The Rosh is Engaged

By COLlive reporter

On Erev Rosh Hashana, following the lengthy Selichos and Shachris, bochurim at Yeshivas Ohr Elchanan Chabad in Los Angeles broke into song and dance.

The occasion?

They had just gotten word of the engagement of Rabbi Ezra Schochet, their revered “Rosh” and one of the most dynamic Chabad rabbis and scholars today to Rebbetzin Batsheva Wolf of the southern Israeli city of Kiryat Malachi.

It is his second zivug after his wife of 42 years, Mrs. Sarah Rochel Schochet OBM passed away in February 2010 at the age of 65. She has 6 children, many grandchildren and inspired thousands of people in California.

News of the engagement was kept private for a month or so, with COLlive.com being asked to hold off the Mazal Tov notice until next week, not to distract Ohr Elchanan bochurim with spiritual preparations for Rosh Hashana.

When word got out Wednesday morning, the bochurim didn’t hold back and wished the Rosh a hearty Mazal Tov.

Rebbetzin Wolf, widow of the late Chabad spokesman and activist R’ Berke Wolf OBM, is a known activist among Chabad women in Israel and is a sought-after lecturer on marriage and chinuch.

Her brothers of the Bekerman family run Torah institutions in Israel and most of her children are Chief Rabbis and Shluchim in Ukraine and Israel.