Mrs. Pesya Wolff, daughter and wife and known Chassidim and Chabad activists and matriarch of a large Lubavitch family, passed away on Shabbos, 6 Av, 5784.
She was 100.
She was born on 17 Tammuz, 1924 in Vitebsk, Russia, the daughter of the famed chossid R’ Avrohom Paris OBM.
Her grandson Rabbi Levi Wolff of Sydney, Australia wrote about her:
“Until her last day, she was blessed with razor-sharp clarity of mind. She often shared incredible memories with me, including her journey to the Holy Land in 1926 at the tender age of three, when her grandfather acquired an orange orchard in what was then a deserted farmland, now the bustling city of Petach Tikvah. She would also frequently recount stories of raising her young children in the Old City of Jerusalem during the War of Independence in 1948.
“Throughout her adult life, she offered exceptional support to her husband, my late grandfather, Reb Ephraim Wolff, who immigrated to Israel from Germany. Reb Ephraim’s devoted and selfless work for Jewish life in the newly formed state earned him the unofficial title of “The Rebbe’s deputy in the Holy Land.”
“In the early years of Chabad’s activities in Israel, communication between the New York headquarters and Israel occurred primarily via postal service and telegrams. Their modest home in Lod served as a hub for a substantial volume of letters, encompassing sensitive matters involving government and military officials, internal communiques, private directives, and much more.
“Until just a few years ago, she dedicated her Friday mornings to visiting patients in hospitals, bringing them strength, warm wishes, and gently encouraging the women and nurses to light Shabbat candles.
“In Hebrew, the word for old age is zakein, understood by our sages to be an acronym for “zeh shekanah chochma”—one who has acquired wisdom. That definitely describes my dear grandmother.
“With her extraordinary modesty and fortitude, she leaves behind an army of grandchildren great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren in dozens of countries across the globe, committed to carrying on her legacy of spreading the light of Yiddishkeit to Am Yisroel.“
She is survived by her children, Rabbi Nosson Wolff – Nachlas Har Chabad in Kiryat Malachi, Israel; Rabbi Meni Wolff – Nachlas Har Chabad in Kiryat Malachi, Israel; Rabbi Elyokim Wolff – Morristown, New Jersey; Rabbi Benny Wolff – Crown Heights; Mrs. Breindy Deren – Lod, Israel.
She is also survived by her sisters, Mrs. Rochel Levin – Kfar Chabad, Israel, and Mrs. Gitel Glitzenstein – Jerusalem, Israel.
She was predeceased by her son Rabbi Berke Wolff OBM, spokesperson of Chabad in Israel.
The Levaya took place Motzei Shabbos in Lod, Israel.
Rabbi Elyokim Wolff is sitting Shivah for his mother, Mrs. Pesaya Wolff, at his residence:
22 Blackwatch Trail, Morristown, NJ 07960
Shivah schedule:
– Sunday: Mincha and Maariv services at 7:45 PM
– Monday: Shacharis at 9:15 AM (Note: Tisha B’Av Davening will take place at the synagogue)
– Following Tisha B’Av, Rabbi Wolff will be traveling to Israel
Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.
Ad Mosai!!!
BDE. A wise, noble woman!
She was a very special person
BDE