By Mrs. Miriam Ilyayev
Photos: Alex Gorokhov
This past Wednesday, on the 9th of Cheshvan, (November 9, 2016), men and women gathered from near and far to mark the shloshim of a beloved dear friend, wife, and mother, Mrs. Chaya Yavich, OBM.
The event took place in F.R.E.E., a Russian speaking shul in Crown Heights, founded for Jewish-Russian refugees who came from the former Soviet Union.
Until that night, most of the people in the community (except for her friends) have known Chaya as only the wife of a dedicated bus driver, Mr. Chaim Yavich, who has served the Crown Heights community for many years. Since she lived a humble life and carried on with simplicity, her greatness and her talents were unknown.
On that night, some of her greatness and hidden talents were exposed to the public.
As I have shared with my friends when I came home from the shloshim, that I have never ever in my life experienced such achdus, inspiration, and positive energy that I have felt that night. The usual feeling of coming home from a night like that is one of dreariness, sadness and certain heaviness on the heart and here, I experienced the total opposite. I feel that this was all due in the zechus of the great woman that Chaya was.
That night, our beloved shul F.R.E.E. was transformed into a magnificent palace, fit for royalty. Beautiful purple and silver was the theme, and one could feel a part of Gan Eden filling the air; the ambiance of the place was something unusual.
As Nurit Sarytchev, head of Russian Junior Nshei Chabad, mentioned in her speech, that one of the last requests of Chaya were to tell us, the women of RJNC, to be b’achdus and have unity.
Of course, it’s a pity that we had to unite for such an evening together as one, but nevertheless, Chaya’s wish came true. We all came together, women of RJNC, united as one and “catered” the evening ourselves with the direction and organization of Mrs. Chana Komarovsky.
There were three speakers. The first, Rabbi Galperin, a close friend of the family spoke about many different things. One of the main ideas that caught my attention was when he said that if a person wants to know who a person really is, he should take a look at his or her children. And indeed, the five beautiful children that Chaya left behind say it all.
Rabbi Butman, a shliach in Minsk, who had the privilege to work closely with Chaya, spoke about what a magnificent and talented musician Chaya was. Chaya was an accomplished pianist, who graduated conservatories, who played with orchestras and who accompanied many accomplished singers. She left her fame and musical career and devoted her life to being a true Jew. The only thing she wanted was to have a family and to dedicate her entire life to that cause. That is exactly what she did.
Nurit Sarytchev, a close friend of Chaya, whom she knew from the age of 16 in Minsk, gave a heartwarming speech. Nurit shared with us the very beginning stages of Chaya’s exposure to Yiddishkeit and the many questions Chaya had. After a few years, when they shockingly met in Crown Heights, Nurit was taken aback to see how a person with so many questions and arguments about Yiddishkeit would turn her life upside down and become the most dedicated servant of Hashem.
For 12 years, Chaya initiated and used her musical talents to lead the niggunim part of every Rosh Chodesh farbrengen for RJNC. Chaya taught us the niggunim and for 12 years, every month, she schlepped her heavy keyboard and speakers to lead the musical part of the evening. As tired as a Jewish woman must be at 11 p.m., Chaya took her work seriously. She pushed herself to be there with us and never missed a farbrengen. She performed for us, sang with us and took us to a different world, a world of inspiration, where we connected with our Creator on a totally different level.
In her book, The Committed Life, Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis wrote, “A long life is not good enough but a good life is long enough!” This phrase perfectly suits Chaya, whose days were well spent, whose priorities were in check, and who devoted her life, her talents and all that she had to the Creator of the world.
Chaya will be missed by her husband, children, parents, brother and by all her friends and extended family she made over the course of her life. Just as her name, she will keep on living through her children, through all the projects and the music that she initiated with Russian Junior Nshei Chabad. May her memory be a blessing to all.
the whole set up was so beautiful, almost like a lechaim, but the sadness at the purpose of the event is so clear. she was loved so much!
She sounds like such a wonderful person. So sorry for your yremendous loss.
who is this rabbi butman??????
anyone know?
Sorry I couldn’t come I was out of the coutry.
Y.e.
Hashem please Bentch this beautiful family with Kol Tuv B’Gashmius U’Bruchnius B’Goluy. They are a beautiful family.
So sorry for your loss. She was a special woman. May Hashem comfort you
Just reading this makes tears flow down my cheeks. I can’t imagine what i missed by not knowing her.
May her Nechama Have a high Aliyah and May she protect her family from Above!!!
She gave me music lessons and she was an amazing person.