Shul Dedicates New Torah in Memory of Classmate

Dozens of friends and relatives gathered at the home of the Newfield family in Crown Heights on Sunday, October 13, to celebrate the completion of a Sefer Torah honoring the memory of Shimmy Newfield, on what would have been his 28th birthday.

Shimmy was a kindhearted and lively boy who was loved dearly by his family and friends. At the age of ten, as Shimmy was beginning the fifth grade, he was diagnosed with cancer.

For a year and a half Shimmy was in and out of hospitals, visiting doctors and undergoing various treatments. On the 29th of Shevat, 5758 (1998), just eight months short of his Bar Mitzva, Shimmy had fulfilled his mission in this world and was returned to his creator.

As his 16th Yahrtzeit draws near, Shimmy’s classmates, who now Daven in a Shul of their own, got together and raised the necessary funds for a Sefer Torah to be dedicated in his memory.

“For many years Shimmy’s classmates dreamt of writing a Torah in his memory,” said Avi Lesches, the Shul’s Gabbai who spearheaded the project. “It is heartwarming to see this dream finally come to fruition.”

At the Newfield home, it was a bittersweet moment as the newly completed Torah was lifted into the air, and a ‘Mantel’ with the embroidered name Shimon Eliezer HaKohen Newfield was placed upon it.

Amid joyous singing and dancing, the new Torah was brought to the Shul that would become its permanent home and placed in the Aron Kodesh.

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16 Comments

  • another

    its very nice but they could of dedicated a class in one of our schools, and the children would be learning in his memory every day while the schools can expand

    • s

      That’s what tuition is for, take responsibility for your own kids,no one needs to support them except yourself!

  • Newfield family

    Thank you to all of Shimmy’s friends and classmates who came to celebrate with us! We are honored that a torah in memory of Shimmy will be used in your shul.

  • A Wondeful Family BH

    May they always be blessed with revealed good, starting with Moshiach NOW

  • ch res

    dear #1 if you want something go for it … why make a remark with a BUT ???? … are you jealous they were able to do something and you could NOT ??? . why can you NOT be happy with a good thing people did ???

  • Zalman Layb

    I Daven with the Newfileds at the Beaht for 4 years and I did not even know about this event.
    It’s a real Shame I would have loved to partake in this event.

  • The Rebbe Said

    one asked the Rebbe how come you send Chasidim to put on tefilin with Jews who did not do Netilas Yodaim first?
    the answer was very simple
    our chasidim will put on tefilin with Jews and you can stand with a bucket of water and do a mitzvah
    as always if someone has a suggestion you welcome to do as you wish .
    as we say twice a day ASHAMNU not ASHAMHU

  • Newfield family

    to #1 our family actually donated the paroches and bima cover in the shul in Oholei Torah where the boys daven and we have them cleaned and upkept

  • beautiful

    this is such a wonderful group of guys who have started a very successful shul on kingston ave.what a beautiful zchus you all had .may you all have much succes in whatever you do. by the way whatever avi lesches starts he finishes………

  • Truly Wonderful

    The siyum sefer torah was a beautiful event and had a really nice turnout of his classmates! It was so nice that they were all able to attend and join together dedicating a Torah in his memory. It is incredible that his class was able to stay together all of these years.

  • beautiful

    I remember Shimmy was in my brothers class, and he has very nice memories of him as a friend.
    So happy for the family to celebrate this joyous completion of a Sefer Torah in his memory!

  • Eliezer and Gittel Kozak & YOSSI & YESHAYA

    if only we had known of this special uplifting simcha for your son’s neshomo, Shimmy, we knew as neighbors, AS we love your wonderful devoted family. What is the secret not to say a word about it to us on passing??? in these past weeks??? no signs up at least; is this ahavas yisroel???
    All these mitzvohs and limud hatorah that people do for Shimmy’s will bring him to an extra special and highest aliyas neshama and bring techiyas hameisim closer now to have the ultimate coming of the Moshiach to reunite everyone back together with Shimmy in Eretz Yisroel as we all believe bemunas.
    May his MEMORY BE BLESSED.