BDE: Rabbi Leima Minkowitz, 85, OBM
With great sadness we report the passing of Rabbi Leima Minkowitz OBM, who served as Director of Beis Rivkah for many decades.
He was 85 years old.
Born in the Soviet Union, his family was smuggled across the border to Poland shortly after World War II. They first settled in Paris, until the Rebbe Rayatz instructed them to resettle in the United States. A few years later, after the Rebbe officially accepted the נשיאות, the family moved to New York, settling in the Brownsville neighborhood.
In New York, he soon immersed himself in a chassidishe life dedicated to Torah study and spreading Yiddishkeit. During the summers, he participated in Merkos Shlichus. On one such shlichus in California, he told the local newspaper that it was his mission to lay the groundwork for opening Jewish day schools. “Chabad’s aim is to awaken an innate awareness of Judaism in every Jew in the world,” he said. Jewish education was always his central focus.
It was soon after marrying his wife, Mrs. Shoshana [Zebrowitz], a dedicated teacher at Bais Rivkah High School, that he joined the holy work of Jewish education by accepting a position at Bais Rivkah. “It was a most important job, but a very difficult one,” says Rabbi Benjy Stock, who worked by his side for decades. “It was a huge responsibility.”
As Lubavitch continued to grow and parents struggled to meet their basic necessities, Rabbi Minkowicz made every effort to ensure that the school received any available funding. His efforts bore fruit in numerous ways, including securing proper licensing to receive funding for preschool and college-age students, as well as government-aided food programs.
He would accompany Bais Rivkah’s graduating students to their yearly audience with the Rebbe. Rabbi Minkowicz also spearheaded the general Sefer Torah campaign that the Rebbe initiated on behalf of Bais Rivkah.
While at Kos Shel Berachah one year, after contemplating possible retirement, he received only a small amount of wine in his cup. The Rebbe then asked that he be called back and told him, “You work at Bais Rivkah; this is for your work there,” handing him a bottle of l’chaim.
In a 1997 interview, Rabbi Minkowicz said that when he sees the many students of the school in action, “Baruch Hashem, I had the merit to work in the Rebbe’s institution, and to see nachas from the students who were educated by us.”
Rabbi Minkowicz’ legacy in Bais Rivkah proudly continues through the work of his wife, children, and grandchildren, many of whom are dedicated members of the Bais Rivkah staff.
He is survived by his wife Mrs. Shoshana Minkowicz and children; Rabbi Sholom Minkowicz (Crown Heights), Rabbi Yitzchok Minkowicz (Fort Myers, FL), Mrs. Gitty Rosenfeld (Crown Heights), Mrs. Chayie Abelsky (Crown Heights), Rabbi Hirshy Minkowicz (Alpharetta, GA), Mrs. Kenny Feigenson (Crown Heights), Mrs. Laykie Donin (Houston, TX), Rabbi Ari Minkowicz (Crown Heights) and Mrs. Rochie Lieberman (Crown Heights).
The levaya will take place on Monday, January 5th, passing by 770 at approximately 10:45am, with burial at Old Montefiore Cemetery at approximately 11:45am.
Shiva information to be announced.
Boruch Dayan Hoemes
