BDE: Rabbi Berel Raskin, 84, OBM

With great sadness we report the passing of Rabbi Berel (Berke) Raskin OBM, the Crown Heights icon who owned a world renowned fish store on Kingston Ave. He passed away Shabbos, the 20th of Iyar 5779.

He was 84 years old.

Berel, one of four brothers, was born in Leningrad to his parents, Reb Aaron Leib Laine and Doba Raiza Raskin OBM, who had much mesiras nefesh for Yiddishkeit in Communist Russia.

His father passed away at the young age of 36, leaving the family to be sustained by his mother. She traveled with her family initially to Poland, then Austria, and finally Paris.

From there, Mrs. Raskin wrote to the Frierdiker Rebbe, asking whether they should seek entry to Israel or to America. The Rebbe advised them to travel to America, and in 1953 they arrived in New York.

When Berel looked to start a business, he soon decided on opening a fish store, with the Rebbe’s encouragement. He rented the store on Kingston Avenue, where the business is run from until today.

He is survived by his wife Esther Raskin, and his children Aaron Leib Raskin (Crown Heights), Yossi Raskin (Crown Heights), Shloime Raskin (Crown Heights), Brocha Richler (Los Angeles, CA), Bassie Komar (Crown Heights), Chanie Greene (Rochester, MN), Doba Rimler (Crown Heights) and Shaina Moss (Israel), and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He is also survived by his brothers Michel Raskin (Crown Heights), Dovid Laine (Crown Heights), and Benzion Raskin (Crown Heights.

The Levaya will be held at shomrei hadas at 12:30pm, and will be passing 770 at 1:30pm.

Shiva information to be announced.

Boruch Dayan Hoemes

7 Comments

  • Phyllis Shallman

    My heart goes out to Esther and the entire family. I am honored to feel like you are family. I love you all so much. May you be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Yerushalyim! Tears of love and sadness. Always remembered. Never ever forgotten

  • Eliezer Meyer

    A Tzaddik no doubt. Everytime I would walk into his store he would greet me with the biggest smile.

    Many times when I walked by the store but didn’t go in he would either rush outside to say hello or rap on the window to get my attention to say hi!

    ברוך דיין האמת – המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים

    Baruch Dayan HaEmes Hamakom yenachem eschem b’soch sha’ar aveilei Tzion v’Yerushalayim!

    Blessed is the True Judge. May his memory be for a blessing and his family be comforted among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

  • Anonymous

    Baruch Dayan HaEmes…
    Wishing Warm Condolences to all the family.
    Wishing you all Long Life; & only health, happiness, & Simchas.
    Fondest,
    Hessel & Miriam Kessler & family
    (South Africa-Long Beach-Los Angeles)

  • Melissa Stollman

    This is devastating news. He was a great friend to my father (who also was in the fish business). When my daughter attended high school In Brooklyn my father would say go visit Mr. Raskin. BDE Our condolences to the family.

  • CHT

    – Kak po Ruski Branzino?
    – Vkusnaya Ryba

    I will never forget his sense of humor and smile

  • Tzipi Glick

    I’m so sad to hear this. Rabbi Raskin was a wonderful kind hearted warm man, always with a smile and always wanting to help. He will be sorely missed. May his family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Yerushalyim.