Rabbi Yisrael Shmuel Engel, a beloved teacher who impacted thousands of students as a lifelong educator, passed away on Thursday, Tzom Gedalya, 5782.
He was 86.
Rabbi Yisrael Shmuel Engel was born in Hungary in 1934 and emigrated to the USA in 1939, right before World War II began.
His father, who served as rabbi in Duluth, Minnesota, sought out a Yeshiva in 1944 for his son Yisroel Shmuel. Impressed with the Yiras Shomayim at the Lubavitcher Yeshiva, he chose it for his son. Yisroel Shmuel was inspired by the Ahavas Yisrael in Lubavitch, and adopted an approach that remained with him for life: to inspire everyone he met to embrace Torah and Mitzvos, in the warm spirit of Chassidus. A great many individuals came to embrace Torah and Chassidus Chabad through his love, teaching, and encouragement.
In 1962, he married Leah Fogelman. Together they built a very warm and open home where all they encountered – whether they knew them or not – were made to feel as if it was their OWN home. Yisroel Shmuel’s unique knack for inspiring children led him to a life devoted to Chinuch, being Mechaneich thousands of children, infusing them with an abiding love of HaShem, Torah and all Yidden.
In his youth, he helped coordinate the Released Time program and ran early Lag B’omer parades. He led Mesibos Shabbos programs for children – a custom he continued for some seventy years.
His teaching career began in the Lubavitch Yeshiva in Springfield, Massachusetts (1960-61). He continued in Oholei Torah (1962-2006), where thousands of Talmidim found through him a love of Torah learning, Davening, and Yiras Shomayim.
His energy seemed unending and was inspiring to all who met him. By day he taught in Yeshiva school, in evenings he taught Shiurei Erev to experienced learners, and on Shabbos he gathered many (up to close to 100) children in 770, inspiring them to Daven with warmth and feeling (and to enjoy plenty of Nosh!). Shabbos afternoons he arranged Mesibos Shabbos. His storytelling was legendary. Generations of campers in Gan Yisroel in Parksville and elsewhere in the Catskills also remember his inimitable and inspiring calls of rewards for studying Mishnayos by heart.
Rabbi Engel’s profoundly loving approach and devotion to his Talmidim, and uniquely creative way to make Torah subjects accessible to the minds and hearts of his students, made him a Rebbe who touched thousands with a deep love for Torah learning and Yiddishkeit.
Rabbi Engel never gave up on his Talmidim – or anyone else, for that matter – and never stopped influencing them positively, whether they were to be found within the yeshivah walls or outside of them.
His Chessed to the needy was profound, exemplary, discreet and deeply heartfelt. His profound Ahavas Yisrael, infectious Simchas Chayim and incredible optimism brought Brochoh and joy to thousands – whether through his helping financial hand, a warm Shabbos meal, a place to sleep a night (or many…), or an uplifting word of encouragement he readily offered all he encountered – completely irrespective of their social, economic and/or spiritual station in life.
In his later years, he continued to teach and inspire young and old, in numerous Chabad houses in Florida where he spent winters, and in his summer residence in Cleveland, Ohio. As long as his Neshomoh breathed life into his Guf, he continued his Shlichus (life mission) to uplift and encourage every Yid he met, materially and spiritually.
He passed away after an illness.
He was predeceased by his first wife Mrs. Leah Engel (nee Fogelman). He is survived by his second wife Mrs. Ada Engel (previously: Staiman) and by his children: his daughter Esther Bas Sheva Engel of Brooklyn, NY, his daughter Chana Blumenfeld of Brooklyn, NY, his son Rabbi Yossi Engel of Adelaide, South Australia, his daughter Nechama Dina Brenenson of Brooklyn, NY, and many grandchildren and recently, great grandchildren.
Rabbi Engel’s family requests that people please share any positive experience or story, large or small, they had with Rabbi Yisrael Shmuel Engel, at:
https://sharetoremember.com/reb-yisroel-shmuel-engel
The Levaya will take place Sunday, 6 Tishrei
Shomrei Hadas at 12:00pm
Passing Oholei Torah (667 Eastern Parkway) and then 770 at 1:00pm
Kevurah follows at Old Montefiore Cemetery
Shiva Information
(Week beginning 6 Tishrei)
711 Eastern Pkwy
Brooklyn, NY 11213
First Floor
Minyanim:
Shacharis
Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday
9:00am
Mincha & Maariv
Sunday, Monday & Tuesday
7:00pm
Mincha on Wednesday, Erev Yom Kippur
2:30pm
Nichum Aveilim:
Sunday
Until 9:30pm
Monday & Tuesday
10:00am – 2:00pm
5:30pm – 9:30pm
Wednesday, Erev Yom Kippur
10:00am – 12:00pm
Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.
He helped many people in Crown Heights with their Pesach needs for many years. All under the radar.
פעם ניגשתי אליו וביקשתי ממנו אם יכול לעזור למשפחה עניה בקראון הייטס לפני החגים.
הוא שמע מה
…שאמרתי ולא אמר כלום. הרושם שקיבלתי ממנו היה שכנראה הוא לא יעזור הרבה
. אחרי כמה ימים הוא בא אלי, ונתן לי סכום כסף גדול מאד עבור המשפחה הזאת
יהי זכרו ברוך.
One of the kindest persons I met. He inspired myself and my wife and some of my kids. This is one of the people that you hope alway be around, but the day came 🙁 BDE
Rabbi Engel was an incredible man. He taught me many amazing things about life and yiddishkeit. And personally was able to change the trajectory of my growth and development (over a very short period of time). I will carry his memory with me always.
He cared for his students and always came up with creative ways to keep the boys interested in learning. He started the first library and had the students in the class run it.
BDE he was a great man.
Wonderful Rebbe.
I had him in Oholei Torah in 1972.
Will be greatly missed.
Most loved person just like his brother so sad !!!! Bdh
Such a special person. He will be so missed.
Great Yid and teacher
He was one of a kind. If a talmid was struggling. He would tutor them on his own time outside of school hours with out charging them a cent. He was trully dedicated to his students.
Rabbi Engel was my fourth-grade teacher. His love of teaching, his love for his students, and his devotion to both, were nothing short of amazing. He often arrived hours before class to prepare his classes. One of the few teachers who made a lasting impact. I will always remember him fondly.
Rabbi Engle was like a grandfather to me. I remember we made potato pancakes together for Chaunuka when I was ten years old and sleeping over their home for shabbos. For the holiday’s he would sometimes give cards to me filled with beautiful pictures that he hand drew like tzedaka boxes and coins as well as shofars. He even helped my mom and I become kosher by buying us new kitchen items and koshering them for us out of the kindness if his heart. We also remember him riding his three wheeled bike too. He has left a great impact… Read more »
I remember as a child his vivid storytelling in camp. As an adult when I would see him it always brought a smile to my face; memories of those stories that he brought to life and which remained with me always.
You will always be remembered.
Zev Feldman
Spoke NY English
He was my 4Th grade Rebbi in OT on Eastern Parkway and Rochester
Fond memories of him
Was electric!
ת.נ.צ.ב.ה
His rallies were so special every single shabbos and gave kids who needed somewhere to go and leave their home situation on long shabbosim a happy vibrant place to be where each child was treated with love and respect
Rabbi Engel a”h helped us with out with our Shlichus for 1 year.
Rabbi Engel once came in a Blizzard to “pick up” our son for Yeshiva even though it was an official snow day and he lived many blocks away. It might have seemed heroic but to those who knew him it was right in character and so natural for this Chassid to take every minute of learning with his Talmudim as serious and precious. He personally kept the Yeshiva open that day for an eight year old boy! The best proof of success: The kids loved him as he loved them. The parents respected a truly devoted teacher and I for… Read more »
Rabbi Engel loved ALL Jews and fought for Black Jewish children as though they were his own . A rare gem in Crown Heights. May his neshamah have the greatest Aliyah for the Torah he taught and the heartfelt acts of love and kindness he performed for the children of Baalei Teshuvah and Geirim desperately in need of a warm smile, a kind word, and an understanding heart. May his memory be a blessing.
This is very true of my precious uncle.
I was taken out of class by Oholei Torah since my father could not pay tuition, i was called down to the office and was told to sit there. A classmate past by and told my teacher Rabbi Engel that i was sitting near the office. He understood right away what was going on and sent someone to tell me to come back to class. He had a great heart and the fact that he realized what was going on was due to his attention to the pain of a Talmid. If not for that act, i would probably have… Read more »