It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rebbetzin Yehudit Fain a”h, wife of Rav Reuvein Fain, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas. She passed away in Yerushalayim at the age of 91 after a brief illness.
She was a cherished presence in Flatbush during her years there, supporting her esteemed husband who served as rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas until his untimely passing around three decades ago.
Rebbetzin Fain was born in Lita, a daughter of Rav Elazar Alfa and Rebbetzin Shulamis, nee Karelitz. Her mother was a daughter of Rav Meir Karelitz, rov of Kobrin and an older brother of the Chazon Ish. In her youth, she moved to Eretz Yisrael, where her father became a well-known rov in Haifa. The Chazon Ish arranged the shidduch between her and Rav Reuvein, one of the young Mir talmidim who survived the war in Shanghai and later arrived in Eretz Yisroel in the early 1950s.
After their marriage, Rav Reuvein joined Kollel Chazon Ish as one of the elite yungeleit and the couple lived with very limited means. One Erev Yom Kippur, they found themselves without money for the seudah hamafsekes until they miraculously discovered some money in a drawer. Despite their financial challenges, Rebbetzin Fain efficiently managed their household, ensuring that her husband never had to worry about utility bills. Rav Reuvein eventually became a respected R”M in Bnei Brak, beloved by his talmidim.
In 1982, upon the recommendation of Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach, Rav Reuvein was appointed rosh yeshiva at Yeshiva Torah Vodaas. Rebbetzin Fain followed her husband to New York, despite not knowing the language or having a social network. She dedicated herself to taking care of all her husband’s needs, allowing him to dedicate himself to spreading Torah and publishing his chiddushim.
After Rav Reuvein’s passing in 1993, Rebbetzin Fain returned to Eretz Yisroel, but maintained her connection with Rav Reuvein’s American talmidim. She played a crucial role in publishing several volumes of his chiddushim posthumously; some of the shmuessen were handed over to the printer were in her neat handwriting.
For the last 31 years, she devoted herself to preserving her husband’s Torah and supporting her children’s large families.
She was laid to rest in the Ponovezher Bais Hachaim next to her husband. Rebbetzin Fain is survived by her children, Rav Aryeh Leib, Rav Shepsil, Rav Meir, Rav Avrohom Yeshayahu, Rav Yaakov, Rav Shmuel Yosef, Rav Shlomo, Rebbetzin Weisfish and Rebbetzin Tep.
Yehi zichrah boruch.
{Matzav.com}