By COLlive reporter
Rabbi Ephraim Rosenblum, a Lubavitcher chossid who educated scores of children over an educational career that spanned 5 decades, passed away on Monday, 3 Tishrei 5781.
He was 85.
Born in Montreal, Canada, he was sent to a Jewish school where the practice was to take off one’s yarmulke for secular studies. At the end of the school day, he would attend Lubavitch afternoon school. In the summer, he went to a Lubavitch camp.
When the Lubavitch school became an all-day yeshiva, he learned there full-time. “I was a very good student, but after my bar mitzvah I decided to leave Montreal and to learn at Yeshiva Torah Vodaas in New York,” he recalled in an interview with JEM’s My Encounter project.
In New York, he would often go to Crown Heights to participate in the Rebbe’s farbrengens at 770 Eastern Parkway. When he was 16, he merited to have his first Yechidus with the Rebbe.
“I was told in advance that it was not proper to sit in front of the Rebbe, but he invited me to sit down nevertheless, and even though I was just a teenager, he spoke to me like you’d speak to a respected person,” he recalled.
The Rebbe asked him what he was learning in yeshiva. He replied that he was learning Maseches Gittin, which is the tractate of the Talmud that speaks about divorce. The Rebbe then said to him, “You know, the concept of divorce, in a spiritual sense, applies to every single Jew. Why? Because we all have to divorce our yetzer hara, our evil inclination.” The Rebbe went on to say that his yeshiva learning should include time for mussar and also time for Tanya.
A year or so later, his parents wanted him to go to college. Ephraim didn’t want to leave yeshiva and said that he would go to college only if the Rebbe said he should. After delaying the decision for the time-being, the Rebbe requested that he enrolls “in our yeshiva.” “From that point on, I became a chassid—totally connected to the Rebbe,” he said.
In 1954, Rabbi Rosenblum was part of a group of bochurim who went on Merkos Shlichus to visit Jews in small communities and remote areas.
“Four of us were driving from Virginia to Maryland when we were in a bad car accident. The car was totaled; one of the group had a broken nose, another a fractured thigh, and I was rendered unconscious and taken to Elkton Hospital. This happened on a Thursday night. Friday morning already, there was a telegram for us from the Rebbe with a blessing for a speedy recovery.
“That Shabbos the Rebbe spoke about us at a farbrengen, and he compared healing to the process of repentance, teshuvah. When Jews return to G‑d in repentance, they become even better than they were before they transgressed. And then the Rebbe said, “There are a few students who need a complete healing, and I want to bless them that they should be healed to be better than before.”
“Shortly thereafter, I recovered my consciousness, and my parents took me home to Montreal. I got a message that the Rebbe wanted to see me. I went to his office, and he said, “I just want to ask you how you are.”I couldn’t move for six weeks, but then I got better. When I returned to the yeshivah, I got a message that the Rebbe wanted to see me. I went to his office, and he said, “I just want to ask you how you are.”
He got married in 1961 and soon moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where both he and his wife began a 5 decade career in education. Rabbi Rosenblum served the principal of Yeshiva Boys Schools.
In 2011, Rabbi and Mrs. Rosenblum were honored at the Yeshiva’s 67th Annual Dinner as “dedicated teachers, outstanding role models, caring friends, and cherished members of the Pittsburgh community.”
Rabbi Yisroel Rosenfeld, dean of Yeshiva Schools, said: “Virtually everyone associated with Yeshiva over the last fifty years has been associated with the Rosenblums. They have touched thousands of lives thanks to their selfless devotion to the well-being of others.”
He is survived by his wife Mrs. Miriam Rosenblum, and children Mrs. Freidi Gurevitch – Crown Heights; Mrs. Rivky Reicez – Skokie, Illinois; Rabbi Yossi Rosenblum – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Mrs. Chanie Baron – Colombia, Maryland; Rabbi Yehoshua Dovid Rosenblum – Caracas, Venezuela; Rabbi Mendy Rosenblum – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; grandchildren great-grandchildren.
He is survived by his siblings Mrs. Sara Miriam Kahanov, Rabbi Velvel (Zev) Rosenblum and Mrs. Chana Etka Feldman, all of Crown Heights.
The family notes that some siblings were not notified about the passing. Please use caution when conversing with them.
He was predeceased by his brother R’ Sholem Rosenblum on 26 Nissan, 5780.
The levaya will pass by 770 Eastern Parkway on Tuesday, 1:00 PM to burial at the Old Montefiore Cemetery in Queens.
Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.
VIDEO:
He was a real Chossid and I feel fortunate to have been able to know him and be taught by him. Baruch Dayan HaEmes.May Hashem bring healing to our world immediatey.
A few years back I was visiting Pittsburgh, I came to Yeshiva early to daven. Already there was Rabbi Rosenblum, who, just days earlier was released from the hospital (if I recall correctly it was quite a scare), was giving his 6:00 Am Shiur in Samech Vov. Rabbi Rosenblum must have been in mid seventies. There was this one fellow in the shiur who was much younger, and who seemed to have come to learning chasidus more recently. This fellow was arguing with Rabbi Rosenblum over pshat in the mamor. He was getting quite heated and almost shouting at Rabbi… Read more »
This video exemplifies our teacher Rabbi Rosenblum ZT”L. He always taught and spoke in this gentle, self-effacing manner, with complete sincerity and at the same time with a twinkle in his eye. I was Zocheh to be his student and for my daughter to be his student as well. (He once told me she was a better student than I was 😊) May his Rebbetzin and family be comforted during this brief interim before והקיצו ורננו שוכני עפר.
his name
I was lucky to live in the Rosenblum household as a boarder when I was in 11th grade. (about 35 years ago) Rabbi Rosenblum was also my teacher. I was always amazed at his abilty to know where we where, as he never wrote anything down. He was a brilliant man. Rabbi and Mrs. Rosenblum’s home was a place of Hachnasas Orchim and joy. I enjoyed very minute living there. My most memorable memory was when I arrived for the start of school. I was very nervous going away from home. The Rosenblum’s were making a wedding, so I had… Read more »
Baruch Dayan Hoemes!
My teacher in elementary and high school, he was an exceptional friend and teacher! Everyone loved Rabbi Rosenblum. What wonderful memories of his classes! I still have incredible Megillas Esther notes from over 45 years ago. He made learning an exciting and marvelous experience!
He will be sorely missed!!!
We are blessed to be part of this exceptional family!
Rabbi Efraim Rosenblum always shared inspirational and beautiful Dvar Torahs at the Shabbos and Yom Tov table!!!
Everyone must learn how to respect their wives from the way Rabbi E Rosenblum treated his wife, Miriam!!!
His mesholim and stories were a masterpiece!
Really a great loss for all!
May Hashem strengthen the family and bring Moshiach now!!!!!
Growing up in Pittsburgh and being a student in Rabbi Rosenblums class has left me with everlasting memories, knowledge and inspiration!
Rabbi Rosenblum impacted 4 generations of our family.
An irreplaceable loss!
BDE
Menachem Hoch
׳
I could share so many wonderful stories of the kindness, depth of knowledge, sensitivity, sincerity, hassidishkeit of both Rabbi Rosenblum and his wife Miriam. But I will share here just one, which epitomizes Rabbi Rosenblum and his ever present sense of humor! We were on mivtzayim, I was giving out candles and he and my husband were putting tfillin on the men who would cooperate. One woman came up to us very angrily, telling us how discriminating Judaism was to women and how poorly women were treated in Jewish life. I attempted to respond but she was just getting more… Read more »
A brilliant, yet humble man.
Sincere and real.
A teacher with heart.
He loved and cared for every student.
He believed in me more than I believed in myself.
Thank you Rabbi Rosenblum.
I hope I make you proud.
I’m honored to have been your student.
Despite having been my 9th grade Rebbi 35 years ago, the warm connection and interest Rabbi Rosenblum had for his former talmidim was strongly felt the few times a year we would meet in 770. His broad smile and wide eyes displayed genuine care. He would ask about our lives, offering welcome words of encouragement both b’ruchnius and b’gashmius and took pride in our continued avoidas hakoidesh and success. אבד חסיד מן הארץ..בד”הא
I never shared this with anyone but now is appropriate. I walked in to a classroom one Shabbos and there I found him resting his eyes he woke up and asked me how I was doing. We talked a little about niggunim then I asked him to tell me what inspires him at this age. After all the experience he had with teaching and being a rabbi what could possibly keep him going and inspire him to keep going to the mikvah every day at 6am and be the chossid even at 80 years old. His answer caught me off… Read more »
He taught me davening,Chumash,mishnayos,Gemara, how to sing negunim and my bar mitzva parsha. Me and hundreds of students owe him the greatest hakaras hatov possible. He always asked my mother how is Yakov doing when he would run into her on Murray Avenue. I still lain my parsha during the chagim and in the summer as a small tribute to him for all he did for me-he will always be in my mind and in my tefilos.
Hamakom y’naschem b’soch shaarei tzion birushalayim for his wonderful wife and family.
B’yedidus,
Eugene Savage
He was my teacher in 8th grade about 17 years ago. I can say without a doubt that he was the best teacher I ever had. He was so patient at explaining things. He was always willing to answer questions and didn’t mind explaining things over and over again even outside of class. He was really so kind and gentle. Do to his impact on me I would always think about him from time to time and was just thinking about him on RH. BDE
Everyone in Pittsburgh has precious memories of interactions with Rabbi Rosenblum. He is already sorely missed.
To the Rosenblums: May Hashem comfort you.
He taught me in Pittsburgh in 1986. I have so many good memories of him. He was so especially kind & warm to me, knowing that I was young, coming from out of town. He truly cared. He always asked how I was doing. He was real. He was a true example of a Lubavitcher Chasid. I learnt chitas because of him.
Yirmi Cohen
A great teacher, patient and understanding. Lucky to have grown up with such a role model.
– a student
A real Chossid. He also had an exeptional chush in neginah, especially deep Chabad nigunim. He had the Eidlkeit to understand those refined tenuos. Something that we do not see often.
אבד חסיד מן הארץ. יהי זכרו ברוך. ויקיצו וירננו שוכני עפר והוא בתוכם תיכף ומיד ממש
My first encounter with Rabbi Rosenblum was 54 years ago when I was coming to see the Yeshiva before entering 3rd grade with my mother a”h and my brother. He was so kind and patient with us and I was zocheh to have him for 2 years as my Rebbe. I fondly remember those years and even have a number of his worksheets still in my possession. I had the chance to share a Shabbos with him in Scranton where I live when he came for the Shabbos bris of a great-grandson. It was beautiful !! I will miss him… Read more »