By COLlive reporter
Rabbi Tzvi Yosef Kotlarsky OBM, one of the remaining Chassidim of the Rebbe Rayatz and first Chassidim of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, has passed away on Monday at the Maimonides hospital in Brooklyn, New York. He was 91.
Born in Poland, he was one of the few remaining survivors of the legendary Tomchei Temimim Yeshiva the Previous Lubavitcer Rebbe established in the city of Otvotzk. There, Rabbi Kotlarsky befriended his life-long friends with which he struggled to survive Communism and World War II.
Learning in Otvotzk introduced him to the Chassidic philosophy and Chabad’s high spirits, even in those gloomy days (he learned in the famed Chachmei Lublin Yeshiva earlier).
In Shanghai, China, where many found temporary refuge during the war, he kept to his studies. When the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe wanted to build the Chabad community in Canada, Kotlarsky was one of the nine Shluchim sent to Montreal.
He later moved to New York and was long active in the United Lubavitch Yeshiva in Brooklyn as a Chaver Hanhala (board member) and thus, one of the first Chassidim of the current Lubavitcher Rebbe.
When his son Yaakov David passed away in Montreal, the Rebbe turned to Kotlarsky at a farbrengen in 770 and noted, “he is sitting in Gan Eden and is listening to Chassidus from the father-in-law.”
His wife Golda Kotlarsky passed away many years ago. They are survived by Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, Vice Chairman of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch, overseeing the Shluchim network from New York; Nechama Hershkop, Crown Heights; Esther Wilishansky, Morristown, NJ; Sarah Perlman, Kingston, PA; R’ Mendel Kotlarsky, Crown Heights; Fradel Hershkowitz, Crown Heights; Chana Shemtov, Tucson, AZ.
The Levaya will leave TODAY from Shomrei Hadas at 1pm and pass 770 at 2pm.
May he rest in peace.
He was a yid that spent all his free time learning, another Mamer another blat Gemora, he when trough Shas more then once, a Yirei Shomayim and Chosid of the highest degree, he suffered the lose of his parents and all but one brother in the holocaust, children his wife… Yet he was always positive, just adding in learning… may he be a gutte beter for the Mishpacha, and go to the Rebbe and demand an end!
may he be a mailitz yosher , and bring moshiach now!
I am saddened by the news… Boruch Dayan HoEmes
Boruch Dayan Hoemes. Your father was a true example of the epitome of a chossid, who raised a family that exemplifies true shluchim and chassidim. May your family only know of simches from now on.
boruch dayan hoemes. To R. Wilshansky, hamakom yenachem eschem besoch shaar avlei tzion V’yerushalayim.
So sorry to hear the news. May you have only simchas from now on.
From your neighbors
What a loss… a true chossid…
the old generation is moving on! what will be left?!?! we do we look up to?
Let there be only simches in your family from now on and let him be a gutte better for your work and your family
This is a big loss.
I remember him davening everyday – he was a true example of the ירא שמיים
No! May he be rudely awakened with the coming of Moshiach Now!
Rabbi Hirshel was very humble, in shul I looked up to him, his davening was that of an eltere chosid, He brought up a beautiful family! (Suffered by the loss of a son) Chaval al diavdin udeloi mishtakchin!