Reb Yisroel Rapoport: A Man of Kindness

By Rabbi Hersh Loschak – Co-Director of ‎Chabad at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey

Rabbi Yisroel Rapoport, Reb Yisroel as I would call him, embodied the title of “Ish Hachesed” a Man of Kindness. There was not a single thing he would not do for another in need and often, when no one else would do it.

Shortly after I moved to the area in 2013, my father passed away. Naturally, I wanted to say Kaddish for my father but there was no way I would be able to get a minyan on a daily basis. Reb Yisroel invited me to his daily minyan to say Kaddish but there too it was difficult to constantly get a minyan. I watched as each and every day, Reb Yisroel would be on the phone with his community members to make sure that there were 10 men for me to say Kaddish.

Often times when we would get there at 6:45 AM and there was only 3 or 4 of us he would sit on the phone throughout the prayer and literally wake people up to come and pray. On these days, he himself would not get to pray (as he was working the phone) only so that I can honor my father in this special way. When he was out of town, he would call me up and confirm that there would be a minyan. He knew how much it meant to me and he wanted to be there for me.

Of course, he did all this and never asked for anything in return. On the occasion when he did need my help so that he can help others like delivering a matzah to someone, completing a minyan so that someone else could say Kaddish, or filling in for a kosher food plant that he had to visit, he would say to me, “but you have little kinderlach, you can’t do it,” and would only allow me to actually help if I reassured him multiple times that I was indeed able.

The Talmud says that a “Chessed Shel Emes” (TRUE and REAL kindness) is helping with the deceased and the Jewish burial process, as they can never pay you back for the favor. Being that Reb Yisroel was in an elder community (many of whom were Holocaust survivors) he many times would be called in the middle of the night to tend to a deceased body, to stop a cremation or raise funds for a Jewish burial. He never turned the opportunity down.

One special thing that we shared was that we both served as Rabbi Chaplains at South Woods State Prison (though not at the same time). One night, as I was driving home after a long day at the prison, I was on the phone with Yisroel. He could sense in my voice that something was wrong and asked me, “what’s up?” I began telling him how the job was tough and it was getting extremely difficult for me to juggle my main responsibilities at the Chabad House at Rowan and also being a Chaplain. I knew that it was time to pass the job along to another Rabbi but I felt bad leaving my post empty as it would be extremely difficult to find someone to drive all the way down here to take the position.

Reb Yisroel immediately said, “let me make some phone calls. I think I have some ideas.” And he did.

On the eve of this past Yom Kippur, I called him to wish him an easy fast and a good year. I don’t really remember our conversation but what I do remember is listening to his voice and just hearing the love, warmth and kindness coming through the telephone. I remember thinking then how I too must emulate that love. How beautiful it is to always be kind to others, being upbeat and positive, always having a good eye for your fellow and showing that you genuinely care about the other, as Reb Yisroel always did.

I don’t know if I did or do emulate his love but yesterday as I stood by his graveside I felt that I definitely have to redouble my efforts to continue his love.

I ask that you too join me in always finding the good in others and being genuinely kind to all who you meet in his memory. May his memory be a blessing.

Please help support Reb Yisroel’s family at YisroelsLegacy.com