A campaign is picking up steam to support the widow and children of a beloved Russian-born rabbi and former Refusenik, remembered as “a truly rare breed of Chossid and Mekushar.”
When Rabbi Gershon Giter passed away tragically last month, he left a grief-stricken family and a devastated community. Now his colleagues and friends are trying to “pay him back” for his years of selfless devotion, leadership and love.
A GoFundMe campaign started just yesterday has already raised more than $19,000 for the family of the Minnesota rabbi. Organizers are turning to the global Chabad community to help them reach the first $80,000 milestone to ensure his widow and children celebrate Tishrei in dignity.
“Rabbi Giter was a strong leader, an incredible father and a truly rare breed of Chossid and Mekushar,” remembers Rabbi Manis Friedman, a close friend and one of the campaign’s organizers. “He found far more joy in helping others than in serving himself.”
PLEASE DONATE NOW: GoFundMe.com/giterfamily
At one time a Refusenik from Leningrad, Gershon Giter was told by the head of the KGB “you are going to rot here”. Miraculously, after not giving up on his dream to leave, he made it to the USA just 6 months later.
With the Rebbe’s Brochos and guidance, Rabbi Giter founded Congregation Bais Menachem, the center for Russian speaking Jews in Minnesota that he led until his passing.
He worked hard to support his family every day to his final day. Yet, his illness over the past few years saw him in out of hospitals, rehabs and treatment centers and unable to provide. His family must now count on the brotherhood of Chassidim to help them survive.
A close friend and supporter describes a man with an enormous heart and unswerving principles. “He was a joyous Baal Tzedakah whose smile was constant. His spirit was always lively, he was always ready with a friendly joke to relax everyone around him, and yet at his core, he was intensely serious about his Yiddishkeit, his responsibility to teaching others and his obligations to the Rebbe.”
Many owe their Jewish education to Gershon Giter. Often, after committing to cover Yeshiva, summer camp or seminary tuitions, he would end up paying out of his own pocket. The GoFundMe campaign can reciprocate in a small way.
As a highly knowledgeable person, Rabbi Giter was able to provide advice and assistance in many different areas. He saved marriages, led many teens away from drugs and saved countless immigrants from despair. He was a brilliant scientist and inventor, a hard-working businessman, and sensitive, dedicated Chossid whose love for the Rebbe knew absolutely no bounds.
Rabbi Friedman marvels at the joy and gratitude with which Rabbi Giter lived. “We never heard a word of complaint about the difficult years he spent behind the Iron Curtain as a Refusenik,” he says.
Those who were near Rabbi Giter during his final struggle with a terrible disease, affirm that the same inner strength displayed itself. “His will to live never died, never even wavered. The stubborn spirit that brought hundreds home to Yiddishkeit, inspired countless men and boys to get a Bris, and gave him no rest in his quest to always become a better and more connected Chossid animated this unique man literally until his last day.”
Please donate generously today: GoFundMe.com/giterfamily.
Today Mrs. Giter is left to care for the beautiful family of strong and good children that she raised with her husband. She is turning to the community of Anash and Shluchim to help her provide for her family through Tishrei and into the New Year.
The Giter Family fund is administered by Machane Israel and Rabbi Shlomo Friedman of Lubavitch Youth Organization, and overseen by the following committee:
Rabbi Manis Friedman
Rabbi Hershel Krinsky
Rabbi Yehoshua Borenstein
Rabbi Shua Brook
Mr. Pinchos Fershtman
[email protected]
Thank you for your generosity
I would like to send a donation via PayPal rather than gofundme. Does anyone know if there is an email address I can send the money too?
Rabbi Giter spend so much of his personal money helping and supporting other YIdden. Lets follow his legacy and help his special family
He impacted the lives of so many people, often behind the sences without taking any credit. When he was doing a chesed money was not a factor.
I am privileged to have known Rabbi Giter.
He acted and cared for me like a father.
He would ask about my welfare and give me spending money without question.
I miss this good man Rabbi Giter.
I am lucky to have known him.
May the Giter family find peace and brachos at this trying time.
All my care and love for you.
The beautiful family he has raised and will continue to be an inspiration to others around then for many years yu to come us a testament to who rabbi gitter was.
May his neshama have an aliya
They are special people. Gershon was always at the front line giving without expecting anything in return. He sent one of my children to “Master Mind” and gave advice freely and lovingly to anyone on need. Please help us raise funds to help the Giter family thru this difficult time.
*MOSHIACH NOW*
Such good friends of mine who are always ready to do for others, just like their father! Hashem should show His kindness on the entire family and shower them with brochos!!
Rabbi Giter provided so much support for my family through great time and harder times. He was a true tzadik and real chossid with such a sincere and pure ahavas Yisroel! We can all learn such great lessons from him and it’s only right that we give back and show our support to his family
Rabbi Gitter A’H is no doubt looking down and schepping nachas from his beautiful family that he left behind. Emesdike yiddim, true chassidim.
Please help out in any way that you can. Rally in the month of Elul and give extra tzeddakah
Rabbi Giter spend so much of his personal money helping and supporting other YIdden. Lets follow his legacy and help his special family
May his neshama have an Aliyah and may the family be able to continue on strong for many many more years.
unbelievably Sad. Let’s help this family regain and start building up
The Gitter sisters are amazing and have really what seems to be emulated their fathers middos. Special special people
Such a warm and loving family. They have taught me so much
Congregation Bais Menachem
6120 Quinwood Lane N #2215
Plymouth, MN, 55442
Tax deductible receipt will be provided.
Thank you
Mail check to Cong. Bais menachem
6120 quinwood Ln N. Suite 2215
Plymouth MN 55442
He deserves all our help.
May we only hear good news.
checks can be made out to “Congregation Bais Menachem” 6120 Quinwood Lane North
Suite 2215
Plymouth, MN 55442
Please give to this remarkable family.
He left behind a family of chasidim
BS”D
where mail check and who make it out to
May Hashem comfort the entire family
Sending love to the entire Giter family
So true, very special family
Please donate to such a great family.
Rabbi Giter spend so much of his personal money helping and supporting other YIdden. Lets follow his legacy and help his special family
You can see from his children what a special person he was
I knew Gershon well. He was such a giving person always there for other people. It’s terrible he had to go this way.
May the family find comfort just knowing how lucky they were to have such a father. He is surely looking out for you.
Whoever can (as I did) please give all you can for his family. His wife and children are such decent people.
I never met him but tremendous things are spoken of him. We must help his mishpocho in any way we can particularly financially, they’re great people who’ve fallen on an unexpected tzoro. Donate donate donate and the eibershter will repay many times over!
Rabbi Giter was so amazing and inspirational! May his legacy continue as we all learn to give from him. Please give to this important cause every little bit adds up. May we all be reunited with our loved ones again erythromycin soon!
May his family have Nechama.
I never had the privledge to meet him but heard that he was a legend. May the family have only simchas from here on!
Thank you for posting this link, and giving ppl an opertunity to help the family of this beautiful man!
May his family have Nechama, and much SImcha in the very near future!
CHK
This is a great cause
Baruch Dayan haemes
Chaval al davdin velo mishtakchin. San. 111a.
such an amazing person, if only there were more like you!
He impacted the lives of so many people, often behind the sences without taking any credit. When he was doing a chesed money was not a factor.
Donate whatever you can
He was a great man!!
What a wonderful family
He was an amazing person who helped so many people! The world just lost a special neshama
Wonderful story may we all be able to support the family and mrs gitter. Sorry for your loss
I never met him, but by reading his story and knowing his children, he seems to have been a man totally dedicated to his family and Yiddishkeit.
May the Giter family have all the comfort they need, with the coming of Moshiach.
He was like a father to me, made my shidduch of now 21 years, helped make all the arrangements for a kosher Chupah, advised us to stand up for our children’s chinuch, watched us raise our 5 kids, davened for us all the time. Smiled at out every simcha and cried with us during our pain. He was very selfless. And now we MUST help! We miss you Gershon! We pray for Leah, the kid grandkids.
He was like a father to me, made my shidduch of now 21 years, helped make all the arrangements for a kosher Chupah, advised us to stand up for our children’s chinuch, watched us raise our 5 kids, davened for us all the time. Smiled at out every simcha and cried with us during our pain. He was very selfless. And now we MUST help! We miss you Gershon! We pray for Leah, the kid grandkids.
Take a moment and draw some inspiration in his honor. Do a mitzvah. Give tzedakah.
He gave his life away for Yidishkeit and learning chasidus lets help the family live on!!!
NF
i just gave 200$ may his family have the nechama it needs!
Please Donate as much as you can.
Thanks
If we could do 1/100th of what this man did for our people, we’d be in good shape. Blessings and comfort to his family.