BDE: Mrs. Edna Gottesman, 100, OBM
With great sadness we report the passing of Mrs. Edna Gottesman OBM, a mother and grandmother who passed away on Sunday, the 28th of Menachem Av 5784.
She was 100 years old.
She is survived by her children Sarah Junik (Crown Heights), Yehuda Gottesman (Montreal, QC), Yosef Gottesman (Israel), and Chana Raccah (Chicago, IL), and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Edna was born in Essaouira, Morocco, and was the second child of Pinchas Toby and Anita Toledano. She was orphaned at a young age, and lost her beloved brother Yosef when he was nearly Bar Mitzvah. She survived the war years living in Tangiers with her mother Anita and her sister.
Edna married an Alexander chossid, a survivor of Auschwitz, Chanoch Henoch Gottesman, and joined him in Florence, Italy. Edna came from the illustrious Sefardi Toledano family and yet she took on her husband’s minhagim, hanhogos and even cooking his Ashkenazi food preferences. They built a true Torahdike home al taharos hakodesh despite living in a midbar of Judaism.
Edna had tremendous mesiras nefesh traveling 3 hours each way for the mitzva of taharas hamishpacha. She was a real aishes chayil supporting her husband, taking care of him when he was ill, and helping him in his business.
In the late 1950’s when Chabad of Milan was established, lead by Rabbi Gershon Mendel Garelic a’h, it became an oasis in the middle of the Italian “desert”. A place the Gottesmans would escape to for spiritual inspiration and energy. Sourcing kosher food, joining Gan Yisrael and even spending Succos in Milan.
Widowed at a young age, she was dedicated to continuing her and husbands’ mission of having mesiras nefesh for the children’s chinuch. Despite being completely alone she continued to send her children to good Yeshivas in England and America. B’H she married off her 4 children with great faith and always kept a positive attitude.
Her tehillim was never far from her hand and her tefillos were deeply heartfelt. She gave tzedaka with an open hand even when she didn’t have much herself.
She was zoche to generations of frum descendants – Lubavitch, Chassidish, Litvish, Sefaradi- all following her darchei bakodesh. They are all a testament to her tenacity, resilience and love for Hashem. Complete commitment to continue her husband’s vision even decades after his passing.
Shiva information:
The family requests no visitors after 10 pm.
From 2:30 pm Sunday
Full day Monday in Montreal, getting up on Tuesday morning.
Mincha followed by Maariv at 7:00 pm
at 1943 Ave Barclay
Boruch Dayan Hoemes
