Chabad of Illinois Honors VT Professor

Chicago, IL — A memorial tribute in Wheeling Wednesday evening celebrated the heroic efforts of Holocaust survivor Liviu Librescu, 76, a Virginia Tech professor of engineering who died while trying to save the lives of his students back on April 16.

The event was held at the Westin Chicago North Shore Hotel in Wheeling as part of Lubavitch Chabad of Illinois’ 30th anniversary.

Lubavitch Chabad is the largest Jewish organization in the world with roughly 4,000 centers in more than 40 countries.

The memorial tribute was accepted by Librescu’s son, Aryeh Librescu, who flew in from Ra’anana, Israel, for the tribute.

The younger Librescu said he was at work when he heard of the shootings.

Four hours later he began to hear rumors that his father might have been a victim, fears that weren’t confirmed until 10 hours after the shootings had occurred.

Librescu said his emotions varied after learning of his father’s death.

“You wonder why he (the shooter) did what he did, how this could’ve happened, but since this has happened the outpouring of support from all over the world for my family and the Virginia Tech community has really been something special,” he said.

Professor Librescu was teaching in Norris Hall on the Virginia Tech campus when the gunman made his way to the second floor of the building, killing indiscriminately along the way.

According to reports, upon hearing the gunshots Librescu barricaded the door of his classroom with his body while his students escaped through open windows. Librescu was killed when the gunman tried to enter the classroom and shot through the door.

A total of 32 people were killed, and more than two dozen were injured in the shootings.

“My father was a very righteous man. There was no middle ground with him —just right and wrong — and he always did what was right,” Librescu said.

“That’s why when I learned how he died I wasn’t surprised that he had tried to help his students.”

Rabbi Daniel Moskowitz, regional director of Lubavitch Chabad of Illinois, credits Librescu’s heroics as an example for everyone to follow.

“The courage that Professor Librescu displayed on that fateful day stands as a guiding light for us in our mission toward a fellow in need. It is an honor for us to host this remarkable tribute,” he said.

“The professor gave his life for his students, but his memory lives on in the minds and hearts of the millions who were touched.”