By COLlive reporter
Rabbi Yossi Gourarie, a long-time member of the small yet lively Jewish community in Postville, Iowa, passed away on Monday, 10 Nissan, 5776.
He was 58 and passed away from a terrible illness.
A devoted father and family man, Gourarie worked in his family’s meatpacking plant Agriprocessors in Postville.
He was known as an honest man and good friend, who showed kindness to all.
He is survived by his wife Mrs. Chaya Gourarie (nee Rubashkin) and children Mrs. Rochel Leah Rubashkin – Crown Heights, Mrs. Hindy Labkowsky – Crown Heights, R’ Moishe Gourarie – Florida, R’ Hirschel Gourarie – Penn State, PA, Chana, Sarah Faiga, Baila, and Yirmiyahu Gourarie.
He is also survived by his mother Winnie Gourarie of South Africa, and siblings Esti Fogel – Ottawa, Canada, Michoel Gourarie -Sydney, Australia, Avremie Gourarie – Crown Heights and Chana Labkowsky – Brazil.
The levaya will take place today, Monday, leaving Shomrei Hadas in Boro Park at 2:00 pm and passing by 770 Eastern Parkway at 3:00 pm.
Shiva will take place at 1395 President St. Brooklyn, NY.
Baruch Dayan Haemes.
Dear Chaya Rubashkin Gouraries Dearest Chaya, I was browsing thru the the chabbad sights and noticed the name and relation to your family. I am so saddened by your loss. You and your family are the most amazing people I have ever met. You have such a strong emunah, from Malka who lived with your parents the year1980 at their basement apartment. If you remember-my telephone # 516-801-0137. Please keep in touch. Love to hear from you. You and your family are in my thoughts and i pray for you every day, Thanks to you and your family for many… Read more »
Such sad news!! Im crying for his family ; ( ; (
I didn’t know him personally, but just from seeing his amazing kids I can imagine what a great father he was. Such warm chassidish strong happy children. I really look up to them. May the family only know of simchos from now on and be reunited with their dear father with Moshiach Now!!!!
DEAR HERSHEL, HAMAKOM YENACHEM ESCHEM BETOCH SAR AVEILEI TZION VAYRUSALAYIM MAY WE ONLY HEAR SIMCHIS.
Hashem! How can you do this. Not fair. Not ok. A incredibly special person. An incredibly special family. Chayale you should have the stength and be comforted together with your beautiful children. We need moshiach. Can’t take this.
The most amazing people. Literally. I love you all and crying an crying and crying
He was so so special. A real jem. Can’t stop crying. We need moshiach now. Can’t take it anymore.
im so sorry for you
love ur math class friend u know who
Dear Chayaleh,
We’re sorry for the passing of R. Gourarie, he will be sorrily missed.
We loved him and what he stood for, compassion, righteous living, every thing we would aspire to. Phyliis Goldman
?
bd”e
כאשר באים לכתוב על האדם הנפלא והמיוחד הזה יוסי גוראריה, יש כל כך הרבה מה לכתוב. המאור פנים שלו והחיוך הנלבב שבו קידם כל אחד, האווירה החיובית והשמחה שהגיעה עמו לכל מקום שבו הוא נכנס. המדות הטובות שלו עד להפליא. פעמים רבות כאשר אדם מספר משהו לחבירו, הלה מקשיב לו בחצי אוזן, ובעוד השני מדבר אלינו כבר חושבים מה לענות. יוסי היה אדם שהקשיב לשני בכל ליבו, רק בשביל לשמוע ולא להשמיע. מעולם, מעולם לא שמעו ממנו איזו מילה רעה על מישהו או גיחוך. גם כאשר מישהו שוחח עמו והחל לדבר אודות אדם אחר, יוסי בפקחותו הרבה מיד סובב את… Read more »
I am sorry to hear the terrible news
hamakom yenachem sechem besoch shar avle tziyon veyerushalayim
I remember his kindness and cheerfulness in Yeshive when he was 18 HaMokom Yenachem…
You are such a wonderful girl and I am so sorry for your loss! May we only hear good news from now on. We all love you!!
Love the PC Family
You gave our class so much in the three months you were with us! We love you!!
8th grade, lec
heartbreaking news.
From a former Postville student
in honor of the rebbes birthday please daven for moshiach!!
YOSSI, you graced us with your presence the last few precious months of your life. We enjoyed your chasidishe spirit, Torah insights, your Shabbos and Melave Malke singing. But most of all we got to enjoy your wonderful kinderlach, a most glorious reflection of you and your dear wife Chayala, shetichyeh. May the Eibeshter see and hear the plight of his People and help us get through this horrible loss.
im so sorry may you soul rest in peace how nice and lovely it was to be with u last year in south africa yossi
We were deeply saddened to learn of Yossi’s passing. As the
Shliach Tzibbur at our Rebbetzin Chaya Moussia Hospitality
Center/Chabad House in Rochester, Minnesota, administered
by Rabbi Dovid and Chanie Greene, he was very much part of the shlichus of Upper Midwest Merkos Chabad-Lubavitch. His Torah knowledge brought depth to his
cantorial ability. He will truly be missed. May we soon see
him again with the fulfillment of Hakitzu V’ranenu with the
arrival of Moshiach Tzidkaynu. Yehei zichro baruch.
Rabbi and Mrs. Moshe Feller
I’m so sad, sitting next to your home, couldn’t bring myself to come in, but the chais wow
The Gouraries are the most amazing people I have ever met. Such strong emunah, such energy and passion and chassidishkeit. Truly one of a kind. I went to their camp, Teva Tours, and i must say thet I am forever changed from them. Mrs, Gourarie, Hindy, Chana, Sarah Faiga, Baila, Yirmiyahu and all the rest, I am so sorry. May Hashem bring you only simchos from here on and may we dance in the streets of Yerushalayim with Moshiach NOW!
אין מילים ממש אין מילים
הלם מוחלט קהילה שלמה באבל
לעולם לא נשכח את החיוך שלך לכל אדם
את המידות הטובות של אהבת ישראל ואהבת האדם
את הגרב שלך מעל המכנס מדווש מפוסטויל לוואקען
את הראש שלך מסובב לגבאי ,היחיד שמקשיב לו מכולם….
את הריחוק מפוליטיקה ואת היכולת לחייך ולדבר גם למי שרק לפניכמה דקות דרך עלך….
את החיות שלך בהתועדיות ואת הפנים המאירות שלך בסדר ניגונים
האור שלך יחסר לנו והמאור שלך לא ישוב
חסיד אמיתי שכל מילה להסביר מה הכוונה רק תחסיר מהמשמעות שלך כחסיד
והחי יתן אל ליבו
תהיו חזקים משפחה יקרה
אוהבים וכואבים
ידידי אמת מפוסטוויל
Chayela
We are so sad , there are no words.
Hashem should bring Moshiach already and you should be reunited.
The Erlenweins
The Gourarie family is the most kind, caring, giving, and loving family! Such a tragedy, I can’t comprehend. We need moshiach now! Lots of love and prayers for strength and comfort.
BAILAAAAA WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH
This is Avremi Laizer and Shmuelik Maor, we want to tell you we are very sad and sorry of such sad news and we learned 2 more lines of Tanya for your abba’s neshoma and we love you and miss you and your whole family and we will see you very soon and your abba when Moshiach comes NOW we love you!
we love you and miss you too!!!! may hashem give you the strangth you need
You cant understand how much we feel your pain and tears. He was a teacher who would always make us understand what and when we need to. Hashem should only be bringing simcha into the world and to your family. Moshiach should come with all of postville marching together with the geula immediately!!!!
we love and miss you baila!
Love your dear postville class.
It is no accident that the levaya of Rabbi Yossi is one day immediately before the birthday of the Rebbe. His kindness, wisdom and his loving neshama will forever be in our hearts. We are beyond words.
Love, Victor and Tara
My precious Chayale,
May G-d give you strength and comfort.
We should all learn from you how to be such a good wife and mother.
Sending hugs and much love
Rochel Leah and Hindy, I never met your father but just by seeing you and your mother I can picture an eidel and warm person.
May Hashem comfort you and bring moshiach right now! We can’t wait no more
Sara feiga, we love you,and are always here for you.
We are crying with you.
Hashem will bring moshiach now!!
Stay strong
We love you Baila!
and are always here for you
We cry with you and feel your pain
Love your fellow grade-mates from Bais Rivkah 8th Grade
The happiness and warmth that this man brought to his family, my family, and the world during his lifetime is astronomical. Rabbi Gourarie was the living embodiment of Judaism. His voice singing Kol Nidre and all the other prayers of Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashana at the Chabad of Rochester is the physical manifestation of Judaism to me and everyone else who heard it. He had the ability to capture the people around him and express the clarity and holiness of his soul and the power of Judaism. There are very few people like Rabbi Gourarie in this world. I… Read more »
For Aliyah’s neshama
R’ Yossi was a dugma chaya of a chossid; an impecable mesudar who radiated true simchas hachayim. His face would light up when singing a chassidishe niggun and he would chazur a maamar/sicha as a soldier of hiskashrus. He will be sorely missed, even as we watch his children emulate his shining example. May you be comforted among all the mourners of Tziyon and Yerushalayim with the coming of Moshiach, the resurrection of the deceased, and the abolishment of tears forevermore!
A pillar of the postville Jewish community! He will be greatly missed,
I am sure he will storm the heavens for his brother in law sholom mordechai halevi ben rivkah, and for all of us who are stuck in this mess called golus
BDE! I’m so sorry to hear about your loss! Chana,I can thinking about you. Your father must have been an incredible person. Chana you are a one of kind person!
We need Moshiach now!!
Your friend , Sarah M
Baila, we r always here for you!!!!!
Love, b.r.e.s. 8th grade
BAILA we feel for you beyoned words and were crying with you! May you know of no more pain with moshiach!
LOVE your Postville class
I dint know this man but if his children are a reflection of him than he must have been something special!May Hashem comfort them in this time!
Yossi was a good friend who I always considered to be of the highest integrity. I will miss him.
Wayne
Your such a special teacher. This is so terrible :(:(((((. Hashem should bless ur special family. We love you Miss Gourarie! -BMHS
we need moshiach!!!
yossi was an amazing person with a kind soul, may we only hear of simchos!!!
Ein milim. Hamakom yenachem eschem besoch shaar aveilei tzion beyerushalayim.
Baruch Dayan haEmes. So sorry to hear this
BDE! Aunty Winnie, Michoel, Avremi thinking of you all at this difficult time. May Hashem comfort you all.
ברוך-דיין האמת, צו מיין זיסע-ליבע קוזין
ביילא-רישא גנזבורג שממילא מיט איר משפחה המורחבת
And will be remembered for his kindness and for the
Nigunim he so loved to sing correctly.
We were recently together in Miami Beach when he as always
Asked me to sing nigunim with him
Yossi your were a great person
Miss you
Condolences to the family
Your friend
Arke
Baila,we love you and care about u if u ever need anything we are there. No one can ever take away the pain that is with in you we can only create new loving feeling. if you need anything we are all there.
a caring grade mate
Yossi was such a huge light to EVERYONE in the town of Postville and EVERYONE in town agrees, one of the nicest men we’ve ever known. Jew and non-Jewish alike. Yossi spread love and light to every person and we should learn from his example. You saved my son, Daniel, and he loved learning his Bar Mitzvah parsha with you. Baruch Hashem, he reads exactly as you did. Baruch Hashem.
Chaya’le…I’m so sorry for your loss. You and the children are in my thoughts and prayers.
You are Such a special girl, know hat we are all thinking of you! You are not alone in this.. Hashem will give you the kouach you need, and you will continue being the shining light to all ..! You are bringing moshiach! And you will be reunited with your dear father..!
So sorry!!! May the family be comforted! No words!
A beautiful soul. Hashem ad mosai! Hashem, please comfort his beautiful wife and family. No more galus!!! Moshiach now!!!
You are the strongest people I know, and you literally inspire me to grow and become a better chossid. May Hashem comfort you, and let’s be reunited with all those who have passed on, with Moshiach Now!!
moshiach now
Yossi, please go up to the Kisei Kavod and demand from Hashem to stop the Tzaros!! Please be a meilitz yosher on behalf of your family and for a yeshua krova umeleia for sholom mordechai halevi Ben Rivkah. And please beg Hashem for Moshiach. Hakitzu veranenu shochnei afar.
bde his daughter baila is my friend shes so sweet and fun why does this have to happen
Today’s the 10th yartzeit of another gentle giant, Yitzchok Nemes a”h.
May they both, together with all the kedoshim storm the heavens for the ultimate Geula now!!!!
ברוך דיין האמת
משפחה יקרה חזקו ואמצו
אבא שלכם הולך לבקש מה׳
עד מתי!!! משיח עכשיו!!!
Baila were here for you if you need anything
He taught two things to me, a kid a couple of years younger than bar mitzvah (if I remember correctly):
1. Gemara – perek Elu Metzios, and he made it so engaging that I remember going back and forth thinking: Abaye is correct! No, Rava is correct!;
2. Menschlichkeit – I had to be responsible: on time; with my own Gemara, etc.
יהי זכרו ברוך
Yisroel M. Sandman
Hamakom yenachem sechem besoch shar avle tziyon veyerushalayim
What great loss for Kull Israel, Before the Gouraries moving to Postville, we had the honor having them in s. paul, they never forget there community in S.Paul, and always traveled from Postville to participate in may occasions. , we wish Chaya and the children Strength to coop with such great loss.
We have lost so many great young men and women Hashem you have brought great assembly of them By Your Thrown, they begging You on our behave to full Your Promise and Reveal The Moshiach soon
Oy we need moshiach now!!
BDE
We love you baila!
BDE, Ad Mosai.
I remember him as head counselor was a real mentch moshiach now!
ברוך דיין האמת!
Your father was really a very special man! I learned a lot from him!
I will never forget all those trips he would take us, he was so organized! So מסודר, he always wanted us to have fun and be happy. He had such a positive atmosphere around him!
He will really be missed for a lot of people and especially for the members of our community- Postville
May we merit to greet moshiach now! Before pesach!
I dont have adequate words to describe the pain we are all in.
Without a doubt, this is the last straw, and moshiach will come NOW.
there is no other reasoning. He is storming the heavens, for sure.
to the best people in the world, who were blessed with such an AMAZING man as a father, husband, father in law, etc,…may Hashem comfort you.
Boruch Dayin HoEmes! Yossi was a real Mentch!
He will be missed!!
May the Family be strong at this time.
I’m in total shock! A tzaddik of a man… Sara Feiga we love you!!!
Only thing we can say is BDE MOSHIACH NOW!!!
we also took upon hachlotos
I dint know this man but if his children are a reflection of him than he must have been something special!May Hashem comfort them in this time!
BDE
Dear Chana, I am so sorry….. No words can describe the sorrow that is in my heart….. I love you! I’m always here for you and so are your family and friends! May you and your family know no more sorrow!
his wife was in charge of the camp i went to and he was there for a week. when he got sick we baked challa and said tihilim.
we need mashiach!
Enough is enough! Ad mosai!!! Enough of this golus!!! We got to Ker a velt and bring Moshiach already!!! We need true unity.
What a tragedy! Just in tears.
I am sorry to hear the terrible news
hamakom yenachem sechem besoch shar avle tziyon veyerushalayim
Heart bleeds.
a trajedy.
Moshiach now!!!!!
I’m so sorry for the loss. You are a doll and I’m sure your father is storming heavens for you.
DEVASTATING