Rabbi Tzvi Greenwald, 85, OBM

Rabbi Tzvi Greenwald, a veteran educator and prominent member of the Kfar Chabad, Israel, community, passed away on Wednesday, 3 Iyar, 5778.

He was 85 and had been battling a terrible illness in recent months.

Rabbi Mordechai Tzvi Greenwald was a beloved veteran Chabad educator for more than fifty years. He was one of the chief educators of the vocational school in Kfar Chabad for many years, and in the latter part of his life he devoted himself to giving lessons in the framework of the Tiferet Zekeinim in the Beit Menachem synagogue in Kfar Chabad.

One of the early founders of Tzach in Israel, he was a lecturer at conferences organized by them, both at the central meetings and other Chabad events in the kibbutzim.

He was known for the memorable and inspiring lectures he gave at many Chabad events, including the Bar Mitzvah of the Heroes’ children.

Rabbi Greenwald was born in Jerusalem to his parents Chaim Yosef Shlomo and Chaya Perka Greenwald. In his youth, he studied at Torat Emet Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

During the British Mandate, he joined the ranks and fought alongside them for the liberation of the Land of Israel from British rule.

After his marriage to his wife, Rivka Miriam, and with the establishment of the vocational school in Kfar Chabad, he joined the educational staff in the year 5706 and set up his residence in Kfar Chabad, teaching at the school throughout their years of operation until 1996.

Thanks to his powerful speaking abilities, he was asked to join the various activities organized by Tzach in Israel, and he participated as a speaker in many Chabad-Lubavitch kibbuzim, at major events that took place over the years at Beit Menachem in Kfar Chabad and other major events.

He was also the regular presenter of the Bar Mitzvah celebration for the children of the heroes, and for years he led the official Central Farbrengen in honor of the 19th of Kislev in Kfar Chabad, attended by many dignitaries.

In 1982 he began to give a regular shiur in a synagogue in Holon, and gathered around him a group of people who began to participate regularly in classes.

After the closure of the vocational school and his retirement from daily activities in the field of education, he began to give Shiurim in the Tiferet Zekeinim Kollel in the Beit Menachem synagogue.

He is survived by his wife and children: Rabbi Menachem Mendel Greenwald – Rehovot, Rabbi Naftali Greenwald – Crown Heights, Rabbi Peretz Tuvia Greenwald – Long Beach, California, Rabbi Israel Greenwald – Kfar Chabad, Rabbi Yitzchak Greenwald – Kfar Chabad, Rabbi Shalom Greenwald – Kfar Chabad, Rabbi Shmuel Greenwald -Flatbush, NY, Mrs. Malka Gerlitzky – Crown Heights, Mrs. Chana Heber – Crown Heights and Mrs. Ita Ruth Ceitlin – Tzfas.

He was predeceased by his daughter Leah Schtroks OBM.

The levaya took place today in Israel.

Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.