Heartbreaking Funeral for Killed Yeshiva Student

The Jewish community of Vinnitza, Ukraine was grief stricken, and crying could be heard throughout the masses who gathered to partake in the Levaya of Hatomim Gedalia Greenzayd, OBM, a Yeshiva student who was tragically killed in a terrible accident earlier this week.

It was an intricate operation, securing the proper permissions to fly the body into the civil-war-torn country, all while protecting the kavod hames [respect of the dead].

This was accomplished by Ahavas Chesed, headed by Rabbi Avrohom Leider, who funded the costs, including airline tickets for Rabbi Chaim Schapiro, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Morrsitown Smicha Program and Hatomim Schneur Kirsh, who was Gedalia’s chavrusa and close friend, both of whom recited Tehillim the entire flight.

The aron arrived in Keiv and with the help of the Chevra Kadisha and Hatzalah, and made its way to Vinnitza. On its way, the Levaya passed through the ‘Educational Village Ohr Avner – Zhitomir,’ where Gedalia had learned and taught under the Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Lazer Rabinovitz, who gave an emotional hesped on Gedalia’s love of Torah which he saw in the Shiurim he gave and his zeal for care in keeping Halachos and Minhagim.

From Zhitomir the procession continued to Vinnitza, and by morning the Levaya continued out of the old Shul where Gedalia’s father Avrohom serves as Gabbai and Rosh HaKohol.

Rabbi Shaul Horowitz, the Rabbi and Shliach of the city, also gave an emotional hesped and reminded everyone of the Gedalia’s mesirus nefesh to keeping Torah and Mitzvos, and the positive effect he had on his family and his fellow students in the Yeshivos he learned in.

At the conclusion of the Levaya, in which Shluchim, Askonim and many members of the community participated, Gedalia was interred in the ancient Jewish cemetery in the city.

The community came together to give support to his heartbroken parents, whose only child was so suddenly taken from them.

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11 Comments

  • Tragic

    It’s an awful thing to say, but even in death Gedalya was still teaching. The people in the village probably never saw an orthodox funeral before. You can see some standing on line with flowers in their hands, thinking that’s the way things are done.

  • Heartbreaking

    May he be a gutteh betteh for all of Klal Yisrael. I’m sure he is learning with the Rebbe inyonei Moshiach & geula.

    • Ahavas Chesed

      Thanks to the efforts of S.A., all the money for the levaya was raised and given to Ahavas Chesed.

  • judith kaplan

    Для родителей Гедалья
    Мое сердце скорбит вместе с вашими в связи с гибелью вашего драгоценного сына.
    Мы знаем, что ваш сын был таким особенным и хорошо,
    и благодарны, что у нас была возможность встретиться с ним.

    Желаю вам утешиться среди всех родителей, которые потеряли драгоценных детей, и среди провожающих Израиля.
    Джудит Каплан, Майами, Флорида

  • Google Translate of comment #4

    For parents of Gedaliah
    My heart grieves with yours at the loss of your precious son.
    We know that your son was so special and good,
    and grateful that we had the opportunity to meet him.

    I wish you be comforted among all parents who have lost precious children, and among the mourners in Israel.
    Judith Kaplan, Miami, Florida

  • can someone please provide

    some way to contact the parents
    perhaps it can be posted so that people can send them nichum aveilim
    may there be no more tzar by Yidden
    Moshiach NOW

  • המקום המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים n'eNow!

    aad mosaai

    how can we help his parents

  • עד מתי רבו ו של עולם

    הקבה״ אנו רוצים משיח עכשיו די כבר לגלות הזאת ידן כל עם ישראל מחכים שהגלות תסתיים ותהיה עכשיו ומיד ממש הגאולה האמיתית והשלימה בביאת משיח צדקינוושנשמע מעכשיו והלאה רק בשורות טובות.ולהורים היו

  • CHT

    I am in contact with someone from Vinitza who can talk to parents. I can ask him to show and translate his parents this entire comment page. Please. let me know if you would like me to ask him.