YWN regrets to inform you of the Petira of Morah Rochel (Felice) Blau A”H. Morah Blau, who helped found BYA elementary school, was an Ishah Chashuvah who always greeted everyone with a sever panim yafos, and שם ה’ היה שגור בפיה. In her capacity as principal, she used her talents as a songwriter (most notably of the well-known song about Sarah Schenirer), playwright, and artist. Her innovations have been implemented in schools throughout the Jewish community. Morah Blau A”H has been an icon in Chinuch Habonos in Brooklyn and beyond. There are Moros throughout the world today that have been trained by Morah Blau, widening her legacy. Generations of mothers have been taught by Morah Blau. And in BYA today, she was the much admired Principal of the current talmidos.

YWN regrets to inform you of the Petira of R’ Yaakov Radin Z”L of Flatbush. He was Niftar on Sunday. His Levaya was held on Sunday and kevura was held with a “tnai”, since it was his wish to be buried in Eretz Yisroel. Yaakov was an active, outstanding member of Kehillas Young Israel of Avenue K / Congregation Ahavath Israel – for many, many years. He was a Member of the Va’ad Ha’Kohol of the SHul for over twenty years, and served for a number of years as one of the “Zayin Tuvei Ho’ir” / an Officer on the Executive of the Kehilla. Boruch Dayan HaEmmes… (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

YWN regrets to inform you of the Petira of HaRav Avrohom Pinter ZT”L. He was 70 and was Niftar from COVID-19. The Niftar was a tremendous Talmid Chochom and the head of the “Yesodei Hatorah” Mosdos in London, the largest Chareidi schools in London, with well over 1,000 students. He was the son of HaRav Shmuel Shmelke Pinter ZT”L, the Av Bais Din Bikvask, and the founder of the Yesodei Hatorah Mosdos. His passing is a tremendous blow to the Stamford Hill Kehillah, as the Niftar was involved in a multitude of Chinuch and Chesed organizations. As one community activist described the Niftar to YWN: “Rav Pinter one of the most influential members of the Kehilla, and was involved in literally every single decision made on behalf of the Tzibur.

YWN regrets to inform you of the Petira HaRav Yaakov Yitzchok Eichorn ZT”L. He was 98. He was a close Talmid of Hagaon HaRav Shlomo Heiman ZT”L in Torah Vodaath, who was his Mesader Kiddushin. Known as the Poilishe Ilui & a Masmid, his Shiur notes were used in the publication of Chiddushei R’ Shloma. Rabbi Eichorn served as a Magid Shiur in Torah Vodaath for many years and was a beloved Rebbe to hundreds of Talmidim. Together with his Rebbetzin Feile Yocheved Z”L, they established a beautiful Torahdige family spanning 5 generations. יהי זכרו ברוך. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Former Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, Hagaon HaRav Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron ZATZAL. he was 79 and was Niftar from COVID-19. In a short statement, Shaarei Tzedek Medical center says that Rav Bakshi-Doron had been hospitalized with the Coronavirus a few days ago, and his condition turned critical until his Petira on Sunday evening. The Niftar was born in Jerusalem to Ben-Zion Bakshi-Doron, an Iranian Jewish immigrant, and Tova, who immigrated from Aleppo, Syria. As a young man, he studied in several prominent yeshivas such as Yeshivat HaDarom, Chevron Yeshiva, and Kol Ya’akov. In 1970, Bakshi-Doron started his rabbinic career in the neighborhoods of Ramat Nasi and Ramat Yosef in the coastal city of Bat Yam.

We regret to inform you of the passing of Rav Binyomin Tzvi Wolmark Z”L. Rav Binyomin Tzvi was born in pre-war Lithuania where is father, Rav Yitzchok, served as Rav of the city of Yod. Rav Binyomin was a young boy when the situation in Europe began to deteriorate. As things intensified, Rav Yitzchok was advised by the Gedolim to rejoin the Mirrer Yeshiva, which had fled to Vilna. When the Yeshiva received transit visas to Japan, the Wolmarks were among those who made the perilous journey to the Far East and ultimately Shanghai, where they spent five and half years. Young Binyomin’s bar mitzah took place on one of the family’s first few shabbosos in China. Although just a teen, Binyomin spent his days with the Mirrer talmidim in the bais medrash.

The following is a list of Niftarim from the NY/NJ area over the first days of Pesach, complied by YWN. Although most of these people are victims of COVID-19, YWN has been unable to confirm that was the case in all. Unfortunately, there are many more who were Niftar (more than 30 names), but YWN does not have all the information, and we have only published the names we were given. If you have any info to add, please contact YWN with the info. FLATBUSH: Reb Eli Botknecht Z”L. He was around 60. The Niftar lived in Boro Park for many years before moving to Flatbush. He Davened for years at Dayan Brody’s Shul in Boro Park, and then by HaRav Lipa Geldwirth in Flatbush.

YWN regrets to inform you of the Petira of Mr Stanley Chera Z”L, one of the most prominent members of the Sephardic Syrian communities in Brooklyn and Deal NJ. He was 78. The Niftar had been diagnosed with COVID-19 and hospitalized in critical condition at Cornell Hospital. He was Niftar on Shabbos. He was a close friend of President Trump, who talked about him all the time in speeches. Further information will be published when available. Boruch Dayan HaEmmes… (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Mazel Dalel, 53, a Beit Shemesh mother of 9 with no preexisting medical conditions passed away from the coronavirus on Shabbos. Dalel, a resident of the Kiryah HaChareidit in Beit Shemesh was hospitalized in Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem after contracting the coronavirus. The hospital stated that “she was attached to a ventilator and sedated for over a week in serious condition. Her condition quickly deteriorated and she passed away on Shabbos. We share in the sorrow of the family.” The nifteres left behind her husband R’ Yoel Dalel and nine children. “It’s an unfathomable tragedy,” one of Dalel’s neighbors told Kikar H’Shabbos. “She left behind nine young orphans and her husband, one of the chashuve avreichim in the city, Rav Yoel.

YWN regrets to inform you of the Petira of HaRav Yehuda Leib (“Leibel”) Groner, who was a secretary of the Lubavitcher Rebbe ZATZAL for over 40 years. He was 88. Rabbi Groner was by far one of the most influential and respected people in the entire Lubavitcher Chassidus around the globe. He was instrumental in caring for the Rebbe after his stroke, when the Rebbe was no longer able to communicate in regular ways. Rabbi Groner and his wife, Mrs. Yehudis (née Gurevitz), are the parents of three sons and four daughters, of whom, some are shluchim in the United States and Israel. Additional information to follow.