It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Michoel Bender zt”l. He was 71.
Rav Michoel was the longtime mashgiach at Yeshiva Bais Binyomin of Stamford, currently in Monsey.
A tzaddik yesod olam, Rav Bender was a son of the legendary Torah and chinuch pioneers, Rav Dovid and Rebbetzin Basya Bender. Rav Dovid, who was born in Slonim and came to America as a young child, went overseas at age 20 to learn in the Mirrer Yeshiva in Poland. Rebbetzin Bender was born in Poland and became one of the first students of Sarah Schenirer in Cracow. They married shortly before the war and managed to escape the carnage in Europe and settle in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. Rav Dovid became a master mechanech and a menahel in Yeshiva Torah Vodaas, while Rebbetzin Bender became one of the pioneers of the American Bais Yaakov movement and a surrogate mother to generations of students. It was in this home imbued with Torah, yiras Shomayim and unwavering emunah and bitachon that Rav Michoel was raised.
Rav Michoel mirrored the values of her parents, who were indescribably rich in everything but money, who were wealthy in everything that matters, and who lived for everyone who needed them, without neglecting their own children.
Rav Michoel was a talmid chochom of note, whose tzidkus, aidelkeit and yiras Shomayim matched his ahavas haTorah and ahavas Hashem in every way.
Rav Michoel leaves behind his wife, Rebbetzin Bender, a daughter of Rav Simcha Schustal, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Bais Binyomin of Stamford, we well as children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who follow in her ways. He is also survived by his siblings, Rav Yaakov Bender, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Darchei Torah in Far Rockaway; Rav Paltiel Bender of Boro Park, R”M at Yeshiva Darchei Torah; Rav Shmuel Sholom Bender of Lakewood, R”M at Yeshiva Darchei Torah; and  Rebbetzin Nechama Blumie Shapiro of Lakewood, wife of Rav Moshe Shimon Shapiro. His siter, Rebbetzin Esther Musha Epstein a”h, wife of Rav Chaim Epstein, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Zichron Meilich in Brooklyn, NY, passed away over a decade ago.
Levayah details will be posted when they are finalized.
Yehi zicho boruch.


{Matzav.com}