Rabbi Leib Chaim Turk, 86, OBM

Rabbi Leib Chaim Turk, a devoted Chosid and Shochet from Crown Heights and father of a large Lubavitch family passed away on Erev Shabbos, 5 Av, 5784.

He was 86.

Rabbi Leib Chaim Turk was born in the Bronx on 25th Nissan 5698 to Tzvi Zev and Elke, he was orphaned from his mother as a young child, and raised by his maternal Zeide Reb Pinchas Goldstein.

Thanks to the intervention of Rabbi Mordechai Altein, to whom he was forever indebted, he enrolled first in the Lubavitch Yeshiva in the Bronx, and later in Bedford and Dean.
He was zoche to see the Frierdiker Rebbe at the Yud Tes Kislev farbrengen 1950. This memory accompanied him throughout his life.

He was part of a kvutza sent by the Rebbe to Pittsburgh to start the Mesivta there, after three years the Rebbe instructed them to continue on to Montreal. In Montreal he was involved in establishing Gan Yisroel Day Camp and Overnight Camp and was known for chazering long avodadiger mamorim. In 5722 the Rebbe instructed him to learn Shechita.

In 1962 he married Esther Wolf and a few weeks later he moved to Manchester, England where he served as a Shochet for 15 years. While there he worked for Lubavitch Manchester, impacting the lives of many hundreds of people, founding Lubavitch Manchester Day Camp that today is the biggest in the world. He was also active in Mesibos Shabbos and selling Kehos seforim, gaining him the title of Osek Betzorchei Tzibur as well as Shu”b in the Rebbe’s letters to him.

In 1977 he he moved back to New York, where he continued working as a Shochet under Reb Zalman Shimon Dworkin.

He gained a name as an expert G-d fearing Shochet whose advice and expertise was sought by communities all over the world. He taught Shechita to many pupils who now serve as Shochtim around the world. A special sight was seeing him bring a cows lung or a four legged chicken to 770, or the Kollel, to share with bochurim and yungerlite fascinating halachic insights.

He was mekushar to the Rebbe belev venefesh and was zoche to raise a large Chassidisher family KE”H with children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who are Shluchim and members of Anash all over the world.

He is survived by his wife Esther Turk (Crown Heights) and children Elke Nathan (Flatbush), Chana Serebryanski (Melbourne, Australia), Rabbi Yossi Turk (Cordoba, Argentina), Rivky Eidelman (Crown Heights), Shterny Tiefenbrun (London, England), Devorah Leah Golomb (Crown Heights), Dinie Pink, (Solihull, England), Shaina Lipsh (Crown Heights), Rabbi Pinchus Turk (Chicago), Rabbi Benzion Turk (Crown Heights), Rabbi Shmuli Turk (Crown Heights) and Rabbi Yisroel Turk (Manalapan, NJ), grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The levayah will pass by 770 Eastern Parkway at 12:00 pm on Sunday and will continue on to the Montefiore Beis Hachaim at 1:00 pm.

Shiva will be at 580 Crown Street (entrance B) #104
Shachris:7.00am, 8.00 am & 9.00 am
Mincha 1.45 pm & 7.30 pm
Maariv bizmano (5 minyonim needed)

No visitors please after 10.00 pm

To share memories of Rabbi Leibel Turk email to [email protected] .

Baruch Dayan Ha’emes – Leib Chaim ben Tzvi Zev.