Schapiro Family Rejoices over Completed Sefer Torah

On Sunday hundreds of Anash joined the extended Schapiro family as they celebrated the completion of a new Sefer Torah in memory of Rabbi Lipa and Mrs. Chana Schapiro, and their beloved son Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, OBM.

The Torah was initiated by Rabbi Lipa Schapiro himself on the 28th of Adar 5769 (2009) le’iluy nishmas his late wife Chana and their son Levi Yitzchak; it was completed a little over a week after his own Yahrtzeit.

The writing of the Torah was concluded at the home of Rabbi Yaakov Shlomo and Mrs. Raizel Goldberg. The procession and dancing began there and move down Kingston Ave. on to Empire Shtiebel, where it was placed in the Aron Kodesh after lively hakafos.

Rabbi Schapiro was well-known for his mesiras nefesh in Russia, where he ran Yeshivas Tiferes Bachurim together with the famous chossid, Rabbi Chunye Marozov.

Upon arriving in America, Rabbi Schapiro and his wife first settled in Cleveland, Ohio where he served as a shochet and community leader. Rabbi Schapiro was actively involved in the Vaad Ha’ir, spearheading the efforts to ensure the Kashrus of the local Mikvah Taharah, availability of Cholov Yisroel milk and the like, and would deliver many well-attended shiurim in Chassidus for the local community.

When the Schapiros moved to New York in 1973, Rabbi Schapiro was appointed as Rov of the Empire Shtiebel, a capacity in which he remained for over 30 years. He regularly delivered public shiurim on Gemara, and throughout his lifetime completed numerous cycles of Shas. He was also an active member of Vaad Rabbonei Lubavitch and merited to have many a yechidus with the Rebbe and enjoyed personal kiruvim from him as well.

Mrs. Chana Shapiro was the youngest daughter of Rabbi Schneur Zalman Vilenkin who was the Rebbe’s personal teacher at the age of seven and eight. The Rebbe once said about him, “He set me on my feet!” (“er hot mir geshtelt oif di fis…”)

Their son, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schapiro was a beloved educator and served in the capacity of assistant principal in Oholei Torah for close to ten years, until he passed away suddenly in 5750 (1990).

Photos by Yaakov Rosenthal