By COLlive reporter
Rabbi Chaim Serebryanski, one of the elder Chabad chassidim in the Crown Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn, passed away on Wednesday night, 6 Nissan 5775.
He was 85.
R’ Chaim was born in the Soviet city of Kharkov (today Ukraine) to Rabbi Zalman Serebryanski and Bracha (nee Futerfas). His father taught at the Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim there and after the Second World War, his family fled from Russia.
In 1948, the Frierdiker Rebbe instructed the Serebryanski family to go on Shlichus to Australia to inspire the Jewish population there. Over the years, R’ Chaim continued his work and helped establish the Yeshiva Gedola, FREE center for refugees and the men’s Mikvah.
Around 20 years ago, R’ Chaim moved to the United States and settled in Crown Heights, where he had a positive influence on fellow chassidim as a mashpia. For a living, he worked at Royal Wine Corp.
He was known for his love for the Rebbe, and during farbrengens at 770 Eastern Parkway and other occasions, he would encourage fellow chassidim and bochurim to study chassidus and do Mivtzoim.
“So proud to call him my Zaidy,” one of his grandchildren wrote. “A man who knew almost the entire Tanya word for word by heart, full Gemara’s, Maamarim, the whole Tehillim and Mishnayos and more – yet the Rebbe told him not to get Smicha and go into business.”
He is survived by his wife Mrs. Esther Serebryanski (nee Magnus), their children R’ Yossi Serebryanski – Canarsie, R’ Mendel Serebryanski – Melbourne, Australia; Mrs. Bashi Dalfin – Boro Park; R’ Binyomin Serebryanski – Melbourne, Australia; R’ Eli Serebryanski – Toronto, Canada; Mrs. Chana Raichik – Gaithersburg, MD; R’ Moishe Serebryanski – Surfers Paradise, QLD, Australia; Mrs. Nechama Dina Mishulovin – Los Angeles, CA; Mrs. Miriam Simon – Crown Heights; grandchildren and great grandchildren.
He is also survived by his siblings Rabbi Arel Serebryanski of Melbourne and Nechama Werdiger of Melbourne.
The levaya will take place tomorrow, Thursday at Shomrei Hadas in Boro Park at 11:00 am and passing by 770 at 11:45 am.
Shiva:
727 Eastern Pkwy, between Brooklyn & Kingston
Shachris: 9:00 and 10:00
Mincha: 6:50 (2 minyonim)
Maariv: bizmano (2 minyonim)
Visiting hours 9am to 10pm.
In Melbourne: 118 Hotham St, Balaclava
Shachris: 6:45, 7:30, and 8:30
Mincha: 7:00 (3 minyonim)
Maariv: 8:00 (3 minyonim)
Friday Mincha: 3:00
Sunday Shachris: 7:00, 8:00, and 9:00
Getting up (in both locations) Wednesday morning.
Baruch dayan haemes.
So sorry to hear the loss of this very special chassid.
He must have had great patience especially when his dear wife would spend hours mentoring and counseling those in the neighborhood. Just reading all the above comments, makes me realize how great a loss.
Wishing the entire family only simchas…
What a loss for klal yisroel! I am so sorry Mrs. Serebryanski to hear this. Your husband brought us such wonderful packages after Purim with a smile. He usually picked up the phone when I would call with a “Ha-llow.” He should be a maylitz yosher for all of us and demand Moshiach.
One of a Kind who was left an everlasting mark
I remember when learning in Oholei Torah 7th and 8th grade, every morning we a Chassidus shiur and Davening. R’ Chaim used to join the shiur sitting on the side, and then Daven with our Minyen. He sponsored bars of chocolate every day for every boy that the Mashgiach felt were Davening like a mensch. we were able to get a bar every day
I have been in his weekday shacharis minyan for a few years now. I am a BT, as before getting into his minyan, I felt frustrated because there were no 770 working man’s minyanim which seemed at a reasonable speed, to annunciate every word. I found that in our minyan, and it felt like it was Reb Serabranski’s minyan, like he was the Rav of the minyan, he always lained, and just seemed to be the minyan. It would be nice if our hiddur minyan could be strengthened somehow, maybe in Reb Serabranski’s memory somehow. We have a thorough psukei… Read more »
A giant of goodness and kindness! A real chosid 24 hours a day! May we all do somthing good in Reb Chaim’s memory!
bs”d
Dear Morah Doonie. We are thinking about you here in LA and are dedicating this week’s Hebrew School Newsletter for Children who have special needs to your dear father A”H. Just looking at his face one can see what a special person was in this world and, always has been and will always continue to be.
With such a smile…Moshiach will run and redeem us…out of love.
We miss you and are thinking about you at FCLA.
Michy and Miriam Rav-Noy and the FCLA community.
Reb Chaim to me was the ultimate model of a chosid. חבל על דאבדין ולא משתכחין
What a special, holy Chossid he was.
Boruch Dayan Haemes.
Please bang down the walls upstairs to bring Moshiach!
The entire family is a pure and living example of Hiskashrus to the Rebbe . Their kindness and friendship to others is something that is legendary and has formed many many people into what they are today. With much love to Rebbetzin Sero….. D. Cadaner
While living in Australia, he was one of the pillars of the community and (living next door to the Yeshiva he) always had an open house for everyone to come at all hours of the day. A true Chassidesher Yid!
What a true chosid and warm person. Every shabbos morning he would give a shiur in torah ohr with such passion and excitmnt
Rabbi Chaim fed everyone chayious at the 6:55 minyon ,770. He will always be with us.
He left behind a beautiful generation, a really special family. incredible chesed and midos. I owe them a debt of gratitude.
Lived in Melbourne for a few years. Every Shabbos morning would just knock and walk in to their (Serabryanski) house on the corner for breakfast. Coffee and cookies from the warehouse. The door was always open for anyone who needed a place to eat or sleep.
What a loss. Wishing Mrs. Sero a long life.
What a special man! He will be missed
Lived his entire life like a bochur who was inspired and excited about chassidus, mivtzoyim and everything the Rebbe wanted. He never gave of any air of being “too old” or “holier than though” just a vareme, lichtike chosid. This is a tremendous loss for yidden and particularly chassidim, worldwide.
….and see who he was !! The real deal – an emesdik Chasid- in love with his Rebbe, his family and his community!
He was such a inspiration to have known!
A real Chossid!
What a loss! What a special man! We lived in the same apt building when I was a child and remained very good friends ever since. So hard to believe and absorb. Boruch Daayan Haemes
He was a wise old man that had a heart of gold and always made everyone feel welcome. I will miss him!
…ah Chosid macht a svivoh…his Tzitzis flying, running from his house at the corner of Hotham and … with a big Sholom Aleichem to the arriving Shluchim to Melbourne… Farbrengen Shabbos afternoon in the lunchroom for hours – not Kiddush style…in wonder at his invitation to and welcome reception in the Kremlin of all places…running the Seder for hundreds of Russian Yidden, while his Mrs., tzu langeh yohr, ran the Seder at home…two separate tables – one for boys and one for girls… Shiur in Three Prokim Rambam for thirty balebatim at (five?) in the morning because that was the… Read more »
I knew him as a very friendly person,very warm to others.
may we merit to ”vihukitzu viraninu shochnei ufur” with moshiach speedily in our days!!!
I just saw him the other day!!!
BDH.
My deepest condolences to this beautiful family. I knew of this humble but great man through his granddaughter. who shared often of his goodness while imparting wisdom. May his wife and family be comforted and as his emunah directed his steps and words, Moshiah now!
Saw him every day in 770, 6:30am learning chassidus. May he continue to be a living example.
G-d Bless him and his family. Respect for a Mench!
Such an appropriate Hayom Yom to describe R’ Chaim: Yemin Mekareves, Semoel Doche…
A Chossid from the world bygone.
R’ Chaim was such a warm, friendly chossid who really cared abut others, and was always energetic, with a lichtike ponim. We will miss him.
we need moshiach now what are going we (the younger generation) going to do that our mashpeim are leaving us! who will show us the way! we need moshiach NOW!
Oy. So many people – nice people – chosuveh people.
The only consolation is now there are more neshamos “upstairs” to be mailitz yoshor for us.
Condolences to the family.