By G. N.
I’m not one who usually cries about losses. I would feel pain, an intense pain but I never usually cry. When I heard the news about my teacher, however, it didn’t take long before I was crying. And I cried hard, like a never-ending waterfall.
I didn’t know she was so sick. I never would have imagine that our Sichos final would be my last memory of her.
I cried hard but after more than an hour of intense pain and tears, I told myself that she wouldn’t want me to be sad now. She would expect us to take a hachlata to bring Moshiach. A hachlata to strengthen our hiskashrus and love for the Rebbe’s horaos.
That was Mrs Zaklos. She lived such an emesdike and mekushardike life. We learned in Yiddish because that was the Rebbe’s language. Those were the Rebbe’s words. It was really inspiring to see her love and warmth for Yiddishkeit. Even when she was so sick, her weekly source of life were the classes that she taught us, imparting to us her passion for the Rebbe’s messages. We delved into the Rashis but really we were learning and exploring the Rebbe’s intellect and vision. We starting seeing and viewing Torah through the Rebbe’s lenses. When a student guessed an answer or finally grasped a difficult idea she beamed out of nachas for giving us the ability to understand and view life through the Rebbe’s eyes.
Everything was with a passion. You saw it in the noble manner she presented herself in and in the way she some. She was a real example of a true Chossid. I looked forward to her classes because she was so real. She lived her life the way the Rebbe would have wanted her to.
She cared for her students. When a girl had a Simcha, she remembered to wish her Mazal Tov even if the next class was a week or two later. She noticed when girls were missing. She created a cozy feeling around the table in her dining room- a room which was set aside to be our classroom.
She imparted real life lessons to us, not only by the Sichos she taught but mostly by being an example. Her life was rich and happy and you saw it.
When I heard the news, my first reaction were tears. But that was not her way. She would bang her hand on the desk and ask us what will we do about it. She would want us to take action.
Mrs Zaklos was a living example to me and she will always have a fond place in my heart. And each time I learn a Rashi and a Rashi Sicha, I’m sure you’ll be looking down with Nachas at your students.
Thank you for your powerful messages and all you’ve given us this year.
We’ll always remember you and your love for the Rebbe’s teachings.
Love,
Your students of BCM Seminary Montreal 5774
Agree completely with all the wonderful things said here…her depth of understanding of rashi sichos and of life in general was apparent in everything she did. She inspired me as a teacher and a person. May her neshama have an aliya!
My kallah teacher, Mrs,.Bronya Schafer, spent a whole class one time talking about the importance of positive thinking as I start my marriage. I was getting married with troubling medical issues and was very worried about the future. For a solid hour Mrs. Schafer spoke about how someone she loves (and I just found out it is Mrs. Zaklos) faces each day and each hour with only positive outlook. It made a huge impression on me. May Hashem give her whole family the strength that she obviously gave to so many others. Hashem should comfort you amidst all the mourners… Read more »
I did not know her well but her aidelkeit and tznius was simply beautiful. She looked regal
While I was a student of Mrs Zaklos almost 20 years ago, I can appreciate all that you wrote. The 2 periods of Rashi sichos with Mrs Zaklos were the highlight of out week. It was her dynamic delivery, perfect clarity, and most of all, her passion for the Rebbes Torah that we so thoroughly cherished. We respected and admired her regal and humble manner. What a loss for the Seminary and for the Montreal community.
Wow! GN, Thanks for talking for all of us and expressing what we couldn’t necessarily do ourselves. And yes, BG, you don’t always appreciate what you have until it’s too late…
Thank you mrs. Zaklos for teaching with such a passion and pushing our limits in a way that no other teacher could or cared enough to… I hope (and I’m sure many of my peers feel the same) that I can learn the Rebbe’s sichos with the intensity that you tried to instill in us.
when I learned in Montreal about nine years ago i ate at the Zaklos home one Shabbos. I remember Mrs Zaklos was so hospitable to us out-of-town bochurim. May her family have consolation from Hashem for the loss of this wonderful woman.
How true these words are. In her quiet and aidel way she was able to impart into us the true meaning of a Chossid. I LOVED her classes and even called her at the end of the year to tell her so. How I/we will miss her. What a loss to Bais Chaya Mushka, to Montreal and to Klal Yisroel.
Tzivi Slavin (that’s what we refered to her as at the time (1974) was (one of two of) our very first camp counselors 40 years ago ! In our first year of Gan Israel Day Camp of the Valley. We still talk about her! What an impressionable made! She kept touch with camp children for many years to come! What a special mentch and what a special neshamah. A tragic losss. Our nechamah to her husband and to her entire Mishpocha. המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבילי ציון וירושלים. Rabbi Yehoshua B and Deborah Gordon C I vote for the… Read more »
GN, BG is crying over here. Thank you. That was beautiful and spot on. I second that completely 🙂
We don’t appreciate what we have until it’s gone 🙁 Mrs Zaklos was truly an inspiration.
Love, your classmate BG
Xo