My Best Friend, Tzemach

By Rabbi Mendel Schwartz

Tzemach was a unique soul.

Growing up in Westwood, Tzemach and I were best friends. There were only two religious families in the 1970’s and 80’s with many children. The Cunins and the Schwartzes. My older siblings were friends with the elder Cunin children, and my peer, my buddy, was Tzemach. We played every day. We got into trouble every Shabbos. We walked to UCLA shabbos afternoons to kill time on those long summer days. Growing up in Westwood was no Mesiba Shabbos. No children’s program for the kids. It was just the Schwartz kids and the Cunin kids. We became close. Real close.

We all went from Westwood to Cheder, and later to Yeshiva, with Dave the bus driver. It was a yellow van, but somehow he became the bus driver. In the van, every day, was Tzemach and I. We were best friends. We were in the same class. 7 days a week Tzemach and I were side by side. Only on Sunday’s dave didn’t work, so all us kids went to Cheder with the public transit system known as the RTD. First down Wilshire Blvd, then we changed buses at La Brea, and took it Northbound to Melrose and got off by Pink’s Hot Dogs. And then back home when the day was over. We were a pack.

When Tzemach and I reached junior high – and school ended an hour later – we no longer were able to return home with Dave the bus driver with the rest of the kids, so Tzemach and I took the RTD home. Alone. In the winter, taking the bus home at 6PM in the dark was not fun. We were only 11 years old. Tzemach made the ride home for me an enjoyable one. I was terrified when Tzemach was sick and stayed home that day. That meant I took the RTD home alone. Tzemach was my partner. He made things safe. He made things fun. 7 days a week.

We went to summer camp together. First to Rabbi Levitansky’s camp in Simcha Monica, later to overnight camp in the east coast. We flew on the plane every summer together. We played sports together. We were inseparable.

One summer, when I was 16 years old, Tzemach asked me what my plans were. I said I have none. He asked if I would be interested in going to Moscow with him and running a day camp for 50 russian kids. I asked him, “when would we actually fly to Moscow?” Tzemach said, “Tomorrow”. I told home to give me a few hours. I went home and asked my parents if they would mind that I work with Tzemach and the cunin family as it was still fresh that my father parted ways with Chabad and started the Chai Center. My father waved his hand to me and said, “I never want my difference with Tzemach’s father to spill over onto the children. I want our kids to always get along”. And that’s the way it stayed our whole life.

I had the most amazing time with Tzemach that summer. Just a few weeks ago we had a reunion of some of the staff from that summer experience. The connection was deep.

I’ve witnessed Tzemach work his magic and host minyanim in Century City which is a very tough neighborhood to crack. He managed to score venues in Century City that any Shliach would dream. He dealt with corporate America to secure these locations and he succeeded. He recently locked in his minyan to the newest state of the art flagship skyscraper in Century City to host his Chabad programs. Most people can’t get through the lobby, yet Tzemach managed to host programs there. As somebody that hosts many programs myself, I was envious and impressed. He made the Rebbe proud. Tzemach heard I moved my Friday Torah class from one law firm in Century City to another. He asked me what happened with the first law firm. He was concerned there would be no Torah class there now. He had his eyes and heart on Century City.

Recently I had a conversation with Tzemach about some financial burdens he was dealing with and the community. He said quite convincingly, Moshiach is going to come soon so these trivialities will be nothing. It made me uncomfortable, because in 2019, when people speak like this, you sort of roll your eyes. But Tzemach believed with such sincerity that the Rebbe’s promise of Moshiach was really around the corner. It made me stop and think, that I really need to have a bit more of Tzemach’s unbashful faith in the Almighty, that Moshiach will indeed arrive, and “Death shall be swallowed up forever, and G‑d shall wipe the tears from every face”.

Tzemach, you were always unique. I miss you already.

Rabbi Mendel Schwartz directs the Chai Center in Los Angeles.