Rabbi Koppel Bacher, 83, OBM

By COLlive reporter

Rabbi Koppel Bacher, one of the founders of Chabad in South Africa and leader of the Johannesburg community for over 60 years, passed away on Tuesday, 23 Adar II, 5784.

He was 83.

Rabbi Bacher grew up in South Africa, the son of an immigrant who came from a well-known Lubavitch family in Rokiskis, Lithuania — the Ruch family with whom the Previous Rebbe stayed in 1930 while visiting his followers residing there. His father continued to be deeply connected to the Frierdiker Rebbe, and later the Rebbe, receiving much advice and counsel.

When Koppel was fourteen years old, he was sent to learn at 770 Yeshiva in New York, and two years later to study in the Chabad Yeshiva in Montreal, where he was greatly influenced by the elder Chassidim who mentored him in Montreal — particularly Rabbi Hershel Feigelstock and Rabbi Menachem Zev Greenglass, he told JEM’s Here’s My Story.

In 1961 he returned to South Africa, and in 1964, he married Selma (nee Goldman). Soon after they settled in South Africa, then a barren wasteland of Yiddishkeit.

Rabbi Bacher was instrumental in laying the foundations of Yiddishkeit in South Africa.

In 2010 he was interviewed by JEM’s Here’s My Story:

“Over the years, I would usually come to New York during Sukkot and, time after time, I would be called up to the Torah on Hoshanah Rabbah. But one year the plane was delayed, and I missed the prayer service. Later, when I saw the Rebbe, he said to me, “I missed you this morning – I didn’t see you being called to the Torah.”

“That’s when I realized that this is why I came every year – to be reminded how much the Rebbe paid attention to and cared for all of his Chassidim, to feel that closeness that I needed to feel as his emissary.

“Of course, I brought my children also. I wanted to expose them to the Rebbe from the earliest age. I first took my son, Shauli, when he was only five years old, and the Rebbe scrounged around in his desk drawer until he came up with a silver dollar. He gave Shauli the coin and said, “I’m giving you Chanukah gelt right now because you won’t be here for Chanukah.”

“During the unrest in South Africa – before the apartheid regime fell – people were emigrating out of South Africa en masse. But the Rebbe told me to advise the community to stayt put, adding “Give over this message to your community, ‘m’zol zich nit shreken – there is nothing to fear.’”

“Once I heard those words from the Rebbe, how could I be afraid? Even though I had an AK-47 pointed at my head, and five times our office came under attack – each time I was tied up and robbed – I always remembered that the Rebbe had said “there is nothing to fear,” and I knew that I would come to no harm.

“Once a robber confronted me with, “Who’s gonna look after your kids if we kill you now?” And I just closed my eyes and pictured the Rebbe saying “m’zol zich nit shreken.” I was a Chassid of the Rebbe, and I knew he was looking after me in that moment, as he had my entire life. The proof is that I am here to tell this story.”

He is survived by his children, all of whom are shluchim of the Rebbe: Mrs. Rivky Chaikin, Rabbi Shaul Bacher, and Rabbi Sholem Bacher, all of Johannesburg, South Africa.

He is also survived by his sisters Minnie Daniels of Johannesburg and Sorrel Sher of Sydney, Australia.

The levaya will take place today in Johannesburg.

Baruch Dayan Ha’emes – Avraham Koppel Ben Chaim Shaul Ze’ev Halevi