R’ Tzvi Schechter, 98, OBM

R’ Tzvi Schechter, an elder Chosid from Kfar Chabad, Israel, who once operated a fabric store on Kingston Avenue, passed away on Wednesday, Iyar 24, 5776.

He was 98.

Born in 5678 (1917) in Kalush, Galicia, R’ Tzvi’s father R’ Shmuel was a successful businessman and a devout chosid of Reb Yisroel of Chortkov ZT”L. Reb Tzvi’s parents and eight sisters were murdered by the Natzis ym”s and he remained the sole survivor of the family.

In 5706 (1946) Reb Tzvi married Rivka, the daughter of the chosid Reb Shmuel Yitzchok Reices in Samarkand and they moved to Eretz Yisroel soon after the establishment of the state.

Years later they moved to Crown Heights where the couple owned and operated a fabric store on Kingston Ave. He was known as a gifted baal Tefilah.

A baal Tzedaka, their home on Montgomery Street was always open to many guests. In 1996 they moved back to Eretz Yisroel and settled in Kfar Chabad.

Reb Tzvi was Mekushar with heart and soul to the Rebbe. He was outstanding in his yiras shomayim and doing Mitzvos behidur. He had a love for learning and always seen with a sefer. Even in recent years when his eyesight deteriorated, he spent his days listening to recorded shiurim.

He is survived by his wife Rivka and children, Henya Holtzberg (Crown Heights), Shmulik Schechter (Lauderhill, Florida), Leah Yarmush (Crown Heights), Mordechai Schechter (Kfar Chabad), Yossi Schechter (Crown Heights), grandchildren, great-grandchildren and a great, great-grandchild, following Torah and Mitzvos, many of whom are the Rebbe’s Shluchim around the world.

Baruch Dayan Haemes.