A ‘Hachnosas Orchim’ Tribute to Esther Goldman

On Shabbos Chol Hamoed Sukkot, the 17th of Tishrei, Mrs. Esther Goldman, a friend to so many in Crown Heights and beyond passed away. In Esthers memory, her grandchildren have launched a campaign to build hospitality suites in tribute to her passion for Hachnosas Orchim.

Esther was born on the 7th of Elul (A Vuch in Elul) 5686 (1927) to her parents Reb Yochanan and Zisha Gordon of blessed memory in the Polish-Russian town of Dokshitz. Her father Reb Yochanan relocated to the United States in 1933 where he found employment as a Shochet so he can support his family back in Europe and laid the groundwork for his family’s eventual move to the States. In 1934, with Hashem’s immense Brachos, he was joined by of his wife and four Kinderlach, Nissan, Sholom Ber, Esther and Yisroel who made it to the “Guldene Medina”, to New York.

Esther was molded in the Chassidishe home of her parents who raised her with love, dignity and in the true spirit of a Bas Chabad. Her father merited being the Gabbai and Baal Koreh of 770, The Rebbe’s Shul, from 1940 until 1969, during the lifetime of both the Friediker Rebbe and later the Rebbe  זי”ע. It was a home in which Chessed was a way of life, where hospitality was the norm, and where being a refined Chassid with proper Midos Tovos was a natural foundation.

On the 28^th of Adar, 5709 (1949) 22 year old Esther married Reb Shimon Goldman, a lone survivor of the war who was a Tomim in Warsaw, Vilna, Kobe, Shanghai and 770. The Rebbe attended their Kabolas Ponim and blessed the Chosson and Kallah on their special day.

Esther and her newlywed husband Reb Shimon built their new home with the same environment of love, Torah and Chassidus in which they were raised, her in Lubavitch and he in the dynasty of Gur. It was a home where Chassidim such as Reb Shlomo Chaim Kesselman, Reb Efraim Wolff, Reb Avram Pariz and so many others would hang their hats and spend their time, enjoying the authentic Varemekait permeating in the home. In 1957 when Zisha, Esther’s mother, passed away, Reb Yochanan moved in with his daughter’s family and lived with them until his passing, 12 years later.

Esther devoted her life to her husband and four children Yossy, Kraindy, Chanchy and Shmuly. She was a devoted employee of Reb Mottel Deitsch of Deitsch Plastic at their offices in the lower east side and used her spare time devoted to Neshai Chabad, Beis Rivkah, Gemilus Chessed Shmorei Shabbos and of course welcoming and caring for the hundreds of guests – especially the out of town classmates of her children and the many South African Jews visiting the Rebbe – who would come through her home and Shabbos table constantly.

She was aristocratic and a true woman of valor. She cherished her bond with the Rebbe; she admired him so much and spoke of him with deep endearment and affection.  She marveled at the Rebbe’s infrastructure of Shlichus and took great pride in her son Yossy, who was sent as his representative to South Africa in 1976. She was proud of all her children and spoke of them lovingly all the time. She loved it, when her grandchildren and great-grandchildren would visit her home and she hung hundreds of their pictures around her home.  In their sixty four years of marriage, Esther and Reb Shimon never lost the sparkle in their eye for each other and their love for each other set a great example for all that knew them.

The passing of her daughter Chanchy in 2010 broke her heart and from which she never fully recovered.

May she be a Gute Better on behalf of her family, friends and all of Klal Yisroel.

Chabad Lubavitch of Montana under the auspices of her grandchildren Rabbi Chaim Shaul & Chavie Bruk have launched a campaign in her memory to raise the funds needs to build two hospitality suites in her memory at the soon to be built be built Montana Jewish Community Center – Chabad Lubavitch. It is a most befitting tribute to a woman who epitomized Hachnosas Orchim.

To make a donation in her memory click here