Rabbi Dovid Krasnjanski, a beloved husband and father who was the Rosh Kolel of Tiferes Zekeinim Levi Yitzchak in Crown Heights passed away on Shabbos, 8 Tishrei, 5784.
He was 88.
One week before his 89th birthday, as Shabbos was leaving and Erev Yom Kippur began, R’ Dovid’s neshama left this world.
He was born on 16 Tishrei, 5695 in Kiev, Ukraine.
He was a direct descendant of the Baal Shem Tov (ninth generation) from both his son Tzvi and his daughter Udel.
He learned in the underground Chabad Cheder in Samarkand, and continued his studies at the Yeshiva in Brunoy. He eventually came to America and married Ettel Charitonow, the granddaughter of R’ Aron Charitonow from Nikolayev.
After living in Crown Heights for many years, they were advised by the Rebbe to move to Philadelphia to continue his job as an engineer for the US Navy.
For forty years, he was a pillar of the Lubavitcher Center on Castor Avenue in northeast Philadelphia, led by Rabbi Avraham Shemtov.
They then lived for a few years in San Diego and had a huge impact on the community.
He was a tremendous Talmid Chacham and a dugma chaya for so many in his humble unassuming way. A model of a true Chassid who carried himself with real and deep humility. A dedicated husband, father and grandfather through and through.
Torah was his life, never seen without a sefer, giving shiurim everywhere he went. His “retirement” was becoming the Rosh Kolel of Tiferes Zekeinim Levi Yitzchak in Crown Heights.
He passed on his love for learning to his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and all that met him. His children and grandchildren are Shluchim of the Rebbe, literally all around the world and credit their constant inspiration to their parents for their love of Torah and Yiddishkeit.
He is survived by his wife Ettel, his children Mottel (Melbourne, Australia), Itchel (Hawaii), Ben Tzion (Manhattan), Tzivia Friedman (Crown Heights), Moshe (Montreal), Yossi (Monsey), Sarah Rivkin (New Orleans) and Chanie Krasnjansky (Riverdale), and siblings Genya Tikotsky (Bnei Brak) and Yomtov Krasnianski (Bnei Brak).
The levaya will be held Sunday, Erev Yom Kippur. 12pm passing 770, 1pm Old Montefiore Cemetery in Queens, followed by the family sitting shiva at the Ohel for a brief period. Shiva ends with Yom Kippur.
Baruch Dayan Ha’emes – Dovid Nachman ben Moshe.
The most amazing man I ever met
BDE nice Yid and Talmid Chochom
עד מתי
May Hashem give the family strength and comfort and bring Moshiach right away
a rare , brilliant mind . an incredible lamdan , a mentsch of a person. such a person comes along once in a century.
His children give testimony to his greatness and that of his wife yb”lct.
The most humble yet brilliant man.
Comfort to the family what an incredible person Moshiach now so we can all be together again 😢😢
I once attended his Tanya class in San Diego, something I will never forget.
A person of great wisdom who knew every sefer he opened up his lamdonus was hidden behind his humble personality may he be reunited with his family with the coming of moshiach now!!
What a loss for the world and of course the whole family. ברוך דיין האמת
I once had the opportunity of being a guest in mountain crest bungalow colony. He gave a women’s shiur shabbos afternoon. The wisdom, softness and sensitivity he portrayed is unforgettable!
BD”E. Bery sorry for the family
BH I had the zechus of learning at his shiurim at the kolel. It will be hard to carry on without his leadership.
‘ת’נ’צ’בה
B. D. E
He was an outstanding Rosh Hakollel for his last years. I was blessed to be a chaver in the kollel from the beginning and was always greatly impressed by his amazing knowledge of Torah. He taught all four of the shiurim for a total of 3 hours. He always was the first one to arrive and would set up the tables and chairs! He was extremely humble!
May the family have the ultimate nechoma with be as goel tzedek
Kaploun family
As an undergrad at Temple University, I had a coop job at Naval Air Development Center. I tried getting there by public transportation but it wasn’t working, so I placed an ad in the company communication which was answered by him. He gave Divrei Torah in his car and that’s how I met up with Chabad. Many years later, after I retired, I joined the seniors kollel where he was Rosh Kollel, so it came full circle. Yeyeh zirchrono levracha.
Mordechai Jacobson
I live in Northeast Philadelphia where we are Shluchim. I had the great Zechus his of attending his classes more than once. I always regretted that I couldn’t make it more often to his Tuesday morning Parsha Shiurim! His classes were riveting. I would sit at the edge of my seat, trying to absorb his first thought when off he was to the next, and then the next! His knowledge and understanding of Torah was as clear and wide as it was deep, matched by an inexplicable and unique humility. He was a kind and compassionate human being whom we… Read more »