Two Years Since the Tragic Passing of Zev and Rochel Simons OBM

There is a young boy in Sydney, Australia, named Asher Tzvi Shalom. Like many boys at the tender age of three, Asher refused to wear his tzizis. One day he came home and told his parents that he had changed his mind. Why? He answered, “Because of my teacher, Morah Rochel. Today I wore tzizis and Morah Rochel was so proud of me. It makes her really happy and I will do it every day from now on.”

So simple: one student, one teacher, one mitzvah. Within this microcosm we clearly see everything that personified Asher’s teacher, Mrs. Rochel Simons, a“h, and her husband of 29 years, Rabbi Zev Yosef Simons, a”h. Together, just two years ago, they were tragically taken from our midst in a terrible car accident, while traveling from Sydney to Melbourne to share in the simchah of dear family friends.

Zev (54) and Rochel (48) left a large family – ten children and 12 grandchildren ka“h. Much was written and spoken of this devoted couple following the accident. The words of long time family friend and mentor, Rabbi Y.D Groner, a”h, best distills who they were and the how they behaved. They “… exemplified the middah of chesed,” he said.

In fact, the home of the Simons was often compared to the abode of our patriarch and matriarch, Avrohom and Sarah, who embodied hospitality. The Simons home was a welcoming beacon of light for people who needed a place to eat, especially those who perhaps would not receive invitations elsewhere. Number 96 Wellington Street in Bondi was open to anyone.

Born on Yud Alef Kislev in 1953 to parents Sol and Hanna Simons, Zev was raised in a traditional Jewish home, one of the founding families of Sydney’s Central Synagogue. In 1974, Zev was invited to attend a summer seminar at the Yeshiva Gedolah in Melbourne. There he first came in contact with the world of Chabad-Lubavitch, and took a very special liking to the revered mashpia, Reb Zalman Serebryanski, a“h, who took him under his wing. (So deep was his love and admiration for the Mashpia that he later named one of his sons after him, Yehoshua Schneur Zalman).

After several years learning at Melbourne’s Yeshiva Gedolah, Reb Zalman encouraged Zev to learn in 770 in Crown Heights for six months. This experience certainly whet his appetite for Chassidus. Towards the end of his stay, he had the opportunity to ask the Rebbe about a proposed shidduch. The Rebbe inquired ”What’s her name?“ After he told the Rebbe that her name was Rochel, the Rebbe wrote, ”Ubetach hee yiras Shomayim,“ which translates as, ”I am sure she is a G-d fearing woman.“ Zev would often happily recount this story to his children.

His aishes chayil, Rochel, was born on the 24th of Tammuz, 1959, to Pam and Mark Braham, whose parents founded Sydney’s South Head Synagogue. During her childhood, Rochel shuttled back and forth between England and Australia, but was always sent to Jewish day school, completing high school at Moriah College in Sydney. At this stage she became well acquainted with Rebbitzen Penina Feldman of Sydney. After attending classes and countless Shabbos meals at the Feldman home, she began to attend the newly established Ohel Chana Seminary of Melbourne, where she excelled in her studies and became very close with Rabbi and Mrs. Yitzchok and tbl”ch Rebbetzin Devorah Groner.

After receiving a brochoh for their shidduch from the Rebbe, Zev and Rochel Simons were married on Ches Elul, 5738. Following the wedding, Zev hoped to be granted permission to learn for his smichoh, but the Rebbe recommended that he go into the field of Chinuch.

At this pivotal moment in his life, Zev enthusiastically threw himself into chinuch for the next 29 years. He was the official representative of the international organization Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch, and sold Merkos books in Sydney for over 20 years. All was accomplished with the utmost love, devotion and absolute “ibergegebenkeit” to his various roles and to all of his students, particularly to those not from religious backgrounds. Many a student was hosted for Shabbos and Yom Tov meals, which often led to long-lasting relationships with these students as well as their parents, from Bar and Bat Mitzvah all the way through to weddings and beyond.

Rochel was equally committed to education and was a teacher for many years, right up to the day before her passing. Her capabilities seemed boundless. She was very active in communal affairs and helped to arrange shiurim, Tehillim clubs and weekly challah baking. This was always conducted in the merit of someone who needed a brochoh, and there are many stories of people who have been helped through Rochel’s challah baking. And yet for all of her culinary accomplishments, she was often heard saying humbly that her challah was in no way comparable to her daughters’ delicious whole-wheat challah. Her outspoken admiration for her daughters’ achievements knew no bounds.

Friday mornings afforded Rochel an opportunity to share her love of the mitzvah of baking challah with her young students at Kesser Torah College. The children proudly went home each week for Shabbos and offered guests a sample of “Morah Rochel’s challah.” It was delicious, week in, week out.

Rochel was dedicated to the mitzvah of taharas hamishpochoh and she served a most important role within the community. In fact, she was a Mikveh lady for 12 years and in her own quiet way, she taught and encouraged many women and gave them an understanding and appreciation of this mitzvah.

In addition, Rochel coordinated meals for the sick and new moms. In fact, together with Zev, she actually delivered a meal on their way out of Sydney to the Melbourne simchah, which was to become their final journey.

There is no doubt that their communal commitment was to be admired, yet their first and foremost concern and priority was raising their ten beautiful children with a deep love for the Aibershter, the Torah, the Rebbe and Chassidishkeit. Theirs was a home that would make the Rebbe proud, standing firmly on the foundations of Chassidus.

The Simons children remember well that on Shabbos Mevorchim, their father was the last one home from shul. Meanwhile, at home, their mother would recite the whole Tehillim. On Yom Tov afternoon, when most were relaxing at home after shul, Zev would gather his children and they would walk 30 minutes to the Philip House Nursing Home, to share the mitzvos of Yom Tov with the less fortunate. Zev would not leave until every last Jew bentched lulav and esrog, heard shofar, or did whatever the mitzvah of the day was.

Zev and Rochel Simons were rodef sholom, strenuously avoiding any form of machlokes. We can all learn from Zev’s legendary hakorashatov – he was known for thanking people sincerely even for the smallest favor. His nephew Shmuel recalls that he thanked his Uncle Zev for traveling to Crown Heights for his wedding after Sukkos 2004, to which Zev replied, “I have to thank you for giving me the zchus to be by the Rebbe for Simchas Torah.”

Zev’s most joyous times were those spent with the Rebbe, first for yechidus and later on for dollars. He endeavored to make this trip twice a year, usually taking at least one child with him.

Zev particularly enjoyed the fabrengens and made a point of writing down the many Chassidishe stories heard. He simply could not wait to get back home and share his new knowledge. Zev kept these stories in a large file, and he would often draw on one to repeat at a child’s simchah.

Undoubtedly, Zev and Rochel’s greatest joy and nachas came as their children grew up and moved out on Shlichus. They never complained that their eldest four children lived in California, so far away from their parents in Sydney, even though they rarely got to see their grandchildren. Thanks to new technologies and the telephone, the family was able to keep in constant touch. The Simons would often show pictures of their children and grandchildren to colleagues at school. Each time there was a grandchild born, Rochel would travel to California bringing gifts, eager to help her children with their households and their newborns.

With the brochoh of so many simchas, they had the opportunity to visit and participate at their children’s Chabad Houses in Beverly Hills and Camarillo. Many recall that Zev and Rochel bestowed attention on individuals as if each one was the president of the Chabad House! In this spirit, it came as no surprise that in the 2 years since their passing, two more of their beloved children have moved out on Shlichus and started new Chabad centers – Pessa with her husband, Mordechai Kirschenbaum, to Beverly Hills and Mendel and Rachey Simons to Sunset Plaza, Los Angeles. The younger Simons children, Moishe, Mushkie, Shainy, Bassie Zalman and Yehuda have also moved to California to live with their brother-in-law and eldest sister, Rabbi Yossi and Chami Cunin, who are shluchim in Beverly Hills.

Following this tragedy, many could not understand why this beautiful couple was taken so soon. They still had many children to raise. Many rabbonim offered their insights.

Rabbi Benzion Milecki of South Head Synagogue in Sydney, who spoke at the Chevra Kadisha, told the story of a king who wanted to have a beautiful garden. He hired many workers to create this garden. At midday he sent one gardener home from work, while the others he instructed to keep on toiling until the day’s end.

That night he gathered all of his workers and paid them all equally. “This is unfair!” complained the gardeners who had labored all day – in regard to the worker who was dismissed at midday. To this the king responded, “I sent him home earlier, as he was able to accomplish in a half day the work that took all of you a full day.”

Rabbi Milecki explained that Hashem, the King, sends our neshomos to this world to tend His garden. Some very righteous people complete their task in a much shorter period, tasks which takes others an entire lifetime.

Over the years Zev asked the Rebbe many times about learning smichoh, which he strongly desired to do. However, he never received a brochoh for it. During the shiva week, the family was intrigued to discover one particular letter from the Rebbe, dated 1986, for the upsherin of their eldest son, Mendel. This revealed that the Rebbe referred to Zev as Harav. The letter was dated 11th Kislev, which was Zev’s birthday – that was quite a birthday gift.

During the past year since their parents’ untimely and tragic passing, the Simons children have concentrated on the mitzvos that their parents held so dear. From teaching about taharas hamishpochoh, to encouraging people to buy seforim (bayis molei seforim), to chinuch and hachnosas orchim in all its forms, they have been asking people from near and far to take on these mitzvos in the memory of their extraordinary parents, Zev Yosef a“h ben Sholom and Rochel a”h bas Mordechai.

Zev and Rochel were first and foremost parents, and as such, they would want to be with their children. Surely they are now busy imploring and beseeching Hashem and making a shturem to bring Moshiach now. This would result in the reunification of their beautiful family, among all who are suffering in Klal Yisroel, with the coming of Moshiach Now!

Little Asher Tzvi Shalom who is mentioned at the beginning of this tribute is Ramona Freedman’s son. Ramona witnessed first-hand Morah Rochel Simons’ magical touch, her way of imbuing a love of mitzvos in her students. Ramona, the author of “Moving Home: My Path to Jewish Observance,” by Gefen Publishing, lives in Sydney, Australia.