By COLlive reporter
Rabbi Avraham Lider, a longtime activist who dedicated his life to assisting others with medical emergencies, passed away on Friday night, the first night of Rosh Hashana, 5781.
He was 61 and passed away suddenly after a heart attack.
R’ Lider came to the US from Jerusalem as a young boy of 14, when he accompanied his father for urgent eye surgery.
While in the US and not knowing anyone, volunteers of the Rivkah Laufer Bikur Cholim of Flatbush reached out to help them, Rabbi Lider once related, and this influenced him to find his calling in life, a life of Chessed and caring for others as they dealt with medical emergencies themselves or of loved ones.
Rabbi Lider married Tema (nee Levitin), and the couple settled in Crown Heights.
While working as a Pre-1A Rebbi at Oholei Torah, Rabbi Lider was asked to assist an elderly and childless couple who was in a bind.
The husband was hospitalized, and his wife was bedridden at home. The Chaya Mushka Bikur Cholim of Crown Heights knew of Rabbi Lider’s fondness for helping those in need, and asked him to reach out to the couple. Rabbi Lider made a few phone calls and soon secured care for both the husband and wife.
“After that,” he once told COLlive in an interview, “the phone didn’t stop ringing.”
Shortly afterward, Rabbi Lider left his job as a Rebbi and began fulfilling his childhood dream of opening his own chesed organization.
In 1995, he founded the Ahavas Chesed organization as a medical assistance organization catering to the Crown Heights community and Shluchim worldwide.
The organization offers medical transportation, emergency medical assistance, medical supplies gemach, blood drives, medical advice and referrals, and kosher meals. Their emergency hotline is open 24/7 and their WhatsApp group connects medical patients and their families with desperately needed assistance.
In addition to finding the best care for patients, Rabbi Lider was known for having strong connections with a seemingly endless list of specialists, recruiting doctors and forming relationships with them so he could help anyone with a medical emergency or illness at a moment’s notice.
He attributed his success to the Rebbe. “When people would ask the Rebbe for help with medical issues, the Rebbe often advised them to consult with a ‘Rofeh Yedid’ – a doctor who is also a friend. I put a lot of effort into this area and with all the doctors I work with,” he once said.
He also helped many people obtain the best medical care, many of them free of charge if they could not afford it. Over the years, Rabbi Lider organized dozens of blood drives in Crown Heights, as well as a soup kitchen for those in need. He also purchased an ambulette for the community, in which volunteers drove patients to hospitals and clinics for medical treatment.
Over the years, Ahavas Chesed has helped thousands of Jews from various backgrounds, with Rabbi Lider doing volunteer work himself. During the recent pandemic, Rabbi Lider worked round the clock, assisting hundreds of patients at various hospitals, connecting families with doctors, and even delivering packages to patients from their worried families while hospitals were on lockdown and not allowing any visitors.
Rabbi Lider was also instrumental in organizing blood plasma drives in Crown Heights, where hundreds of coronavirus survivors donated blood to be shipped all over the US to help coronavirus patients.
He also arranged and paid for funerals for members of the community who had no family, and encouraged people to attend especially when it was a meis Mitzvah.
Rabbi Lider’s passing leaves a huge void in the Crown Heights community, devastating shocked family, friends, and countless people whom he has helped throughout the years.
He is survived by his wife, Tema and children Dovid Lider – Crown Heights, Naftoli Lider – Crown Heights, Shmuly Lider – Crown Heights, Malky Janowsky – Toronto, and Bassie Lider – Crown Heights.
He is also survived by his siblings, Shlomo Lider – Williamsburg, NY, Yaakov Lider – Melbourne, Nechama Brichter – Jerusalem, Malka Kaplan – Jerusalem, Israel, and Yehuda Lider – Jerusalem, Israel.
The Levaya will take place tomorrow, Monday, leaving Shomrei Hadas at 12:45 pm and passing by 770 at 2:00 pm.
Shiva will take place at 720 Lefferts Avenue.
Davening Times:
Shacharis: 7:30 AM and 8:45 AM
Mincha: 4:15 PM
Maariv: B’zmanah
Break between 12 pm and 2 pm.
Last visit at 10 pm.
Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.
Baruch Dayan Emes. An irreplaceable loss to the community.
Ad mosaj … big tragedy for CH and all the world
עד מתי היה איש חסד אמיתי
היה זמין 24/7 כל כולו לעזרה
This is too horrible!! A tzaddik beyond!!
More should be spoken of his enormous contribution in the field of education
as he taught and educated hundreds -if not more- of pupils קיין עין הרע (my dear son שיחי’ one of them) with love and affection, who all speak about him and admire
him tens of years later.
יהא זכרו ברוך
His passing leaves a huge void in the world that can’t be replaced. He was always there for everyone. Baruch Dayan Haemes
Kindest person of Crown Heights. How can we bear this?
I was in the hospital in the middle of the night with my son and rabbi Lieder showed up with cake and water. I don’t know how he even knew I was there. I will miss him.
BDE! What a loss!
I am shocked!!
He was a hero who helped so many people! May his neshama have an Aliya and may comfort come upon his family
Moshiach now!
Unbelievable.Rabbi Lieder was dedicated with mesiras nefesh to helping others. Boruch dayan ha’emes.
Tragic on so many levels. Irreplaceable. Ad mosai
A great man of Chessed. Was always there when needed, with dedication, friendship and a smile. What is happening here? Ad Mosai?????? Moshiach NOW!!!!!!
What a tremendous loss for all of klal yisroel.
Was there feo everyone with an open heart and a big smile. A real special person. We will need an army to replace him. Ad Mosai?????? Moshiach now!!!!!!!!
Wow. CH has lost a giant 🙁 BDE
As most of the corona survivers in the comunity, I owe a deep debt of gratitude to Rabbi Lider of Ahavas Chesed.
It was because of his incredible dedication and concern that *I was able to overcome the difficult, lonely, hunger-filled 13 days* of my hospitalization in NYU in a critical state, inches away from death’s door.
Unbelivble!!!!
Boruch dayon emes!
BDE. He was a giant of Chesed.
He was one of a kind. The amount of chesed that he did was enormous.
Rabbi Lider went above and beyond. The word “no” did not exist for him – he said “yes!” to every request for help. An incredible man. We must show up for him as he showed up for us, and help his dear wife and family. ZT’L
This is shocking.
When my mother needed oxygen and couldn’t travel with the tanks, (before the portable concentrators) he just said tell me the date and which flight!
I truly admired him during my years in Crown Heights. I’m so sorry for the family, and the community. “Huge void” is correct.
I don’t know him but I witnessed (on various posted videos) the warmth with which he celebrated the return home of recovered COVID patients and now to see this it’s just so sad.
NO WORDS
Anytime an emergency happened he was there right away helping the family in anyway he could ! What a loss to this community! Just terrible news !!! He will be missed he touched so many people ! Moshiach Now !!
It is very hard and maybe ‘wrong’ to ask der Aibershter ‘why?’. But, I want to ask that in my heart. Rabbi Lider was a tzadik. He will surely be in an ‘amazing‘ place in shamayim. But, all the people he helped and and all the goodness… Hashem, help his family and help us all here – please send Moshiach now!
We need to emulate his chessed and kindness, so his legacy will live on. It will take a ‘village’ to do all the good that Rabbi Lider did.
May Hashem comfort his family who were his ‘partners’, and send the geulah sheleima now!
Tragic. Period.
we needed a second opinion on emergency neurosurgery. How do you quickly get an appointment with neurosurgeon? The answer is that you don’t.
Rabbi Leider to the rescue. Was willing to put his reputation on the line. Said what had to be said to make it happen. Nurse had the doctor look at images between operations, right in the operating room, between patients.
End result, saved my brother in law head from unnecessary surgery.
Thank you Rabbi Leider! May you be remembered forever for all the great deeds. Too soon.
All I can say he was a great man. He was very dedicated all hour of the 24 hour of the day. No matter what day it was. Shabbos Yom Tov & Chol……he will have a special place in Gan-Eden
He always said yes.
When my wife gave birth he arranged for her to have her own room in the hospital.
What a loss to the world his neshama was one of a kind how much longer will we live in the golus MOSHIACH NOW!!!!!
R’Lieder helped us many times, I mean saved our son, by finding all second options right away, I mean literally u can’t reach such doctors appointments but to make them come to the different hospital- it’s beyond the nature.
We always donated blood /plasma , but I would like to contribute to his family now , pls post necessary info.
I met Rabbi Lieder when my mother was suddenly rushed to the hospital on erev yomtov. The staff at that hospital were completely unreasonable to our concerns. Rabbi Lieder walked in and suddenly we had a private room and all was taken care of. He was so caring and reassuring in our time of need.
Rabbi Lieder was my teacher in Pri-1-A in Oholei Torah. I still remember his dedication and warmth. So hard to believe. We need Moshiach.
Our community just lost a real light! Thank you Rabbi Leider for dedicating your life to helping others, and making our community more connected. A role model— May we all do more chesed in your honor. BDE
The Rabbi was a gift from Hashem to the world. BDE
Condolences to Mrs Lider & family. Sorry for your tragic shocking loss!
No words to describe this man a tzadik with a huge heart huge smile warmth that reached to all of us the world lost a very holy neshama who lit up the whole world with his chesed bde so sad hashem ad mosai please bring moshiach now
I remember when I was a kid Rabbi lieder use to arrange for bar mitzvah and brisim for ppl who couldn’t afford to make the Simcha. He would take care of all the expenses. I know because my mother did some of the cooking at his request. His name Avraham, and everything about him was synonymous with chesed!
A loss that cannot be put into words!
For someone who dedicated his life to his fellow Jews. To be taken so soon. It’s unfathomable.
A true Tzadik! No words! Mashiach Now
Ish tzaddik haya. It was an honour and a privilege to have met him in this lifetime, and to have been able to work with him. Shocked beyond words.
Rabbi Lieder was such a special man, his bones were made of chessed!! I was in so much pain once and had no money to pay for the treatment I needed, he accompanied me to appointments and tried his best to help me get the care I needed, getting me an appointment right away instead of waiting for months in pain. He helped me get free rides to medical appointments and did it with love and respect. In one of the hospitals we were at there were people around that didn’t seem safe to be around, so he wouldnt leave… Read more »
Rabbi Lider was truly a great man who I owe much to. He will be so missed. My condolences to his beautiful family.
Boruch Sholom Wolf
Oy! So hard to read this.
What a loss!
I am forever indebted to him for all the good he did when my child was in the hospital.
He is irreplaceable.
The world is darker today.
So sad to hear this notice, he was a very special person , taking care and helping everyone, he help me in two urgencies I have, never gonna forget,
May hahsem finish this golus soon and bring moshiach In his merit
Rabbi Lieder was himself a patient in Kings County when I was taken there after being hit by by a car. My husband called his number not knowing that he himself was hospitalized and asked him if I should be transferred to another hospital. From his hospital bed he called an expert who told him it was not safe to transfer me at that point. Then he asked how many members of my family were with me. Shortly afterwards some girls from CH showed up with food from Mendys which Rabbi Lieder ordered and arranged from his hospital bed. Then… Read more »
His was a special neshomo. The only thing I can comfort myself with is hoping that it is this special neshomo needed up there to pull the strings for geulah NOW
NO ONE DID WHAT HE DID.
His form of chessed was of the most dire need. When people don’t know where to turn to and there is someone to rely on, it is hugely comforting. May Hashem comfort his family in their time of need.
His son, Naftoli, has the same caring kindness in his bones. Like his father, always friendly and with a smile.
A customer
This is heartbreaking…..my condolences to his family. I know my family has benefited from his kindness over the years. Such a loss, may his family find comfort.
Rabbi Lider was a good man – he did good things for so many people. With energy, and optimism and endless kindness.
This is such a loss.
Hashem should surely comfort his family!
What a tremendous loss.
So so sorry .
Between rabbi Lider’s Ahavas Chesed and other helping hand organizations, crown heights is a beacon of help and kindness. Although he himself is irreplaceable, we must try, his work and comfort to others is essential.
Hospital knowledge, doctor network, 24 help, food service, transport service, fundraising for needy, blood and plasma drives, all must go on and even expanded. Let’s pull together and grow ahavas chesed bizchus rabbi lider
Baruch Dayan Emes
This is too heartbreaking to bare.
On my speed dial
מי יתן לנו כמוהו ???
עד מתי
Does anyone know who to contact about making this happen for those who are social distancing but want to be melave this tzaddik?
There is so much to say about this tzaddik that I don’t have the proper words to use. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve spoken to Rabbi Lider A”H in over 15 years. About 20 years ago, when I was a junior resident in Kings County, Rabbi Lider opened the Bikur Cholim room. He often made sure that I knew there was food in there that I could eat. He often asked if I needed help with anything else. I gained from him personally, and more importantly I knew I could always call him when I had a Jewish patient in… Read more »
BDE
i was a bochur in yeshiva and my back was hurting, i didn’t have insurance or know where to start, Rabbi Lieder arranged everything, and i met a neurologist who took care of the issue. He also arranged a huge fundraising campaign for my teacher when he was sick, and arranged everything necessary for me to fly and visit my teacher including rides to the airport in NY and the city I flew to, food, and lots of other small details I don’t remember. I just blow my mind how many people he must have been arranging things for at… Read more »
I was a long time employee at KCHC and I saw all that Rabbi Lider did for our patients and staff. I enjoyed participating with him on events for Sukkot (In memory of my father whose Yhartzeit was the week before) and Chanukah. There is now a huge void at KCHC.
Zohar
BDE RABBI LIDER😪
Five years ago the first night of Rosh Hashana I was in the hospital coming from La I had zero clue of the process erev Rosh Hashana he came to the hospital to get me the best care necessary
What a good man
He was so so helpful when nephew was sick. With helping arrange for tickets and accomedations always available and supportive. A real loss to klal yisroel. May the eibishter bring Nechama to his wntire family with the coming of moshiach now