By COLlive reporter
R’ Dovber Shaikevitz, a Lubavitcher chossid who was dedicated as much time to learning as to running his business, passed away on Monday, 7 Iyar 5781.
He was 90 years old.
R’ Berel, as he was called, was born in the Soviet Union and learned in the underground Chabad Yeshiva in Tashkent run by the fearless chassidim R’ Zalman Leib Astulin, R’ Yisroel Neveler and others.
When his family managed to immigrated to the Holy Land of Israel, they were one of the first settlers of the centrally located village of Kfar Chabad.
They first received agricultural land where they established a large turkey farm. R’ Berel then opened the successful “Shaikevitz” meat plant selling meat and turkey under Lubavitch shechita.
As busy as he was at work, R’ Berel had set times for learning Torah and Chassidus at the Beis Menachem shul, which he has done regularly and without fanfare.
Friends of his said he was a boki – fully versed in the maamarim of the Chabad Rebbes and that he was a wellspring of knowledge of stories of Chassidim from his childhood in Nevel, Russia. On Shabbos, he would spend hours davening b’avoda – with much fervor.
He is survived by his wife Mrs. Rivka Shaikevitz (nee Laufer), their children R’ Shimon Shaikevitz – Kfar Chabad; Mrs. Bella Garelik – Beer Sheva; R’ Eliezer Shaikevitz – Nachlas Har Chabad; Mrs. Dina Shnur – Jerusalem; grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
He was predeceased by his son Rabbi Moshe Shaikevitz, Chabad Shliach in Milan, Italy, earlier this year.
The levaya was held on Monday and he was interred at Har Hazeisim in Jerusalem.
Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.
Such a nice guy, a very big בעל צדקה