Mrs. Reitza Kosofsky runs a Purim party for children of USSR refugees.

‘Ordinary Woman’ Becomes Heroine to Soviet Refugees

The Rebbe’s call to reach out to every Jew and help them with both their spiritual and material needs has energized his chassidim.  Very often, ordinary chassidim reached beyond what they thought possible to find the means to fulfill this ideal.  Every chossid is a shliach, even if he does not bear the official title. One person who stands out in this area is Mrs. Reitza Kosofsky, founder of F.R.E.E. in Chicago.

When Jewish refugees began arriving from the Soviet Union in the early 1970s, Mrs. Kosofsky founded the Chicago chapter of Friends of Refugees of Eastern Europe (F.R.E.E.).  While raising her growing family, she started a Hebrew school and a day school, opened a resale shop, started an employment service, arranged brissim, placed immigrant children in Jewish day schools, and much, much more.  Mrs. Kosofsky committed herself day and night to this endeavor.

Mrs. Kosofsky often brought Lubavitcher bachurim, who had recently emigrated from the Soviet Union, to Chicago for several weeks at a time.  They worked with the immigrant families in their native language.  These bachurim stayed at the Kosofskys’ house for their time in Chicago.  Today, some of these bachurim are shluchim to the Russian expat communities in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Israel.

In 1981, Mrs. Kosofsky brought Rabbi Shmuel Notik to Chicago to direct F.R.E.E.  While Rabbi Notik took over the organization, she continued to work closely with him, and also made herself personally available to assist anyone in need.  Mrs. Kosofsky remained active helping people in the immigrant community, as well as the general Jewish community, into her 70s.

In recent years, Mrs. Kosofsky dictated many stories of her years in F.R.E.E. to her daughter, Mrs. Mina Gordon, shlucha to Melbourne, Australia.  The story was run in December, 2016, and January, 2017, in three installments in Olam Yehudi, the weekly magazine of The Jewish Press.

Part 1:  http://www.jewishpress.com/sections/features/features-on-jewish-world/friends-of-refugees-of-eastern-europe-in-chicago-part-i/2016/12/19/

Part 2:  http://www.jewishpress.com/sections/features/features-on-jewish-world/friends-of-refugees-of-eastern-europe-in-chicago-part-ii/2016/12/26/

Part 3:  http://www.jewishpress.com/sections/features/features-on-jewish-world/friends-of-refugees-of-eastern-europe-in-chicago-conclusion/2017/01/02/

11 Comments

    • Anonymous

      We salute you, May Hash-m Bless you all with unaccountable Brochas.You are so lucky Rivki!!!

  • Anonymous

    So true. A role model for anyone who wants to do the Rebbe’s shlichus. Just do it!

  • Chani

    So true. A role model for anyone who wants to do the Rebbe’s shlichus. Just do it!

  • Anonymous

    She is an inspiration to all those who meet her with her positivity, sincerity, and ahavas yosroel. May she be blessed with many happy healthy years and a lot of nachos from her family.

  • Anonymous

    Mrs kosofsky is truly an inspirational woman, may she have arichos yamim and Shanim tovos

  • Rivky

    I have fond memories of helping out my grandmother while I was in High School in Chicago. Tutoring in the Hebrew school, doing Misibos Shabbos and helping mailing out the Sholom newspapers. Not only she herself do this work but encouraged us to get involved.

  • Chaim

    Thank you so much for posting this article and the links about my mother.
    Many people in the community of Anash in Chicago look to her as a role model and mentor.
    A few years ago I brought her to visit a friend at a rehab center. As we walked in the door, a man ran over to greet my mother. Apparently, she had helped him 30 years before when he arrived from the Soviet Union, and it was now many years since he had seen her. He recognized her immediately, and came over to express his gratitude to her for her assistance.
    I know there are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people who look to my mother the same way.

  • Friends

    I always knew my dear friend, Nechama was something special. I see the Apple is like the tree.
    Beautiful article.