Mr. Chaim Reisner, 78, OBM

Mr. Chaim Reisner of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania passed away on Monday, Yud Beis Nissan, from complications after contracting COVID-19.

He was 78.

Mr. Reisner was a longtime resident of the frum community in Squirrel Hill and was very active in the community. As owner of an antique chair restoration shop on the main street Murray Avenue and as founder and Co-director of the organization www.asknoah.org he affected many thousands of people both Jew and Non-Jew alike, locally and around the world.

Growing up in Roselle, NJ and then West Orange, NJ, Mr. Reisner settled in Morristown, NJ with his family in 1967 and became one of the first Baalei Batim in the frum community. He and his late wife Leah OBM were pillars of the community there for 27 years until moving to Pittsburgh in 1994.

Through Ask Noah International, the organization he founded circa 1996 with encouragement from the Rebbe on multiple occasions, later partnering with R’ Dr. Michoel Schulman and forming www.asknoah.org, R’ Chaim was responsible for implementing and overseeing the research, development and publication of the books שבע מצוות השם (https://asknoah.org/books/sheva-mitzvot-hashem) and its English-translated version The Divine Code (https://asknoah.org/books/the-divine-code) as well as the related works To Perfect the World (https://asknoah.org/asknoah_resource/to-perfect-the-world-the-lubavitcher-rebbes-call-to-teach-the-noahide-code-to-all-mankind) and Seven Gates of Righteous Knowledge (https://asknoah.org/asknoah_resource/7-gates-of-righteous-knowledge).

Mr. Reisner also had the zechus to construct the two tables covered in green fabric used by the Rebbe many times to give out dollars, pamphlets and seforim. One of them was located upstairs and moved from the Rebbe’s office to the hallway at times, and the second was used primarily downstairs in the large shul. Due to his expertise with wood finishing and care, for a number of years at Sukkos time R’ Chaim and his sons were called upon by the Rebbe’s Mazkirim and had the great zechus of entering inside the Rebbe’s Sukkah located in the yard in front of 770 and polishing the beautiful wooden walls to a high gloss shine. He also was privileged to be called upon to repair some of the Rebbe’s furniture at times, including some small tables and desk drawers used in the Rebbe’s home and offices.

R’ Chaim was also an accomplished and famed chef, who authored several kosher cookbooks including Happy Kosher (https://www.facebook.com/happykosher/) and hosted multiple live cooking shows demonstrating the art of turning traditional non-kosher dishes into kosher ones.

He was predeceased by his wife Leah OBM and is survived by his children; Mrs. Jill Tzadik (Maaleh Michmash, Israel), Mr. Ephraim Reisner (Monsey, NY), Mr. Josh Reisner (Brooklyn, NY), Mrs. Shira Sultan (Crown Heights), Mr. Ari Reisner (Brooklyn, NY) and Mr. Dovy Reisner (Pittsburgh, PA) as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He is also survived by his sister Ms. Ellen Reisner (Tuscon, AZ).

Please send Nichum aveilim, good wishes, thoughts, memories, stories or anecdotes to [email protected]

Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.