Chabad Friend Killed in Crash

By COLlive reporter

Moshe Menora, a known Chicago philanthropist who was the chairman of a Lubavitch shul, was killed Tuesday morning when the plane he was piloting crashed.

Menora, 73 and a licensed pilot, had 4 grandchildren visiting from Israel on board when the plane encountered difficulty shortly after take-off from a small airport outside Chicago.

The 6-passenger twin engine Beechcraft Model 58It, which was headed to Michigan, crashed on a nearby interstate. It hit the median barrier on I-75, causing it to flip over and land in the southbound lanes.

Menora, a resident of Skokie, Illinois, and Chief Executive of Tri-United Management in Chicago was killed along with granddaughters Sara Klein, 17; Rikki Menora, 16; and Rachel Menora, 14.

Yossi Menora, 13, suffered burns to half his body and was airlifted to a nearby hospital. The family asked to say Tehillim for Nesanel Yosef ben Simcha Sima.

Sholom Menora, Menora’s son and the father of Rikki, Rachel and Yossi, said the plane split in half. The girls were in the front half and Yossi was in the rear.

Born in Haifa, Israel, Moshe Menora lived in the U.S. for 52 years and was chairman of the board of Bnei Reuven synagogue, one of the oldest congregations in Chicago, led by Rabbi Tzvi Shusterman OBM.

He was friendly with Rabbi Daniel Moscowitz, the Head Shliach to Illinois.

When Rabbi Baruch Hertz was appointed Shusterman’s assistant (and later successor), Menora welcomed him warmly and the two learned together for a while.

“He was a strong and committed person and cared very much for the community and its growth,” Rabbi Hertz told COLlive.com Wednesday.

“He raised a beautiful family and it was a pleasure to see his children grow in our shul,” he added.

In 1991, Hertz and Menora made a trip to Lubavitch World Headquarters 770 in Brooklyn, NY.

Menora seeked the Rebbe’s blessings on some personal and business matters. According to Rabbi Hertz, “Moshe got a very strong Bracha that helped solve the issues, and he always cherished that visit.”

He added, “Moshe did a lot for our shul throughout the years and once donated a new Torah with friends in a celebration that he hosted in his home.”

Menora moved to Skokie a few years ago. His son Sholom often recalls the days he went on Mivtzoim with the Lubavitchers reaching out to Jews on the streets with a pair of Tefillin or Shabbos candles.

“They are a wonderful family and Moshe will be greatly missed and remembered for all his good work,” Rabbi Hertz added.

The bodies were sent Tuesday night to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where Chabad Shluchim were working at the behest of the family to cancel a planned postmortem autopsy.

“A while ago I heard of a speech Dr. Steve Kohl gave to Hadassah where he explained why Halacha is against autopsy and he said he was willing to help if needed,” Rabbi Yosef Weingarten, Director of Chabad House of Western Michigan, said.

Weingarten told COLlive.com he immediately contacted Dr. Kohl and put him in touch with the Misaskim volunteer organization.

“Baruch Hashem, we achieved our goal although the government was pushing for it,” Weingarten said.

The funeral will be held today at 7 PM.

Baruch Dayan Haemes.