Rabbi Sholom Dovber Lipskar, longtime dedicated Shliach, leader of The Shul of Bal Harbour, FL, and founder of the Aleph Institute, passed away on Shabbos, 5 Iyar, 5785.
He was 78.
Born in Tashkent, Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic in 1946 to his parents, R’ Eliyahu Akiva and Rochel Baila (nee Duchman) Lipskar, Rabbi Sholom Lipskar was smuggled as a baby through the Soviet border to a Displaced person (DP) camp in Germany. His father was influential in the “Eshalon” / “Yetzias Mitzrayim” venture.
Arriving in North America in the early 1950s, Rabbi Lipskar’s family settled in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
His parents were Mechanchim during the school year and “camp parents” in CGI Parksville during the summers.
He learned in the original Lubavitch Yeshiva in Toronto, and then in the Central Lubavitch Yeshiva – 770, where he received Semicha in 1968. After his marriage to Chani (nee Minkowitz), the Rebbe sent them on Shlichus to Miami Beach, where Rabbi Lipskar served as the principal of the Chabad Yeshiva. He later founded the Yeshiva Gedolah and served as Principal and Dean of elementary, secondary, and high school studies.
In 1981 he founded The Shul of Bal Harbour on Collins Avenue, at the cornerstone of Bal Harbour, Bay Harbor Islands, Indian Creek Village and Surfside areas. In the beginning, Rabbi Lipskar would stand on Collins Avenue for hours asking passersby if they were Jewish and would like to join in a Minyan.
Today, the Shul has thousands of congregants and is a landmark Shul which welcomes hundreds of locals and visitors daily. The Shul is the center for Jewish activities for these four communities and thousands of international tourists that visit or make South Florida their second home, led by a team of Rabbis, educators, Rabbinical students, professionals, staff and volunteers.
The Shul is known for welcoming all types of Jews, and also provides an array of Adult Education Classes, programs, youth clubs, women’s events and more.
Rabbi Lipskar also founded the Aleph Institute, a national Jewish education and humanitarian organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for the incarcerated and the military and their families.
Rabbi Lipskar was the official endorser of chaplains for the Department of Defense and the Educational Academy for the Elderly, where he was responsible for the development of pilot programs which restructure the educational priorities of elderly citizens.
He also founded the Miami International Conferences on Torah and Science.
Rabbi Lipskar was beloved by his community and fellow Shluchim and Chassidim, leading many inspiring Farbrengens about Davening, hiskashrus and dedication to the Rebbe.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Chani Lipskar and children Rabbi Zalman Lipskar and Mrs. Devorah Leah Andrusier; grandchildren.
He is also survived by his siblings Rabbi Mendel Lipskar – Johannesburg, South Africa; R’ Yossi Lipskar – Miami Beach, Florida; Mrs. Sheva Schochet – South Beach, Florida.
The Levaya will take place tomorrow, Sunday, beginning in Miami, passing by Landow Yeshiva, 1140 Alton Rd. at 8 AM, and the Shul of Bal Harbour at 8:30 am.
The Levaya will continue in New York, passing by 770 at 3:15 pm, and burial at Montefiore Cemetery in Queens at 4:15 pm.
If you have a story you want to share about Rabbi Lipskar and the impact he has made on your life please email
[email protected] for the family to see.
Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.
Shocking news
Boruch Dayan HaEmes
Oy vei
Such a special special person
There was nobody like him.
I’m speechless. Such a giant of a man. A Shliach who’s impact is probably unprecedented. A great loss for the Chabad and Jewish world.
Hayom Yom
Iyar 5, 20th day of the omer
The Alter Rebbe received the following teaching from the tzadik Reb Mordechai, who had heard it from the Baal Shem Tov: A soul may descend to this world and live seventy or eighty years,1 in order to do a Jew a material favor, and certainly a spiritual one.
Exactly what i was thinking when I saw this news. Baruch dayan Haemes.
Certainly did many more than one favor for another Materialy and spiritually!
What’s his bio? Who were his parents? In laws? We would love to know more about one of the most influential people in frum America of the past 50 years.
There will be many tributes to him in the next week and you’ll learn more about him. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to be a part of The Shul, even those of us who no longer live in the community, will always consider him and Chani our Rabbi and Rebbetzin, wherever we are.
אביו הרב אליהו עקיבא ליפסקר – היה מחנך בטורונטו בהוראת הרבי, היה ממייסדי הקהילה ועסקן רב פעלים. נפטר כט תשרי תשמח. אמו מרת רחל ביילא ליפסקר נפטרה יא אייר שנה שעברה בגיל 102 – היה הייתה דודה של הרב שלום דוכמן.
Was born to R Eliyahu Akiva and Rochel Baila (nee Duchman) Lipskar from Toronto. His parents were Mechanchim during the school year and “camp parents” in CGI Parksville during the summers.
He was born in Tashkent after the war, where his father was influential in the “Eshalon” / “Yetzias Mitzrayim” venture. He learned in the original Lubavitch “Yeshiva” in Toronto, and then in 770.
Got married to Minkowitz, moved on Shlichus to Miami to establish the Lubavitch School (Oholei Torah / Landow / LEC), and then later established the Shul of Bal Harbour and Aleph Institute.
Original Lubavitch in Toronto??? No, Reb Sholom was in Eitz Chaim like everyone else where his father was. a rebbi. Our families spent summers together in Pontypool and he was my camp counselor. BD”E
A true chosid . A tireless, compassionate shliach. May he beg Hashem that just as he helped his fellow Jews who were imprisoned,may Hashem have mercy and free us all from galus with the geula shlaima now.
Boruch Dayan HaEmes!
Moshiach Now!
The Lipskars have been very close to my family, the Shuster family from South Florida, for 50 years. Rabbi Lipskar, zal, was my first rebbi of Chumash 50 years ago. The Rabbi is unique among his colleagues for what he accomplished. Baruch Dayan Haemes. May he rest in Eden.
Rabbi Lipskar had such an impact on my life I kept my first Shabbos after our first meeting and have since then after restructuring my life. I would meet with him from time to time for guidance on my path and eventually got smicha to continue with his advice to help prisoners and youth. The last time I was with him I had the honor to daven with his mincha minyan. He is and alway will be one my HEROS, may his legacy bring him greatest of nachas until we meet again may it be in “the blink of an… Read more »
A true Chossid. A huge loss.
May his family and community be comforted.
BDE. There are no words. Chanie,zalman, and Devorah leah I am so sorry to hear the loss of your father. He was a real tzadik.
Chani – so sorry to hear. Baruch Dayan HaEmes.
Boruch Dayan Emes.
Shock, sadness. He changed worlds!!!! Not even known. Saved my life. Built an enormous community with every aspect of Yiddishkeit. There wasn’t one kosher restaurant or kosher anything before he came. Opened the spiritual and physical dungeons for Jewish prisoners and soldiers. Built a community from scratch in a neighborhood where a sign at the bath club once boasted no Jews or dogs allowed. And taught that community to love each other and be a lamp onto the world . He has one final task now: to shake the heavens and bring Moshiach immediately Now. BDE💔
The loss of a legendary shliach. We read his My Encounter this week in our chabad house.
So sorry for this loss for his family. And the many thousands who considered him their family…
Moshiach Now.
What a powerhouse!! BDE
Bs”d
If you have a story you want to share about Rabbi Lipskar & the impact he has made on your life please email
[email protected] for the family to see. Thank you
If only he would have lived another 50 or more years.
Rabbi Lipskar will be greatly missed.
May Moshiach come immediately with techias hamaisim.
He was the principal of the Yeshiva in Miami for many years. An Israeli father brings his two daughters to registration for school. Rabbi Lipsker asks them their age and realizes that the younger one is too young but really wants to attend a Lubavitch school so he asks her a few questions about brochois and accepts her into the Lubavitch school. That little girl is my wife the mother of 5 children and 22 grandchildren bh bli eyin hora. 2. I was a brochur in 770 and Rabbi Lipsker approached me and my chavrusa with a special request. He… Read more »
May Hashem give the family strength and comfort and revealed happiness going forward. Geulah please NOW!
BDE
One of my favorite Rabbis! The Rabbi and Rebbitzen shlepped hours to get to my father’s funeral have been great full all these years.
We Want Moshiach Now!
BH BDE
What a giant!!! His family was so close with Rebbe! Oh what a loss. The heart aches. The Aleph Institute-so important to the Rebbe.
Just looking at the community that he built says all you need to know about his accomplishments it is one of “Zeh Keili V’anveihu” if you didn’t say a single word about him the story itself tells you everything. He should be a “gutte better” for his family, community, and for the jewish nation. Yehi Zichro Boruch,, BD’H
An Admirer
Reb Sholom and wife come from an illustrious Chabad family. His grandfather on his mothers side was the Reb Shneur Zalman Halevi Duchman. He had 4 children two died early years while still in Russia. Two made it to America. Rabbi Yisroel Duchman Z”L and Reb Sholom’s mother Rochel the much loved nurse in CGI Parksville for years. Reb Zalman married Grunya nee Minkowitz sister of Reb Itche’ke and daughter of Laime. On his Fathers side Reb Eli Lipskar z”L was part of the large Lipskar family. Reb Sholom in laws, were Reb Yisroel and Riva Minkowitz. (Reb Yisroel was… Read more »
Please post shiva info when u have it 😭
Baruch dayan haemet
Bde. This week’s Here’s My Story printout (JEM) is about him!
BDE what a special Yid.
One less person who knew the Rebbe.
המקום ינחם אתכם
Shiva starts Monday at mincha time but I don’t yet if it’s at the Shul or at the Rabbi’s house. Will update soon.
We need only happiness
Moshiach now
Rabbi Lipskar was the secret hero of every shliach. Building a giant moised from humble beginnings while caring for forgotten Jews. I still remember the pride I felt inside the first time I visited The Shul and I had already been a shliach for 15 years.
The loss is huge.
יהי זכרו ברוך.
I wrote a poem dedicated to him called The Glass Blower.
He molded lives by giving them purpose and meaning.
As young shluchim we knew of him, but I got to know what a chossid and shliach he was when a family from his community came to our house when visiting the area. Looking at the family outwardly they appeared to fall into the ‘category of modern orthodox’ until the father of the family opened his mouth. The way he spoke was that of a chossid for generations. His language, his topics, the Rebbe, he had it all. Mamesh a chossid. And that’s when we saw what kind of shliach and chossid the man’s Shliach, Rabbi Lipskar, was. He lived… Read more »
Baruch Dayan AEmet
With deep pain I pray for him .he was for mi a great mentch and a tzadick .
יהי זכרו ברוך.