This Shabbos, Parshas Ki Seitzei, marks the twentieth Yahrzeit of Reb Dovid Deitsch OBM, a loyal Chassid and a staunch supporter of many Chabad mosdos. Reb Dovid and his wife Sara were mainly known as the “Tatte and Mamme” of the Mossad Chinuch Oholei Torah.
As a direct request from the Rebbe, Reb Dovid Deitsch and his wife financially “carried” the Moissad and brought about the tremendous growth that we see until this day.
During a particularly difficult year, the board of the Oholei Torah asked Dovid if he would agree to be honored at the annual dinner. The late Mendel Shemtov, a Crown Heights businessman, wrote in a 2001 tribute to Dovid that “he vehemently refused” to be honored, “in his eyes, for a Chassidic Jew, it was totally out of the question.”
In the end, his brother, Sholom Deitsch convinced Dovid to tolerate being honored for the sake of the school. While Dovid accepted the honor begrudgingly, his brother Sholom was delighted. At the dinner, Sholom gave him a standing ovation. “He felt so happy for the kavod that his older brother was getting,” said Sholom’s youngest son, Avrohom Moshe.
Another source of “embarrassment” to the businessman were the ads placed for the dinner in the local Jewish newspaper. As they invariably included a paragraph of praise: “We would like to honor our chairman of the board of directors of Oholei Torah, the great philanthropist and selfless activist, indefatigable communal achiever, and leading personality.”
Though Reb Dovid tolerated the publicity for the sake of the school, the public adulation bothered him. Once, he complained to the Rebbe, “I can’t stand this. I go to these dinners and everyone wants to take a picture with me. I don’t like it and I don’t like it.”
“Nu?” the Rebbe replied (paraphrased), “I don’t like it either, but it makes people happy, so we have to do it.”
In honor of the Yahrzeit of Reb Dovid Deitsch, a special Kiddush will be held in Oholei Torah Bais Medrash at Reb Michoel’s Minyan this week commemorating the Yahrzeit.
Reb Dovid and his ishto Sora were truly living examples of Chabad Chassidim, warm, generous and totally committed to the Rebbe and the Rebbe’s mivtzoyim. May their memories stir all those who knew them to follow in their special ways!
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