Posted to Crime, Notices on

Boruch Dayan Hoemes: Reb Yosef Raksin, 60, HYD

With great shock, sadness and pain we inform you of the passing of Reb Yosef Raksin, HYD, of Crown Heights, who was shot and killed while walking to Shul Shabbos morning in North Miami Beach, Florida, where he was visiting his daughter. He was 60 years old.

According to news reports, Yosef Raksin was walking along 175th Street in North Miami Beach, Florida on his way to Shul at around 9:00am Shabbos morning, when two black men approached and shot him. He was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital where he later passed away.

The incident follows several anti-Semitic incidents that occurred recently in the neighborhood, leading investigators to speculate that the murder was a hate crime.

He is survived by his wife, Faigy, and children: Shulamis Rivka (Shuli) Labkowski (N. Miami Beach, FL), Mushkee Ezagui (Palm Beach, FL), Zalman Moshe, Menachem Mendel, Avraham Boruch and Laizer.

He is survived as well by his mother Yehudis (nee Pewzner) Raksin (Crown Heights) and siblings: Shterna Levitin (Crown Heights), Nechama Losh (Crown Heights), Laizer Raksin (Crown Heights), Mendel Raksin (Crown Heights), Boruch Raksin (Crown Heights), Zalman Raksin (Crown Heights), Chani Begun (Five Towns, NY), and Gitty Neuwirth (Montreal, Canada).

Levaya will take place Monday morning at Shomrei Hadas at 9:45am and will pass 770 at around 10:45am.

The family will be sitting Shiva at 738 Empire Blvd. [between Albany and Troy Aves.] from 10:00am to 1:00pm, and from 4:00pm to 10:00pm. Shacharis will be at 7:30am; Mincha and Maariv will be at 7:45pm.

Boruch Dayan Hoemes

Related Articles

62 Comments

  • Meyer

    It could have been Muslims as there is a very large Islamic community in south Florida???

    Especially after the recent Gaza war…

  • crazy

    and obama is on vacation i wouldnt expect a word from him or the AG about this

    • j friend

      Correct u have to be a 17 yr old and dark skinned for ibummer to say a thing it also helps if u have a rap sheet wich u can be sure this holy jew did not.

  • Yossi

    This wasn’t a hate crime, this neighborhood has a high level of break ins and robberies. It was bound to happen that two young African Americans on a bike would be upset that they couldn’t score a few bucks.

  • bracha

    not 2 blocks from synagoge with swastikas and word “hamas” 2 weeks ago… not random… police don’t want to call it a hate crime.

  • N. Dina

    My heart goes out to the family. I hope someone was able to reach the family members to notify them gently before being confronted with it on the news.

  • @crazy

    Iam not defending the excuse for a leader in the white house but to be fair why in the world would he comment on this. If he were to comment ob every killing he would have no time for important things.

    (Like golf and travel)

  • Hashem Yenachem

    Boruch Dayan Emes. May Hashem comfort all of us and especially the family with geula ha’amitis v’hashleima Now.

  • Yossi A

    B D E
    He is also survived by his mother Yehudis, may she have a good long life and be well.

  • The 6:20 minyan

    To Laizer Mendy & Boruch

    B D E

    There are no words to express our deepest sympathy to you..

  • Shlomi Yagur

    Were is Sharpton? I am sure one of those black dudes looks like Obama if he had a son!!! What a double standard…..what a sick idiot war monger Sharpton….were is your outcry? You are ugly stupid community activist? I am sure if tomorow some Muslim will kill one of your crack headed blacks from Florida you will be all over that case, Obama will be visiting churches……This is sick…..

  • Aaron

    To the Raksin and Losh families: I am so sorry for this terrible loss.
    המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים.

  • Alison

    It is very common for blacks, especially on the East Coast to be radicalized in Islam in the penitentiary. It’s a Hate Murder, plain and evil.

    May the family be comforted along with the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May his memory be a blessing. :(

  • BDE

    Of course it’s a hate crime! Robbery? He’s a rabbi walking to shul on sabbath anyone can tell he’s got no money on him. Cops just don’t want to label it a hate crime. And seriously all sharpton where r u? Why not come up n apologize on behalf of ur ppl

    • Milhouse

      How can anyone tell he has no money? Do you imagine these thugs know about hilchos shabbos?!

      In any case, what difference does it make whether this crime was motivated by hatred or by something else? It’s exactly the same crime either way.

  • SLICKERTHANSLICK

    I lived on 179th and 10th and many homes since the late 70 had bars on the window. Suggesting that crime was always present in that area. My mom was robbed in front of our house, car stolen from 163rd Street Mall, my bicycle from NMB Senior High and other countless crimes against my neighbors. I don’t think ibummer will be focusing much on NMB, same as Carter trough our current administration. However, the local community and the Police department have all the power and resources to block off and guard he Jewish community in that area. At least from 6th Ave to the Snake Creek Canal and from 169th to Miami Gardens. I think that plan was already on the table once back in the 80s. At least while the tensions are high for Jews around the world, we need to protect ourselves.

  • SLICKERTHANSLICK

    Sharpton will be there to create confusion as soon as he smells money, not injustice.

  • Horrified

    Contrary to perceived public image N Miami Beach is light years away from the the Miami of Lincoln Rd/41 St many of us have come to know. In the 60’s 70’s & even the 80’s it was a lovely frum tropical paradise with (&still) a full orthodox infrastructure . The advent of the real estate market collapse has attracted an influx of the type of population our crowd generally tries to avoid. So folks, NMB is not Bal Hsrbor or Sunny Isles. This murder is horrible beyond belief. Remember when you head North on A1A & cross Biscayne Blvd you are in the SOUTH & I don’t mean South Fallsburg

  • Yankel Sick of

    This tragedy is painful enough, but some commenters here with their disparaging, RACIST remarks about the President, AG and “dark skinned” people should hang their heads in shame. You’re so blind that you don’t notice many Jews are “dark skinned” you ninnies! Quit being part of the problem and START being part of the solution. None of us at this point knows for sure what motivated this murder and to haphazardly speculate as some of you do not only inflames passions but also offends G-d. Since when did we become like our oppressors? L’oshen hora!

    • Milhouse

      The comments about the president and the AG were entirely appropriate. They are the ones who are obsessed with race. The president is the one who went out of his way to say that that young thug Trayvon Martin looked like the son he never had. The AG has openly said that he is an activist, and his DOJ is not interested in defending the rights of white people. All of this contributes to the atmosphere of lawlessness in the black community, and the confidence black criminals have that they can get away with murder. A confidence that may be misplaced, but not before claiming its victims.

    • Yankel Sick of Jerks

      Come out of your cocoon Millhouse and get with the party. The AG said said no such thing and your characterization of both of them is out and out RACIST and I call YOU on it.

    • Milhouse

      Holder said just last week that he is an activist and proud of it. And you can’t deny what everyone can see when they look at the DOJ. Nor can you deny what 0bama said in front of the whole country, when that thug Martin met his well-deserved death. There’s nothing racist about the truth.

    • Yankel Sick of Jerks

      You are a dyed in the wool, out and out RACIST.
      And you are obviously not a Jew because a Jew does not espouse such slanted, racist ideas. Glad you are far away.

  • bobbydadario

    Prayers for the family. Totally senseless. Why such disrespect for the President….embarrassed by your blatant hatred. Yeah, don’t hear republicans coming to the rally either. Stick to praying and less on political commentary

  • Tom Brodigan

    Regrettable the article mentions the race of the person. And if they are black, that probably points to it NOT being a hate crime, or esp. anything having to do w/ the Middle East. It was just another terrible murder. And 175th IS Sunny Isles, I believe… my MIL lives in Winston Towers at 174th… just a block away from the shul. A terrible loss, without any valid explanation or motive. Hate, money, or otherwise.

    • Milhouse

      Why is it regrettable that the murderers’ race is mentioned? It’s an important fact about them. When a white person commits a crime, especially against a black one, the news media never fail to mention this fact, but when, as is usually the case, the criminal is black, the news media usually deliberately conceal this. There is no justification for this policy, and I’m glad it was not followed in this instance.

    • duh

      winston towers is nowhere near that shul. and yes 175th is sunny isles. it is also nmb and probably thousands of other locations in america.

  • Wake Up!!

    Crime is everywhere…. don’t be too complacent where you live. It’s all over. I lived in famous Surfside a Bal Habor neighborhood and my friend and his wife were held up at gunpoint, gun held to his neck, outside their house!! Yes, a place where you rub noses with the rich and the affluent. It was a miracle from HaShem and the quick thinking of the wife that saved them, she gave them what they wanted and the left with her van – the police patrol was right there under their noses when this was happening!
    We are the only Jewish community in NMB, as far as I know, that are updated with every incident that happens, whether is a robbery of a house or even a kid’s bike outside a house, or even a vicious dog that attacks Jews walking to Shul, we are informed and we act accordingly. So, Jewish people stop being complacent and think you live in a cocoon in Miami Beach, Bal Harbor, Boca Raton the price of your houses dose not make it a safe neighborhood – get involved, work together, especially now where there are islamic cells everywhere–
    BDE he was my friend’s father and there are no words to express the pain we all feel, it is a personal tragedy for all of us and we beg once again, AD MOSAI!!

  • art s

    Terrible tragedy, We need to gate off that Jewish community, it is surrounded by a high crime rate hood where they sell dope, steal and prey on others. They have a community patrol over there but those guys can not handle themselves. It is time to bring back the JDL, our firearms and the baseball bats and earn the respect of those neighborhood hoodlums. Its time to bust heads!!

  • It's time

    Florida chevre, get a CWP. There is a Lubavitcher chevreman in the Miami area that does carry permit trainings. There’s really no excuse for not being prepared to defend your home and family if it should ever come to that chv.

  • Nycgrlinfl

    My heartfelt condolences to the family!
    I agree with the previous posts about not wagging the tongues of lashon horah…or jumping to conclusions until this despicable crime has been investigated by the Miami-Dade police.
    Let us not stoop to their level with bias and prejudice!
    They are tight lipped for good reason so as not to reveal any info that might give the murderers info or compromise the investigation.

  • ?????

    והחי יתן אל ליבו להוריד המחלוקות ולהוסיף באהבת ישראל שהמחלוקת היא סיבת הגלות

  • cher

    it will cost alot of money but if they can have something like this then the value of it will be priceless.what we need to have is machines all over the place.these machines can detect a gun that is not registered & anytime that it detects a gun that is not registered the alarm goes off.i know that the price for something like this will be very high but this is the only thing that can be done to get the guns off thes treets.untill we get machines like that there will be guns & shootings all the time until we get machines like that.

    cher

    • Milhouse

      How do you imagine such a thing could possibly work? Leaving aside both the fourth amendment and the second amendments, and the fact that Florida has no gun registry, and nor should any other state, just think about this machine itself. Even if you could devise something that can detect concealed weapons, how could it possibly identify them? A gun is just a piece of metal. A registered gun (assuming there were such a thing) would look just like an unregistered one.

  • to #42

    please it was a hate crime! there was no altercation like they say in the news. lies to give the murderers an excuse ! it is terrible!

  • RACIST

    Those rotten, miserable, anti-Semitic GENTILES, murdering our people, just like that!

  • "Guns don't kill, People do"

    This is the famous motto of the gun lobby and their supporters. Yes, this is true.
    But, why make it so easy with easy guns? Gun control does not have to mean no guns. The constitution allows us the right to bear arms. But that does not mean there are no exceptions, nor do people have the right to be irresponsible. If someone has a history of instability or criminal misconduct, then an exception should be made. There is the danger that this individual is irresponsible, therefore, should not be allowed to have such a weapon.

    • Milhouse

      Excuse me, that is already the law. People with felony convictions, or established mental instabilty, can’t legally buy guns from dealers. Of course this doesn’t stop them, since it would never occur to most such people to buy a gun in a store, when they can steal one or buy it on the street.

    • awacs

      Right, because the shooter TOTALLY bought a legal gun from a gun dealer, and underwent a background check. You believe that, right?

  • Don't rely on guns alone

    Having just a gun may not be enough to deter another gunner, especially a trigger happy one, from using his weapon anyway. So, what good does it do anyone if both hit each other?
    Should have a bullet-proof vest too. Additionally, is it any big deal to make bullet-proof hats? Yes, if they target the head, CH”V, then a vest is useless, but, still, a wider body is an easier target than the head.

    • Milhouse

      What, so we should all go around all day in body armor?! Are you nuts? Do you have any idea how much it weighs, let alone how much it costs, and for what? The chance of any individual being shot on the street is minimal. And it won’t stop a knife or a fist. So what’s the point?

  • Minimal?

    If that is so, then why the hysteria that we now need to get guns to protect ourselves? But, now that a deadly precedent has just occured (amongst other incidents), maybe we should.

    One Jew with a gun may not necessarily deter one gunman. But, two – the more the better.

    • Milhouse

      There’s no hysteria, just common sense. Crime exists, and a gun is good protection. It’s not much bother to carry, and there’s really not much reason not to (except on Shabbos). And of course your chance of being a crime victim is significantly higher than your chance of getting shot.

  • Why not Shabbos?

    If your’re allowed to carry medication, even just to prevent a possible emrgency, then, why not something which is more for pikuach nefesh, not so much to prevent robbery?