway, CA, in 2000, where he continued to teach adults.

Over the years he has educated thousands of children and the Rebbe once told him in a private audience (paraphrased), “Yossel don’t underestimate the great merit that you have to influence these young children according to the ways of Chassidism.”

In order to impart strong positive messages in these children’s lives, he came up with the idea of telling them stories. He would tell the stories that his mother would tell him, which he said her father told him and many other stories from the Talmud and from Chabad tradition.

He later would host from the early 1970’s a radio program Uncle Yossi, where he would tell over these stories and later recorded them for a series of 14 tapes, that are still available on CD.

He is survived by his children Aron Goldstein (Ann Arbor, MI) Sholom Ber Goldstein (Crown Heights) Yitzchok Goldstein (Madrid Spain) Levi Goldstein (Crown Heights) Mendel Goldstein (Crown Heights) Toby Lieder (Sydney, Australia) Yisroel Goldstein (Poway, CA) Leah Perl (Los Angeles, CA) Shternie Ulman (Sydney, Australia) and Zalman Goldstein (Monsey, NY), as well as many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Levaya times will be posted when they are announced.

Boruch Dayan Hoemes

uncle-yossi-1 uncle-yossi-2

Related Articles

27 Comments

  • Plz check facts

    Rabbi goldstien was an amazing man please check facts and spelling.

  • Milhouse

    I didn’t know that the Frierdiker Rebbe founded the Beis Yaacov in Borough Park. It wouldn’t surprise me too much, considering what he did for Chaim Berlin, and what the Rebbe later did for Torah Umesorah, but Is it confirmed as a fact?

  • facts

    This article was obviously written a while ago so you can be sure all the facts were verified.
    It was written by by Dovid Zaklikowski of Lubavitch Archives who is known to be very accurate.

  • Yes!

    It was founded by the Friediker Rebbe.. there was always a picture in the building.. I have not been there recently, but there was one there..

    In a grandson of Rabbi Hodakov there is a protocol from the meeting of when it was founded..

    • Granddaughter

      Yes my zaidy had a few cardio machines which were outdoors near his garden. He enjoyed exercise and sitting in his garden which he planted and tended too. He also had 2 parakeets which loved entertaining himself with!

  • bde

    NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

    We still talk like uncle yossi in our house and were all grown up!

  • chassid of the Alter Rebbe?

    My kids really love Uncle Yossi stories… interesting, captivating and Chassidshe! so much toichen!

  • 1 In A Generation Pioneer

    Such a tremendous loss to Klal Yisroel!

    One of the most innovative Jewish pioneers of education of the 20th century.

    His impact has permeated directly and by extension hundreds of thousands of Neshomos over the past 60 years!

    Many norms today in Jewish education trace their roots to this special Chossid!

    Yehi Zichtoi Boruch!

    Condolences to the family, grandchildren and great grand children!

  • I remember him singing

    Keep your spirits high
    Way up to the sky
    I will tell you why
    OD AVINU CHAI

  • Oldest grandchild

    What a dear special person he was. As his oldest grandchild, I had the zechus to write my birthday letters to the rebbe with his input and had my class of 9th grade learn every Friday night chassidus with him… He had such simchas hachayim and always made us happy with his sweet smile and hug!

  • BDE

    He was a warm principal in Bais Yakov. I was sad when he left his possition there to move to Ca.

  • Avremel B

    Studio 604! How we anticipated it every week.

    Such a nice family and einicklach…

    I remember him telling us stories and divray torah, before the Rebbe came down for Mariv Friday night.
    He also thought us alternative lyrics to the song ‘ad mosay do we have to wait’….
    “Ad mosay to you hashem we bow and ask you once again we want moshiach now.”

  • what a man

    a truly amazing man sucha loss. all of his kids do so much for yiddishkite and he himself has done so much.

  • str

    important to keep what he thought was important, alive and active in the world!

  • tanya

    tanya-tuesday night uncle yossi and the hakatcheinik band!!!!!!
    so sad there isnt anything like this for the new generation
    our family used to sit together at supper listening over the radio

  • Please post in article!

    Levaya Friday morning. Leaving Shomrei Hadas at 9:00 am, passing Bais Yaakov 10:00 -10:15 – 46th st bet 13th 14th ave, passing 770 10:45.

  • D. Loschak

    i lived in CH in the early 70’s. Not quite sure which came first, but amongst us ‘out of town girls in the apts’, one had handwritten several chapters of Tanya, and Rabbi Goldstein a’h kindly filled in ALL THE NEKUDOS so it could be vocalized properly! From that, (or perhaps the other way around), THE Tanya Shiur after Lichtzen was started with just a few of us girls from the Empire Blvd apts, just around the desk in Rabbi Goldstein’s a’h office. (Don’t know if there was one before us) We wouldn’t miss it for anything! And it grew, and grew and grew B”H, till years afterwards when i was visiting it had B”H expanded till it was a living room-dining room, standing room only situation.
    And Mrs Goldstein’s a’h challa greeted us every Friday, sitting proudly on the oven shelf, fresh baked, filling the entire house with that Shabbosdike aroma.
    Of course my children also grew up with the Uncle Yossi records (Sarale don’t pick up that dime), and
    our ainiklach and friends still receive the books as presents. Yehi Zichro Boruch, may Moshiach come NOW!!

  • CH'er

    PLEASE REMEMBER !!!
    Most if not all of the clips / Videos we have of the Rebbe, are from Him,

    He was an avid recorder for many years in the 50-60’s

    Thank you uncle Yossi

    Inaddition, his Hachnoses Orchim in his home on Empire Blvd. was tremendous, as a close friend of one of his sons , I have personally Witnessed it.
    A great Loss

  • Simcha Piekarski

    I will never forget my first Sukkos in CH. I was a young bochur without family in CH. After Maariv the first night I was standing outside 770 and not knowing where to go for the seudas yom tov,when I first met Rabbi Yossel Goldstein. He came out of 770 with his young sons singing and smiling. The moment he saw me he realized I was waiting for an invitation. He had no idea who I was but he put his arm around me and told me that I was coming with him to his house..The sukkah was so crowded that I could barely put my arm out to pick up the food,but what an atmosphere. To this day every Sukkos I retell the story of that introduction to a truly chassidishe home and real hachnoses orchim. Now almost 60 years later my children and grangchildren hear about a seudas yom tov filled with nigunim and stories and divrei torah and a host that made me and the other guests feel like family members. Boruch Dayan Emes. Reb Yossel we will never forget you.

  • Goldstein Kin

    He was a special man, who came from a special family! His Parents, R’ Moshe Yehuda & Chaya Malka were amazing and too his siblings “The Goldstein Brothers” and his sister. He is survived by not only his children but his brothers,
    R’ Shlomo Goldstein, ( Baltimore) R’ Duddy Goldstein,
    ( Tzfat) and sister, Reb. Dina Rosengarten, (Boro Park), They should all live and be well till 120, IYH!
    A family that all made their mark on Yiddishkeit, each in their own way. R’ Yossi was a beloved son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and to all those students in the East Side, and Boro Park, a beloved principal as well!

  • To Toby Lieder & Leah Perl

    Dont know wher u are @ this time….i was very sad to hear the news….who from our generation didnt know your father or his tapes? Hamokom yinachem eschem bisoich shaar evolei tziyon veerusholayim! You & your wonderful families should know of NO more Tzaar…..Ur father should be a meilitz yoisher for whole Klal Yisroel & bring Moshiach NOW! Freidi Shpigelman(bunk Eisev)