By COLlive reporter
Refael Kaushansky, a 17-year-old Chabad bochur, passed away suddenly on Friday morning, 14 Adar I 5774, leaving a shocked family and classmates in mourning.
He was at his parents’ home in Thornhill preparing to head out to the Yeshivas Lubavitch of Toronto, where he is a student of shiur bais, and collapsed.
His parents, R’ Arye Leib and Nechama Leah Kaushansky are members for the past 20 years of the Jewish Russian Community Center of Ontario, led by Rabbi Yoseph Y. Zaltzman.
“Rafi was a very chassidishe, warm yirei shamayim,” Rabbi Zaltzman said. “Every Shabbos at our shul, during Shalos Seudos he would be the one leading the niggunim. He knew them all very well.”
Rabbi Zaltzman noted that the family has recently discovered that their great-great-grandfather, R’ Yaakov Gelubchik, was a chossid of the Frierdiker Rebbe and was arrested in Leningrad (today S. Petersburg) for teaching children Torah.
Refael is survived by his parents and siblings Tevel Kaushansky, Menachem Mendel Kaushansky, Chaya Elka Kaushansky and Chana Kaushansky.
The funeral passed by the Yeshiva Zal where he learned at 11:30 AM on Friday. The Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Akiva Wagner and the bochurim stood outside and said Tehillim.
The levaya will take place Friday at 2:30 PM at the graveside at the Chabad Section of Pardes Shalom Cemetery in Vaughan, Ontario.
The family will be sitting Shiva at their home at 18 Mortimer Court in Thornhill, Ontario. Shachris will be at 8:00 AM and Mincha-Maariv at 5:30 PM.
Baruch dayan haemes.
were thinking about you
a classmate
MOSHIACH NOW!!1
Ad MOSAI!!!!! How long can this golus last!!! Please hashem bring the geulah NOW !!! How long can we wait!!! How long can all this suffering continue ON!!!! המקום ינחם אתכם מתוך שאר אבלי ציון!!
he was a special bochur so sad to hear
!!!!!!!
knew you only by sight but grew to know how precious you are even now that Hashem has you. See you in Tias Hamaitim.
When I think of Rafi I think of the huge, genuine smile that always lit up his face. I would eye him with pity as he’d walk from our car into school with his walker. But the look I saw on his face was always pure inner joy- never sadness. What an inspiration!!
המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים
so terrible!
ouch… ov ey moshiach NOW!
Tonight’s choir at Toronto Cheder Chabad melaveh malkah where Rafi went as a child sang a touching niggun yedid nefesh which the principal Rabbi Baruch Zaltzman dedicated in his honour. Rafi was a true yedid, beloved by all.
ad mosai!
stay strong mendy and teh rest of the siblings!!!
Hashem !!!!!!!!!!Ad Mosai!!!!!!!!!!!!
when Raffi was a little boy I asked him what does he want for his birthday. I thought for sure he would answer some type of toy or candy. without thinking he responded to me “Moshiach”.
We wont forget his beautiful smile, Moshiach Now!
rafi was a very good friend of mine an d after I heard the news I was in shock
WE WANT MOSHIACH NOW!
we need Moshiach NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this is way too painful Hashem please! Rachmonus!
If there was ever a person who inspired more people in 17 years than many of us will merit to inspire in an average lifetime, it was rafi kaushansky. His smile and upbeat personality, along with his perseverance while he indeed had every reason to quit, was such a wake up call to all those around him. He inspired me on a daily basis and, while we will all miss him sorely, may we all be zoche to accomplish even just a part of what this pure neshama did in such a short time. Many blessings of comfort to the… Read more »
No words. Hashem, ad mosai!???!
I am generally hard to move, but i found it extremely hard to hold back tears after hearing such appalling and unbelievable news. What is there to say? How is one supposed to respond? May Hashem bring this ever so bitter Golus to an end. That is all there is to pray for.
Please be comforted, blessed Kaushansky family. The faith and courage which you will display now will bring you to the highest heavenly realms, “ואוהביו כצאת השמש בגבורתו”, may Hashem redeem us all now!
Boruch dayan hoemes. Hashem what do you want from us?
Yossi
Bde so sad he was my classmate for two years such a nice bochur couldnt hurt a fly just always smiling we should all take upon ourselves something in his memory
not only as a classmate,but as a person,i have never seen someone that was going through so much,and yet so happy,and involved!!! im shocked by the news,and deeply hert by it.may his life be a lesson for all! ad mosai!!! baruch dayan emes!!!!
I had the zechus of sitting next to Rafael A”H at a farbrengen in yeshiva. I was greeted with a friendly and welcoming ‘shalom aleichem’ and a genuine, warm smile. May we only share good news from now on. Moshiach now!
this hurts
so upset when i heard the news may his family be comforted
I don’t even know him but if he is a bochur in tomchei temimim, where he learns to keep this crazy world going, helps people at his own expense, and try his very best to do what Hashem wants, I don’t understand how Hashem can do this to a tomim, let alone his family and yeshiva. Ad mosai, I don’t know what else to say other than we need moshiach, a redemption.
May this pure boys neshama have an Aliya and demand before Hashem nothing likes this ever happens anywhere again. Let’s all do something in his merit!!!
I knew him as a teacher and friend, he was just always so positve, always smiling. He had a great sense of humor! He will be sadly missed! BDE (i guess is all i can really say 🙁 )
The amount of times these things happen are too much to bear any longer!!! How many times must we hear abt these innocent people?? It is too much already Hashem, Ad Masai?!!!
I dont know who this person is.. but I am taking on a Hachlata in his memory.
Please everyone do the same. We cant sit by and witness without taking action.
he inspired us all never to give up we will miss him dearly moshiach come already ad mosay !!!
BDE!!! This is so sad for you! Stay strong…
this is such a shock…i am not even internalizing what i just read….no words.nowords.
BD”E and may Hashem comfort you.
Wow, im heartbroken.
Bde
so sad!
we need moshiach now!
what a special person
המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושליום
Why? Ad Mosai??!!
We must do domething in his honor
Inspiring bochur, we could all learn so much from him. Moshiach Now!
may hashem bring us moshiach now!!!!
AD MOSAI?
MOSHIACH NOW!
how much longer????
Ad Mosai! Ad Mosai! We need Moshiach. Rebbe fulfil your promise.
Ad Mosai…we NEED Moshiach now…
My heart goes out to the family.
Condolences to family and friends. I didn’t know him.
המקום ינחם אותך בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים.
Every one do a. Mitzvah in his honor
moshiach now!!
BDE. May Moshiach come today!
He was my brother’s good friend-.. was always upbeat and positive..
This is such painful news..