Charlie Nassofer, 80, OBM

By COLlive reporter 

Charles Nassofer, a beloved fixture of the Chabad community in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood, passed away on Thursday, the eve of 11 Iyar 5785.

He was 80 years old.

Nassofer, born on July 9, 1944, always stood out in the sea of black-hatter Chassidim at Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters—770 Eastern Parkway. He was lovingly known as Charlie Buttons for the wearable buttons and pins stuck to his head covering. Most of these pins were Jewish-themed, such as the Rebbe’s 10 Mitzvah campaigns (Tefillin and Shabbos), the Tzivos Hashem youth movement, Gan Israel summer camps, and even one from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).

Charlie, always wearing a white shirt and overall jeans, was treated with much respect and even affection by the Rebbe. He merited to bring a smile to the Rebbe’s face many times, as evident from the hours of video footage taken at the Rebbe’s Farbrengens, Kos Shel Brachos, Dollars and davening, and Lag BaOmer parades. It is said that Charlie loved making an L shape as a hand signal for “Lubavitcher Rebbe.”

“During the Farbrengens at 770, after the Rebbe would finish a Sicha, the entire crowd would shout ‘Amen!,'” one Crown Heights resident reminisced. “And each time, just as the crowd’s ‘Amen’ would die down, Charlie would shout his own ‘Amen!’ as loud as he could, booming through the entire Shul.”

There were rare occasions, such as a farbrengen in 2010, when Charlie showed up at 770 wearing a black suit, red yarmulka, and bowtie. He told the crowd that he was invited to a wedding in Williamsburg, “so I’m wearing this costume.”

A regular at Murphy’s Shul in Crown Heights, Charlie would bring joy to many when he appeared—often uninvited but always welcomed—at Sholom Zachors, L’chaim engagement parties, and weddings in the neighborhood. He was described as bringing much joy and laughter to all.

Over the years, Charlie has been the subject of many “Picture of the Day” features on COLlive.com, showing him playing chess, handing balloons to children, and being visited. In 2010, a listing went up for auction on the shopping website eBay.com for a pair of “Charlie Buttons overalls.”

In Iyar 5771 (2011), Charlie was in the news for serving as “The Grand Marshall” at the Los Angeles Lag BaOmer Parade in California. The report said he “made his appearance in grand style, riding atop a Convertible, waving to everyone and blowing balloons for some youngsters.”

In 2012, the Humans of New York journalism project photographed Charlie, who then handed them a piece of paper with the following written on it: “Charles was hired, trained, and fired by the United States Postal Service on three separate occasions…”

In 2016, a children’s book titled “Charlie Buttons and Yossi’s Baby Brother’s Sholom Zochor” was written about him. Yaffa Leba Gottlieb wrote it, and a portion of the proceeds was given to “Charlie’s balloon fund,” which he gave out free at simches.

An indication of people’s love for him was the celebration organized in honor of his 80th birthday at 770’s main shul last year, July 25, 2024 – 19 Tammuz 5784.

During that party, people of all ages raised a L’chaim in his honor and blessed him. They presented him with a special gift—a framed photo of himself receiving a dollar from the Rebbe.

One woman wrote about him at the time: “I remember Charlie when I lived in Crown Heights. He used to take my fatherless kids and ride them on his shoulders on Simchas Torah. G-d bless that man. He has a heart that’s bigger than the world!”

VIDEO:

Charlie’s health has declined in recent years, and COLlive reported his condition at his behest. The public was asked to say Tehilim for Tzaddik haLevi ben Masha Ruchel and visit him. One such request mentioned how Charlie would love to be gifted books and vanilla halva, but not chocolate, which he was allergic to.

He most recently was a resident of the Bedford Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Williamsburg.

He is survived by his two sisters.

The levaya will be held on Friday, passing by 770 Eastern Parkway at 11:00 AM.

Kevura at Mt Hebron, 130-04 Horace Harding Expy, Kew Gardens Hills, NY 11367. A Minyan is needed at the cemetery for all who can attend.

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