R’ Azriel Schanowitz, a longtime resident of Crown Heights who was involved in publishing and selling Jewish books, passed away on Shabbos, 11 Cheshvan, 5777.
He was 88.
R’ Azriel was born in Odessa, Ukraine, and during the War years he studied in “Kutais” (in Gruzya) by the famed Chosed Reb Shmuel Karislaver (Notik) a”h. After the war, he traveled to the Yeshiva in Samarkand until he emigrated to France, where he studied in Tomchei Temimim Yeshiva.
In 1950, he arrived in New York, and learned in 770 until his marriage to Shifra (nee From).
After his marriage, R’ Azriel went into business as a diamond cutter, and was involved in Kehot, the publishing arm of Chabad-Lubavitch. Their home in Crown Heights was always open and filled with guests from all backgrounds.
A member of Shain’s Shul in Crown Heights, he was an official salesman for Kehot, and local residents knew him as a familiar sight selling seforim in 770 on Sunday mornings.
He and his wife had 12 children, nearly all of whom are on Shlichus around the US and the world.
He is survived by his wife, Shifra of Crown Heights and children: Rabbi Yosef Schanowitz – Highland Park, IL; Rabbi Mayer Schanowitz – Chicago, IL; Mrs. Leah Engel – Denver, CO; Mrs. Shterna Edelman – Brunoy, France; Mrs. Rivkah Vogel – San Jose, CA; R’ Levi Schanowitz – Crown Heights; Mrs. Rochel Polter – Oak Park, MI; Rabbi Shmuel Schanowitz – Buffalo, NY; Rabbi Yisroel Schanowitz – Las Vegas, NV; Chaim Schanowitz – San Deigo, CA; and Mrs. Nechama Dina Gansburg – Aubervilliers, France, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
He was predeceased by his daughter, Mrs. Hindy Scheiman in 2013.
He is also survived by his brother R’ Sholom Ber Schanowitz of Crown Heights.
The Levaya will take place Sunday, leaving Shomrei Hadas in Boro Park at 12:30 pm and passing by 770 at 1:30 pm.
The family will be sitting Shiva at 686 Montgomery St.
Shachris: 7:00, 8:00, 9:00 am
Mincha beginning 3:30 pm through 4:30 pm
Mariv starting Bizmanoi
The family requests no shiva visits between 12:00 and 2:00 pm and after 9:00 pm.
Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.
R’ Azriel gave off (to the unknowing bystander) the impression of just a seforim-vendor, but was really a yodeia sefer and baal midos. He would shlep his seforim around Boro Park and Crown Heights in whatever the weather and whatever his age, partially also for the purpose to be meifitz the chassidus seforim that were part of his collection for sale, made it cheap and affordable and didn’t make much off it. An eyewitness in BP once told me, that the “chadei ayin” amongst the oilam there was able to see his erenst’keit and yras shomayim, and would respect him,… Read more »
Mrs. Engel,
המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים.
My heart is with you..
Very sorry for the passing of one more of the few true chassidim we find in our times….Still have the Tzemach David book purchased almost thirty years ago….
A real dugma chaia….
Yehuda Kamnitzer – Paulo – Barzil
Though R. Azriel ע”ה tried all his life to avoid the spotlight this effort effectively defied him, his soft and genuine light could not go unnoticed. He was for us all a דוגמה חיה, a precious example of an עבודה rarely fulfilled -to exist as a Chossid around the clock without any lapse. In spite of his effort to go unnoticed he will always be recognized and remembered as a spiritual giant and a Chossid to learn from. Heaven’s gain is our loss, the visual example he was to us each day is now painfully eclipsed but never forgotten. He… Read more »
Have the honor of knowing and davening in R Yosef shul in Highland Park IL – we should all strive to have the “heart” exemplified by his family toward others. May his memory be for a blessing g-d bless !! Brown Family
Holy chosid
Boruch Dayan Haemes
A very special chosid! A great loss!
i remember him very well we had a nice chsidisher shmus when ever we met a geshmaker chosid
ברוך דיין האמת, משתתפים בצערכם, שיהיו בשורת טובות!
My Zaidy was such a special person. He would wake up very early in the morning and spent most of his time at home davening or learning in his seforim room. He loved Ma’marim and that was the highlight of any Simcha he went to. He used to give us chocolates every time we went to visit crown heights and sometimes would give us coins or dollars from the Rebbe.
A real great man! A real great loss!!
A very special person!!
A bal medos influencing many. May hashem comfort his wonderful family.
BDE we want moshiach now we don’t want to wait
I had the pleasure of knowing Rabbi Shanwitz. He was a truly a special person on many levels and raised many wonderful children who continue to provide him Nachas. Gan Eden is privilidged to have such a righteous member join
He would come to Shul each morning, hear ברכו וחזרת הש”ץ. Then go back home and Daven באריכות like a real Chassidisher Yid “Fun Amol”
such a special family
May Hashem comfort the family amongst the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
Did not have the privilege of knowing him, but he must he must have had ( and will have) a lot of nachos from his wonderful daughter, Rochel Polter and family.
Was a very special person, A real yirei Shomayim, full of toichen, learned a lot and know a lot, A Pnimiusdiker, and very much a hatznelechesdiker, such Yidden and Chassidim are not to be found any more. It’s a tremendous Los for all of us. We should all hear only Bsurois Toivois.
He has a brother r sholom ber
Sholom Ber “Oddeser” Shanowics
Bde
R’ Azriel was a very special man, from a different generation – they don’t make them like that anymore…
Boruch Dayan Hoemes.
the Rebbe was Mesader Kidushin at his wedding
🙁