Dear Friends,
In the midst of the extreme pain of Rabbi Akiva Wagner‘s petira, we created a campaign to honor him by supporting his family. We write this letter filled with tremendous hakoras hatov for the beautiful achdus and overwhelming generosity displayed by our community during this difficult time.
A Shliach who did not have a personal connection with Rabbi Wagner z”l reached out to one of us, and expressed his awe at the overwhelming love and respect shown by Rabbi Wagner’s talmidim. He told me, “I didn’t know Rabbi Wagner personally, but whatever he did to receive such enduring love from his alumni, years and even decades later, is truly remarkable. I wish I had a Rosh Yeshiva like that.”
These words reflect a universal sentiment. The extraordinary outpouring of support and shared grief we’ve seen from Rabbi Wagner’s talmidim goes beyond mere appreciation for a Rosh Yeshiva or Mashpia; it is a testament to the deep, personal bonds he forged with his students. The derech eretz, the commitment to chassidus and learning, and the ahavas Yisroel that Rabbi Wagner instilled in them have clearly made a lasting impact.
Mi K’Amcha Yisroel! The love and dedication Adas hachassidim and Am Yisroel at large displayed has been a profound source of comfort to the family.
Our heartfelt thanks go out to each and every one of you. Your generosity, your mesiras nefesh, and your unwavering support during this challenging period will forever be cherished. It is a powerful reminder of the achdus that binds us as a community and the enduring legacy of a true Chossid.
May we share simchas together from now on, and may we merit to see the coming of Moshiach speedily in our days.
With gratitude,
The Campaign Organizers, on behalf of the Wagner Family
