By COLlive reporter
Many hundreds of people traveled from throughout California to attend the funeral of Rabbi Yehoshua Binyomin Gordon, the 66-year-old Head Shliach of the San Fernando Valley, on Monday.
The procession left from Chabad of Encino, from where Rabbi Gordon and his wife Deborah Gordon began serving as Shluchim of the Rebbe in Encino in 1973 leading to a network of 26 centers.
Participating in the funeral were fellow Shluchim and community members to whom Rabbi Gordon served as a mentor and teacher. Students of Yeshiva Ohr Elchanan Chabad in Los Angeles, accompanied by Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Ezra Schochet, were bussed in to pay final tributes.
The passing came as a shock to people outside of Rabbi Josh Gordon’s immediate circle and community. As the beloved host of the world’s largest daily Torah classes, many have been starting their day with Rabbi Gordon teaching Chumash and Rashi, Tanya and the Rambam’s Mishneh Torah.
Even while ill, Rabbi Gordon asked Chabad.org which hosts his classes not to inform the public. While he was always ready to put himself out for others, he did not want others to be inconvenienced by him, they explained.
“He could not bear the thought of so many people walking around pained in any way because of him,” the website’s staff said in a statement. “With the heaviest of hearts, we obliged. And for as long as he possibly could he went about his business as usual, including teaching his daily classes.”
Honoring the wishes of the deceased and the Chabad custom, no eulogies were given at the funeral on Monday. Rabbi Gordon was interred at Mt. Olive Cemetery in Commerce, CA, near his close friend and colleague, Rabbi Avremel Levitansky, the Shliach of S. Monica.
The Gordon family will be observing Shiva mourning at their home – 4901 Rubio Ave. Encino, CA 91436.
Rebbetzin Deborah Gordon will be receiving visitors
Tues. – Thurs. 5:00 pm – 9:30 pm.
The rest of the family will receive visitors
Tues. – Thurs. 9:00 am – 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Fri: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
SCHEDULE FOR PRAYER SERVICES
Shacharis
Wed – Fri: 7:00 am
Sunday: 8:00 am
Mincha/Maariv
Tues – Thurs: 5:20 pm
Greetings and condolences can be sent to [email protected]
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Rabbi Gordon and his wife Debbi changed Encino are responsible for creating a beautiful community and bringing so many people together to learn and worship. They brought us the Chabad experience and Rabbi Josh Gordon obm will never be forgotten. I do not regularly attend events at Encino Chabad and I was so sad to hear of his passing!
BORUCH DAYAN HAEMES WHAT A SHOCK THIS IS!!! BUT HASHEM RUNS THIS WORLD AND WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS LETOVA!!! ALL WE CAN SAY IS THAT HE SINCERELY ACCOMPLISHED HIS MISSION IN LIFE FROM THE ROTZON OF HASHEM.. HASHEM WILL BRING A TRUE NECHAMA TO HIS LOVELY, WONDERFUL FAMILY HE RAISED ON HIS SHLICHUS IN ENCINO AND TO HIS WIFE. HIS HUMOR AND HIS NUMEROUS FATHER’S STORIES TAUGHT US ALL MANY LESSONS IN LIFE. A TRUE SHLIACH OF THE REBBE WITH A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EMUNA AND BITOCHON IN THE AIBISHTE;. HE WAS MADE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL IN LEARNING THROUGH AN… Read more »
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This hurts very very much. We grew up in parallel lives. In adult hood our paths crossed a few times.It is the wish of everyone to create something bigger than themselves. Yeshoua Binyomin certainly accomplished this .
I started Rambam 3 chapters a day and could never have continued had it not been for Rabbi YB Gordon. I was listening only hours ago as I do every day and now as I hear this terrible news am stunned. I can only realize now how fortunate I am and my community that he agreed to visit and do a shabbaton in Ottawa, Canada in the summer of 2014. I got to meet him and ask a few questions personally that had remained unanswered for years. Needless to say, he answered to my satisfaction, and when he did so… Read more »
BORUCH DAYAN HAEMES WHAT A SHOCK THIS IS!!! BUT HASHEM RUNS THIS WORLD AND WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS LETOVA!!! ALL WE CAN SAY IS THAT HE SINCERELY ACCOMPLISHED HIS MISSION IN LIFE FROM THE ROTZON OF HASHEM.. HASHEM WILL BRING A TRUE NECHAMA TO HIS LOVELY, WONDERFUL FAMILY HE RAISED ON HIS SHLICHUS IN ENCINO AND TO HIS WIFE. HIS HUMOR AND HIS NUMEROUS FATHER’S STORIES TAUGHT US ALL MANY LESSONS IN LIFE. A TRUE SHLIACH OF THE REBBE WITH A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EMUNA AND BITOCHON IN THE AIBISHTE;. HE WAS MADE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL IN LEARNING THROUGH AN… Read more »
Although this is a huge loss, “Yaakov lo met”, his audios and videos of Torah learning urge us daily to bring Mashiach. BDE
A true example of a Shaliach of the Rebbe.
i never knew rabbi gordon personally. but i can tell u that the morning classes that were posted on chabad.org really affected me
2 days ago I started studying Rabbi Gordon’s online mishnah portions for the first time, and it has opened up judaism for me after many years of non-practice. Today I discovered from my Rabbi Levi Jaffe that Rabbi Gordon passed away the day I started his online torah lessons. I wanted to say I was very touched by this and feel hashem has sent me an important message to study the torah. Best wishes to Rabbi Gordon’s family and thanks again, Simone – Australia
with all the kids … will iyh continue to learn from his shiurim even more than before
I cannot and do not want to even think how much this hurts. I always thought this powerhouse would live till 100. How Hashem has plans that are unfathomable. May he be a Guta Beter for the wife and family in this terribly sad time.
Rabbi Gordons shiurim live on the internet expressed his charisma, humour and lifted up my spirits and enchanting!
Jonathan and Debbie Stern London UK
B’DE
We want Moshiach now.
What a special neshama.
Will any family members be sitting shiva in CH?