Boruch Dayan Ho’emes: R’ Mordechai Hartstein, 90

With great sadness we inform you of the passing of Rabbi Mordechai Hartstein, OBM, of Boro Park, Brooklyn, who operated a clothing store on New Utrecht Avenue for many decades and was dearly loved by his loyal patrons, many of whom were members of the Crown Heights Lubavitch community who would purchase their ‘Kapotes’ from him. He was 90 years old.

Reb Mordechai, a Kohen, was born and raised in the city of Zenta, a Hungarian city which was then part of Yugoslavia (today in Serbia). He was a Talmid of the Berach Moshe, Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum, OBM, who served before WWII as the Rov of Zenta, and who later became the Satmar Rebbe in Brooklyn after the passing of his uncle Reb Yoel Teitelbaum, OBM.

Reb Mordechai survived the horrors of the Holocaust, and arrived penniless – but not hopeless – on the shores of the United States as a young refugee. He married and settled in Boro Park, where he opened Hartstein clothing, and davened  for many decades at the Sighet Beis Medrash.

He is survived by his wife, Shula.

The Levaya will take place today, Thursday, at 1:30 PM in front of the Siget Beis Medrash – 1511 50th Street in Boro Park, after which he will be buried in the Siget cemetery in NJ.

Boruch Dayan Ho’emes

14 Comments

  • Pops

    BDE,

    He always had a very pleasant disposition. He treated everyone with patience and respect.

  • So sorry

    End of an era. Such a sweet man, and his wife always knew exactly where everything was. He made my husband’s first kapote, and when our son got married, he made his. A real craftsman and a real gentleman.

  • Yankel Todres

    He was a wonderful person. Didn’t know he was a Kohen though. I should have protested when he helped me try on his Kapotes (it’s not permissible to utilize a Kohen for menial labor). At least I was able to contribute to his Parnosa though.

  • ר' איטשע

    Still the best kapote out there. I’m so sorry I missed him on my last visit to his store last pesach. He was a real Mensch.

  • Special person.

    My oldest son got his Kapote there over a decade ago (still fits and he’s still wearing it!). He wanted a custom made Kapote, but Mr. Hartstein wouldn’t hear of it, insisting that since an off the rack one fit him so well, it was wrong to spend the extra money for custom. Real Mentch. BD”E

  • Shlomo

    Real Mench

    A good and honest FRIEND to all his customers

    as as one mentioned earlier : He respected everyone he would meet

    To his wonderful wife who worked along him : you should ONLY have good news and arichas yomim

  • Yaacov Deane

    Baruch Dayan HaEmet. A wonderful man who made a true kiddush HaShem through his business. Possibly the best quality kapotes ever made in the United States. They last for decades and the buttons never come off. May his memory truly be for a blessing to all Israel.

  • Yehudar

    I bought a tish chalat about twenty five years ago and it still looks new although I wear it every shabbos and yomtov. That was the type of clothes he sold. Bde