Mrs. Itta Bistritzky, wife of R’ Leibel Bistritzky OBM of Jerusalem, passed away on Wednesday, 24 Iyar, 5775.
She was 85.
A refined woman who was careful in all the Mitzvos, Mrs. Bistritzky was the daughter of a Lubavitcher who had dealings in the oil industry in Texas and who lived at the time in Chicago.
Her father Shlomo Travis (also known as Sam) came from a Chabad family of Latvian origin; their original name was Rabinowitz.
In 1906, oil was struck on a piece of land Travis had bought in Oklahoma, and the family fortune was made. In 1908, Shlomo’s sister married Rabbi Dr. Bernard Revel, founding president of Yeshiva College (which later became Yeshiva University), and rosh yeshivah (dean) of Yeshivas Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan (RIETS).
The Travis family became an influential force on a national level, not only in the oil industry but in the American Jewish community.
In 1948, she married Leibel Bistritzky, a long-time Lubavitcher chossid whose family had a close friendship with Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson OBM, wife of the Rebbe.
The Frierdiker Rebbe blessed their shidduch. Before their wedding, the couple and their parents went into Yechidus with the Frierdiker Rebbe who told them “this is a private simcha by me” and blessed the wedding with “great happiness” and “be well.”
Mrs. Bistritzky was known for her kindness and open home, as she stood by her husband’s side as he ran Bistritzky’s Kosher Gourmet Food of the Lower East Side of Manhattan, one of the earliest kosher food specialty stores.
Her husband was also the founder of the Crown Heights chapter of Hatzalah, the volunteer Emergency Medical Service (EMS) organization that has saved many lives over the years. Bistritzky himself served on the medical team that treated the Rebbe after the 1992 stroke.
After living in Crown Heights for most of their lives, the Bistritzkys moved to Jerusalem in recent years.
Her husband Leibel passed away in June of 2013.
She is survived by her children Mrs. Miriam Sheindel Nelkin – Toronto, Canada; R’ Yosef Yitzchok Bistritzky – Flatbush, NY; R’ Avrohom Yisroel (Yingy) Bistritzky – Crown Heights; Mrs. Raizy Greenwald – Rechovot, Israel; Mrs. Ruchama Clapman – Five Towns, NY; Mrs. Devora Leah (Z.C.) Cohen – Aventura, Florida; R’ Menachem Mendel Bistritzky – Five Towns, NY; Rabbi Shlomo Mordechai Bistritzky – Shliach in Agoura Hills, CA; R’ Schneur Zalman Bistritzky – New York, NY; grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.
Her eldest son, haRav haGaon haChossid Rabbi Levi Bistritzky OBM, passed away in 2002. He was one of the Rebbe’s Shluchim to Israel and served as Chief Rabbi of Tzfas and was a respected author and authority on halacha and kashrus.
The levaya will take place today at 6:30 pm at Shamgar funeral home in Jerusalem.
Baruch Dayan Haemes.
To mishpachat Bistritzky
Hamakom Yinachem Eschem B’soch She’ar Avalay Tzion V’y’rushalaim and from now on you should only have Semachot and besurot tovot.
Yankel and Chaya Magalnic and family
Dear Miriam & Family
My condolences to the family, so sad to hear for your great loss. I had the privilege of knowing your mother through you before I was married and lived in crown heights. I will never forget the time she took to us to get brocha from rebbetzen Nachama Dina upstairs in 770. Your mother was so warm, kind and caring and had the sweetest smile. May the family know of no more tzaar.
Hamakom Yinachem Eschem B’soch She’ar Avalay Tzion V’y’rushalaim
Perhaps I missed it,but I do not see it mentioned anywhere that the Rebbe spoke of her incredible middah of Tzedakah at a Farbrengen. Even though she was not mentioned by name from the details of the incident the Rebbe described,it was very clear who the Rebbe meant ,If someone knows more details please fill in the details .We were all in awe of this totally humble woman.
She was a sweet and a i
Kind person we were her great grand children from Australia and every time we went to israel she would appreciate every moment we spent with her. I miss bobby
HaMokom Yenachem eschem b’soch sh’ar aveilei Tzion v’Yerushalayim -v’lo tosifu l’daava od.
She was a true Eishas Chayil who raised a beautiful family.
In addition she was a Eishes Chayol – wife of Reb Leib – a great soldier of the Rebbes Army, and served along with him side by side
Her Royalty and Majesty were Genuine
Personification of a most Regal , Elegant,Sweet,Good
“KOL KVUDA BAS MELECH PNIMA …Mrs.Bistritsky
most definitely will live on forever in the hearts of the lucky ones who met her TNZBH
my condolences she must have been wonderful since ive known you youve been wonderful only simchas
I knew her she was such a special person. I shopped in the store, We would always talk about things, I loved speaking to her. She a warm and caring person. BDE.
To Yingy and Family,
You are a product of the wonderful family from which you came from. May the memories of both of your parents be a guide to all of you and to all of Klal Yisroel. The amount of love that they each gave to every Jew was unmeasurable. May we see the Hisgaulus immediately and be gathered together once again with the Rebbe and all of our loved ones.
Isser Goldstein
Los Angeles
BDE!
May you know no more Tzaar!
To Miriam and family,
I had the pleasure of meeting your mother in Yerushalayim once and was duly impressed by her regal bearing. May you be comforted amongst the mourners of Zion and may we merit the geulah at once.
Rivkah Aisenbach, Montreal
What a brocha to have had your parents as our neighbors for many years on Sterling St. What great footprints they left. Their nachas in the next world is that they left amazing children and grandchildren who are carrying on their legacy of Torah and Gmilus Chassodim in a very special way.
May your mother be a melitza yoisher on behalf of all of your family and klal yisroel.
המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבילי ציון וירושלים
Simie Schtroks, (British Columbia) on behalf of the Chanowitz family
Where are they sitting shiva?
We ache for your loss. Although we never knew your parents, the way you live your life, speaks volumes to us of who they were. May you take comfort in the many memories of your glorious times together. Love from Judi, Bernie & Josh
May the heilike neshama of Rebbetzin Bistritsky rest in the highest rungs of Gan Eden where she will be meilitza yoshera for her family and Klal Yisroel.
I was introduced to Leibel and Ita Bistritzky—-the first Lubavitcher Chassidim I met–on 17th Tamuz 1972 by a Mr. Whiteman from MTJ, around the block from Bistritzky’s Kosher Gourmet Food of the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Leibel said as his wife looked on” I have a Rebbe who studied in Berlin and at the Sorbonne and he has a school for boys like you.” From then on I was a Lubavitcher. Thank you.
Hamakomyinachem eschem b’soch she’ar avaylay tzion viy’rushalayim.
Levi Yitzhaq Garbose
What a regal and gorgeous woman! Majestic, queenly presence. Refined, aidel and wise. A baalas chesed to the hilt. Her face radiated w.אהבת ישראל & reflected her purity, sincerity and midos tovos. A צנועה, who personified כל כבודה בת מלך פנימה. An aishes chayil and true chassidiste of the Rebbe. She was a devoted friend of the Rebbetzin. That says it all. I had the privilege to have a peek at her from time to time bec of our friendship, Miriam. To u and to the family: המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבילי ציון וירושלים. May her legacy shine through… Read more »
Dear Schneur and siblings,
May Hashem comfort you on the passing of your dear mother. Thinking of you,…
The Kugels (NYC)
We would travel from New Jersey every month for baked farmer cheese.now I live on Grand Street for the last 35 years and miss the store more than I thought. I wish my family had the oppurtunity to shop in the store.
Unfortunately, I did not merit to meet her or Liebel A’H. But some times you can learn a great deal about parents by observing their children. It was an incredible act of Ahavas Yisroel that I witnesses by one of their children that I shall never forget and that forever changed my life. It was a story from the times of the Baal Shem Tov. Stories you only hear about the greats from yesteryear. But here is was in our day and age, a selfless individual who went out of his way, who put him self out on limb, just… Read more »
ברוך דיין האמת. A big tzadeikes!!!!!
what a lady!
i always tried to visit her in Geula. She was soooooooo kind, soooooooooooo regal soooooo beautiful.
May we see the real GEULA soon.
I can’t tell you how sorry we are for your loss. Your Mother was a great lady, not only kind but beautiful. May she be a gutter beter for you and all of your family and may she watch over you that all of your wishes will be fulfilled. She loved you so much and your family. We love you.
Sandy and Alex
yinachem eschem b’soch she’ar avaylay tzion viy’rushalayim.
Rabbi and Mrs. Moshe Feller
A true Tzadekes. May the family only have Simchas.
Im sure your mother will always be proud of all the chesed to do
To the entire Mishpacha – she will certainly be a gutter Beter for you all and for all of Klal Yisroel. An elite and special women – mother of the finest families. Our thoughts and Nichum Aveilim to you all. We need Moshiach now!
As a young boy i would go on Yom Kippur during the break to eat my lunch at the Bistritzky house with my cousin Mordecai. She was a very regal women and i was not older then 10 but she would go over EVERY possible food combination until we came to a conclusion what would be the best fit for us little kids (you can imagine!). I think about it every year on the break ! Thank so much, Meyer Clapman
Yingy my thoughts are with you… may you and the entire family know only Simchois and Bsurois Toivois.
Yossi S.
Chaya Devora were here with you
BDh’eMES
A true tzadiekeis
Boruch Dayan HaEmes. We love you, Mrs. Bistritzky…you will ALWAYS be in our hearts.