Rabbi Yehuda Dukes, a beloved husband and father who inspired thousands around the world with his unshakable faith as he battled COVID 19, passed away on Thursday, 8 Shvat, 5781.
He was 39.
Rabbi Dukes was the founder and director of the JNet organization, who devoted his life to assisting thousands around the world in learning Torah.
After he fell ill 9 months ago, his wife, Sarah Dukes, inspired thousands with her strong faith and belief that her husband would survive. Her updates on her husband’s condition and progress were a source of inspiration to many.
Last month, Yudi arrived home from the hospital after 8 months of illness, only to be readmitted the next day due to many health complications, including liver failure, due to COVID.
He passed away today, leaving his wife Sarah and 6 children.
He is also survived by his parents, Aaron and Hinda Dukes of Minnesota, and siblings, Chana Feiga Dukes – Minnesota, Dovber Dukes – Chicago, Shifra Livne -Israel, Asher Dukes – Minnesota, Hadassah Burrows – Rechovot, Shmuel Dukes – Chicago, Rochel Dukes – Minnesota and Elisheva Dukes – Minnesota.
The Levaya will take place today, passing by 770 at 3:00 PM and Old Montefiore Cemetery at 4:00 PM.
Shiva is at 46 Cedarhurst Ave, Cedarhurst NY
Motzei Shabbos, Jan. 23: 6:30-9:30 PM
Jan. 24-26: 10AM-1PM, 3-5, 7-8:30
Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.
A one million dollar campaign has been launched to help Sarah and her children, please donate what you can at https://www.charidy.com/dukes/COLlive
So so sad
So sad 🙁
Bde
We can’t wait it must be now. We demand now and not another minute!!! NOt one second more ! Take us take us now to the mikdash ha shlishi
There are no word to describe the pain. I am sure we all believed he was going to be back home with his family. Now he is at home with Hashem. May Hashem send his family strenght and may we merit the coming of moshiach so we can all be reunited with our loved ones!
Baruch Dayan Haemes! We are shocked and saddened by this loss and inspired by his emunah and courage. May Hashem comfort his mishpacha and send Moshiach immediately!
Terrible, terrible. We were all hoping and praying and a few months ago he seemed to be doing better. So sad. May Hashem bless his family with strength and may we be reunited with Yudi and all of klal Yisroel with Moshiach tzikaynu. Baruch dayan Ha’Emes
I’m crying. My children said tehillim for Yudi throughout. I am sorry for the pain. MOSHIACH NOW!
Baruch dayan haemes
Bde
Our nation lost a great hero today 😭😭
May Sarah and the kids be comforted and may Hashem only show them revealed good from here on.
Davening for the Dukes family
Baruch Dayan HaEmet. I was hoping for better news. Everything is in Hashem’s hands. May the family be comforted during this very sad time.
BDE No words…..
this is too much with whats going on
I am in tears reading this, may hashem send comfort to sara her kids and all those who loved and cared for yudi. Said tehilim for him everyday. Wishing his family nothing but blessings here on out. We are crying with you. Sending love!
May Hashem being comfort and healing to Dukes and Spangenthal families and to all of Klal Yisroel with Moshiach NOW!
Buruch Dayan haemes
May Hashem bring comfort to his family ❤️
Baruch Dayan Haemes!!! No words Just no words. Such a special person. I did not know him. Just followed his story and struggles and I am inspired by how he believed and was the most positive person, during trying times. . . Hashem takes the best, for some reason. There is no other way to put it. My highlight of the famous Shluchim Zoom Farbrengan was to hear Yudi speak from the hospital how Tanya and Chassidis helped him overcome the tremendous pain and suffering that he was going through. The man was a giant. A true Chossid. A positive… Read more »
REBBE! YOUR CHILDREN ARE SUFFERING! there are absolutely no words to describe the shock and pain that everyone is feeling right now, ESPECIALLY his family. PLEASE HASHEM! Have Rachmonus on us!
HOW MUCH LONGER DO WE HAVE TO WAIT?!
Such painful news. Hashem has left us with more questions than answers. Surely all of the mitzvos and tefillos that were said around the world are now bringing Yudi to the highest of heights. Please watch over us Yudi, we love you.
Like everyone, I’m just devastated by this dreadful news. I am amazed at how many people Yudi and his tzedeket wife Sarah Inspired and influenced. Even today, as she broke the news, her message was strong.
Sarah, may you and your beautiful family continue to be strong- Yudi zt”l will always be deeply missed, but from Gan Eden he can achieve what no one else has Done. And your love and devotion as well as your incredible Emunah will break down walls. Baruch Dayan HaEmet.
Just crying.
Such painful news
May Hashem send comfort to his parents, Sarah, his children and his siblings
May the zchus of his impact on this world give him a great Aliyah.
So sad. Condolences to the entire Dukes family. May Hashem comfort you and strengthen you to draw inspiration from Yudi’s life in order to continue impacting the world to bring Moshiach. Hope we all learn to take steps for the betterment of other’s spiritual well-being, which encompasses their physical and emotional health, especially when it requires putting ourselves aside. Perhaps when such acts become more common and less extraordinary then Moshiach will come faster.
Consider the amount of good Yudi brought to this world via his holy work and shlichus at Jnet. Yudi connected hundreds (perhaps thousands) of chavrusa pairs that would study Torah regularly. I personally have been a member of Jnet for the past twelve years. Yudi has a tremendous Zchus in the Mitzvah of Limud Torah as well as the other amazing Mitzvos (new Mezuzah’s, Tefilin, Shabbos, Kashrus etc. etc. that many of the chavrusa’s have begun taking on) these were a direct result of his work. It’s outstanding to consider the amount of good and the sheer scale of… Read more »
You were a true warrior and a living miracle that inspired many. My sincere condolences to you, your family and loved ones.
He was sooo positive!
He will dearly be missed!
Hashem yerachaim!
BDE
Yudi is the best of the best. What more can be said…
Our dad, ע״ה, was so proud to be a part of JNet thru Yudi, as a chavrusa with an inmate in Wyoming, among others.
May the entire Dukes family be immediately comforted through the reunification with Yudi now!
והקיצו ורננו שוכני עפר והוא בראשם תיכף ומיד ממש
The Hein family, Teaneck NJ
Cuz this is too much!!
Sending love and comfort to Sarah and the family
BDE we lost a special soul today to Shamayim where Hashem needed him more. Why? It’s not for our understanding just know he was so special and brought light to so many. Sarah snd her children as well as Hinda and Aaron, his parents were blessed by his neshama
Hashem yerachem!
Shaking and in utter shock!! Refusing to believe!
Ad Mosai???
May Sarah and the big Dukes family all find comfort!!!
No words!!!
We need guela today!!!!
Yudi was a great person whom i had the pleasure of spending a great amount of time with at shul and as a friend. A wonderful father, great friend, great bal korah, great smile that lit up everyone and im sure a wonderful husband not to mention great speaker and founder of a amazing organization jnet. Will be missed greatly. Yirmi
I am speechless. My heart is hurting.
May Hashem comfort his family
Right b4 yud shvat MOSHIACH NOW AD MOSAI!!!
This is just way to painful!
I have lumps in my throat and tears in my eyes!
Hashem, AD MOSAI!!??
Yudi is one of the finest people I’ve ever met. I’ve known him since he and Sarah were dating. Gentle soul. Kind and faithful and devoted. What inspired me, and thousands of others, is Sarah’s outsize dedication to healing Yudi and her faith in G-d. It is without question what kept Yudi alive for many months past what any medical prognosis would allow. She rallied the troops, whether it was the army of people praying for Yudi, his friends, his doctors. She bought him time with their precious children, something that will surely sustain them in the future. Sarah, so… Read more »
I was praying for him even after he left the hospital. I never stopped praying. NO! Please Hashem all my prayers that I did for him to get better here, please let it stand before him that he should be immediately be with our Rebbe! And cry ad mosai!
What a special neshama. He will be a meilitz yosher Lklal yisroel
Sarah we are with you. We stand by you and your precious children.
May Hashem bentch you.
You represent the nashim tzidkanios of our generation. Moshiach now!
So Sad!
We need moshiach now!!!
ברוך דיין האמת
לאשתו חיזקי ואמצי
כולנו מחזיקים לך אצבעות
No words. Moshiach now!
Just tears. No words.
BDE
So sad. I can’t stop thinking of Sarah, their family, Selwyn, Chaya Bracha and Yudi’s entire family. He was truly the nicest man I have ever met. I still can’t believe this. Yudi you will be missed. Love to the family.😓
This is so disappointing! Moshiach needs to come! It’s not fair! We were so optimistic and we were all praying for him. I am a proud wife of my husband who has jnet chavrusahs for over 12 years because of Yudi. May all this Torah learning bring moshiach today! Ad mosai!
Why!! 🙁 🙁
I am shocked and saddened to hear of Yudi’s passing. I was blessed to have spoken with him twice because of JNet. Those conversations really touched me. I am so glad that he got to be reunited with his family before his untimely passing. May they find comfort from knowing how loved and admired he was.
This is beyond heartbreaking.
What suffering! What loss!
What an exceptional woman.
May Hashem show us only revealed good.
May he protect and give strength to this incredible Aishes Chayil and kinderlach.
Ad mosai, Ad mosai, Ad Mosai!
Yudi, Please bring Moshiach with you NOW!!!
ברוך דיין האמת- המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים – Baruch Dayan HaEmes – Blessed is the True Judge. Hamakom yenachem eschem b’soch sha’ar aveilei Tzion v’Yerushalayim! May his memory be for a blessing and his family be comforted among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. He was an example to all of us. He will be truly missed. His light shines on in the lives of all the people that he came in contact with. He was a mensch of the highest order, and the past 10 months, he and his wife Sarah have been the… Read more »
BDE. I learned with Yudi in Argentina. He was smart, funny and nice.
He learned Spanish on his own and loved to Lein.
I’m a little anti social, and will sometimes avoid saying hi to people but I always enjoyed saying hi to Yudi in the years after… He was very pleasant to talk to always.
His kids have a lot to look up to, I can’t imagine how much his family will miss him.
There are no words that can describe the pain.
However at least on a positive note, over 500K was raised to help the family when he would come home. At least Yudi knows his family is financially taken care of.
They should know no more pain!!!
Sarah, you are such an inspiration!
May Hashem bentch you and your family with only brachos and simchos from now on!
Sending over so much love and hugs.
Moshiach NOW!!!!!!!
How sad, what a great man. So many wonderful conversations with him. May Hashem embrace the family. He performed his mission so well.
We all just celebrated Yudi’s 39th Birthday on line, together WITH Yudi. He was so cheerful and full of positivity! We ALL got to know him and love him. Hashem, this MUST be the true end of Golus and the beginning of Geulah. We are doing our best. Now YOU DO what you do best. Bring Moshiach and reveal yourself to us.
We DEFINITELY deserve it.
This is so so heartbreaking. May Hashem give you all the strength to deal with this tragedy. המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שערי ציון וירושלים May you be reunited with him now!
Crying. I’m so sorry that this happened! May Hashem comfort the dukes. Ad Masai!
How could this be
Wonderful guy from a wonderful family. Truly a good person through and through. We can never know why tragedy strikes, but this one really sucks the life out of me.
Same Yarhzeit as Rabbi Menachem Shmuel Dovid HaLevi Raichik, the Rebbe’s SHADAR, not a coincidence
May Hashem comfort the family and all that are affected
Baruch Dayan HaEmes
Hamqkom Yenacheim Eschem Besoch Shaar Aveilei Tzion ViYerushalayim
Veheekeetzu Veranenu Shochnei Afar Vehu Besochom
Dear Dukes family, my heart goes out to you! I have been following your story the past several months, and have been davening and having Bitachon along with everyone else. May Hashem send Moshiach NOW, and bring Yudi back to you and all of us!
there is no two ways about it, we demand that moshiach come now because enough is enough. I’m crying and I’ve never met Yudi Dukes or his family, but I, along with countless other Yidden, said Tehillim for his refua.
I was sorry to hear of Yudi’s passing. I didn’t really know Yudi well, I just spoke to him maybe several times at the most. He seemed be to be a friendly pleasant person. My heart goes out to his lovely family. Hamokom yenachem etchem btoch sharei aveilei tzion v’yerushalayim. May G-D comfort all you between the mourners of zion and Jerusalem. Hoping for the geula shleima, and tcihos hamasim b’korov mamash, Bezrath Hashem
yours truly,
Yosef Yitzchok Seligson