BDE: Mrs. Itu Lustig, 97, OBM

With great sadness we report the passing of Mrs. Itu Lustig OBM, a Holocaust survivor and Crown Heights resident who led Crown Heights Bikur Cholim for many years. She passed away peacefully on Thursday, the 16th of Adar 5786, right after attending the Bris of her great-great-grandson.

She was 97 years old. survivor

Mrs. Itu Lustig (nee Kahana) was born in Strimtera, Romania , in 1928 to Harav Tzvi Hirsh and Zisel Kahana. Her father was the local Rov and Rosh Yeshiva. On Shvii Shel Pesach 1944 the Jews of Strimtera were taken by the Nazis ym”s, and her family was later sent to Aushwitz. She miraculously survived the infamous selection despite being 15 years old and was later liberated from Bergen Belsen. Her brother Zanvil was her only immediate family member to survive the Holocaust.

Eventually, she immigrated to the United States and married Rabbi Chaim Meir Lustig, obm, in 1948. They settled in Chicago until 1956, when they moved to Crown Heights to send their son to the Lubavitcher Yeshiva on Bedford and Dean.

She was very involved in community life, most notably leading the Crown Heights Bikur Cholim for many years.

She shared her remarkable story of Mesirus Nefesh and survival with crowds of all ages, inspiring them with her iron-clad Emuna and Bitachon in Hashem, and her commitment to Torah and Mitzvos even in the most devastating circumstances.

Many years after the war, her father’s many manuscripts were discovered in Eretz Yisrael. She purchased them and arranged for their publication in a three-volume set, Nachlas Tzvi.

She was blessed with many descendants and merited much yiddishe nachas. She made tremendous efforts to participate in every simcha, saying that every simcha was her personal revenge on Hitler ym”s.

She is survived by her children, Rabbi Hershel Lustig, Dean of Oholei Torah, and two daughters: ZC Lustig of Boro Park and Esther Elgrably of Flatbush, as well as grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.

The levaya will take place on Friday, passing by 770 at 10:45 am.

Shiva will take place at her home at 360 Crown St. details to be announced.

Boruch Dayan Hoemes