Reb Zalman Tornek, a longtime resident of Tzfat, Israel and former resident of Crown Heights, passed away on Sunday, 5th Chanukah candle, 29 Kislev.
He was 86 and passed away after a short illness.
Reb Zalman was known as “Uncle Zalman” to many when he lived in Crown Heights.
In recent years he lived in Tzfat, Israel, and was a long-time Shul and community member of the Chabad Shul in Tzfat.
He was predeceased by his wife Chana.
He is survived by his children, Mrs. Chaya Klein of Crown Heights, Dovid Tornek of Miami, FL, Gavriel Tornek of Rechovot, Israel and Menachem Tornek of Flatbush, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The levaya will take place today at the Tzfat cemetery at 2:30 p.m.
Chaya Klein and Dovid Tornek will be sitting shiva at 514 Montgomery St, between Brooklyn and New York Avenue, beginning Monday.
Shachris at 7:30 am
Mincha/Maariv at 4:30 pm
Gavriel Tornek will be sitting at the Tornek home in Tzfas.
Menachem Tornek will be sitting at his home at 1417 East 16th St, Brooklyn.
Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.
Chaya Klein. My sincere condolences on your loss. Boruch dayan haemet
I wanted to thank each and every one of you that took the time to write something kind about my father. Each thought, each word, brought comfort to our family. May he be a gutte better for all Klal Yisroel and may Moshiach restore all our loved ones NOW! May we all have only simchas and besuros tovos to share. Chaya Klein
25 years ago I had a memorable meal in their Denver sukkah with about 30 other people. He and Chana made me feel so comfortable, even though I knew so little about Yiddishkeit. The words he spoke profoundly affected me and helped pave the path to Chabad Chassidus. May his neshama have a continuous aliyah along with his wife, Chana.
“He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again.” Words of Shakespeare fit Reb Zalman Ber Halevi, z”l. I was fortunate to eat Shabbosim and Yomim Tovim in his Montgomery Street apartment 49 years ago for a number of months. He was a genuine lev tov whose dedication to the Rebbe and Judaism were deep. Over the years, we kept in touch and I marvel at both Zalman and his late wife Chana’s warmth, care, and dedication. An open house, an open heart. There are no words. Praise, like gold &… Read more »
Thank you all very much for all the nice story’s I got to read about him. It’s nice seeing all the good he has left.
T.N.Z.B.H
That pink cover. They still have it in Judaica World.
Anyone else remember that story on his record ??
I think it had a pink cover!
From ages ago !
Yes. Uncle Zalmon was really my uncle and i remember that pink record and loved listening to his stories. He was a kind soul and full of passion. RIP with Aunt Chana and mom and dad
Tzfat just won’t feel the same without him
A true pathfinder where ever he went
I remember writing articles for the local newspaper he began in in CH. a very innovative, creative person. May his neshama have an aliya.
Nechama Heber
He was able to put a smile on anyone’s face with his full of life and spirit attitude. A very likable and dedicated individual that will be missed by many.
So special a neshomo….as was his wife. True chassidim in every sense of the word. And how his eyes lit up when he talked about the mitzvot his wife’s sweet potato pie helped achieve. And how he played her love songs on his harmonica. Zalman was not a copy. He was original. A great light was taken from us. May it burn brightly even now to burn the last walls of Galus. Immediately….now…
ברוך דיין האמת
A life so full of giving- always wanted to host people, loved having the machon alte girls over, always thinking of new ideas , taking intiative to make the world a better and brighter place. A true pioneer. Although I have only heard about some of the wonderful things he did and never physically met him, I feel deeply impacted by the accomplishments and life he lived.
The Rebbe was once giving wine to the shluchim and singled out R’ Zalman (who was living in Colorado at the time) and gave him a bottle as well.
What a shliach. His legacy will live on with all that he has created.
He was such a pioneer, always thinking ahead with such innovation.
We met Reb Zalman when he came to Albany, NY, in his mitzvah mobile, selling us seforim. We were newly married baalei teshuva but not Chabad. My husband grew a beard because of that visit and I kept a higher level or tznius as a result of something he said to me then. He invited us to his home for Simchas Torah and he and his family were the reason we moved to Crown Heights and my husband went to learn at Hadar Hatorah. He was a true visionary and chossid, offering kosher pizza store when it wasn’t really heard… Read more »
Yes we remember his radio show! And mobile home…a pioneer.
Hameorer magazine and other outreach Reb Zalman did
Did build a beautiful family to be very proud of
He is with the Rebbe now till moshiach
He also invented the succah mobile! His ideas have influenced the way we chabad chassidim do mivtzoyim until this very day! A true Lubavitcher chassid, he will be missed. BDE.
He ran a safrus shop on the kikar in Tzfat and did so much mivtzoim there. He always hosted so many guests and Machon Alte girls with his wife Chana. He will be sorely missed. Baruch dayan haemes.
That was his organization. BDE
Our deepest sympathies to the Tornek and Klein families. May your fond memories comfort you.
The Eckhaus Family
d earest chaiya, so deeply sorry for your loss. I always remember him as such a vibrant presence so full of energy and life. clear and focused may his determination in all things bring the simcha of revealrd geulah/moshiach now. chanie geisinsky lipsker
He’s the reason I’m a chossid. He was so youthful and had. So much simchas hachaim. Baruch dayan haemes.
The Rebbe looked at him, smiled right at Reb Zalmans camera and said “nu”. A beautiful photo from the 60’s.
Who remembers his story records put out long before anyone else dreamed of it ??
I remember his ranch in Watkins Colorado. In 1984, when the Rebbe said to print a Tanya in every city-
even if only 1 Jew lives there- we printed a Tanya in his house.
BDE
Boruch Dayan Ho’emes
He ran a safrus shop on the kikar in Tzfat and did so much mivtzoim there. He always hosted so many guests and Machon Alte girls with his wife Chana. He will be sorely missed. Baruch dayan haemes.
… and his radio show and his ranch in Watkins, Colorado where he hosted farbrengens and hayrides for Shluchim and the staff of Gan Yisroel, and his restaurant (Uncle Zalman’s) in Denver, and hosting Shiurim in his house… he will be deeply missed. May his נשמה have an עלי׳.
I don’t know if people remember that he invented the mitzvah tank! What a shliach he was in crown heights, Colorado and Tzfat. Baruch dayan haemes.
When I was in seminary in Tzfat , I ate a memorable Shabbos meal at his house. His wife and him were warm and friendly and made us feel so welcome ! If I’m not mistaken I think I rmbr him talking about his innovating interesting types of Mivtzoyim
Also His Pizza Shop on Kingston & Crown
Who remembers Hamorer Mitzvah Scouts?
Was very much mekarev me when I first became chabad in the early 70s.
BS”D BDE Great guy remember him from CH