Memories of our beloved Rabbi Lipa

                        Memories of our beloved Rabbi Lipa

There are no words to describe the pain and emptiness that the passing of

Rabbi Lipa has left......For the first few days I kept thinking that someone

was going to tap me on the shoulder and say it was all a bad dream, but he

is gone from this world, and must have moved on to a higher purpose. Why

else would Hashem take such a man from us, when he was doing so much  

 

 good work on earth? 

 

We had the privilege 12 years ago, of joining a couples study group taught

by the Rabbi and Dena, and soon became close friends. Our family are on the

other side of the world, and the Dubrawsky's took us in as part of their

family, and we shared each others good times and bad. 

 

They included us in numerous Shabbat and Yom Tov meals, where the rabbi

would sit at the head of the table, and would tell us beautiful Chassidic

stories and ask us questions relating to the parsha of the week or the

holiday we were celebrating, being sure never to put anyone on the spot. He

would gently probe at us to search within ourselves for answers, each time

bringing out in us a deeper understanding and love of Torah, and of our Jewish

heritage.  His best stories, and the ones he most loved to tell, were stories  

 

of the Rebbe. No matter how many times you heard some of the stories, you  

 

gained new insights on life every time.

One l'Chaim and his cheeks would become rosy, like a yeshiva bocher having

his first l'Chaim. His eyes were penetrating, yet so gentle, and his sharp wit and  

 

 playful sense of humour were always apparent.

He often used the yiddish word "aidel" to describe someone, a word which  

 

so accurately describes him - gentle, sensitive, refined, polite and 

 

 modest to his very core!

When you spoke to him, he would give you his full attention. When he

advised you, his head slightly bowed with humility, he seemed to have an

instant understanding of how you were feeling and he made the path to take

seem so obvious. His knowledge of Torah was so great, and his insights so  

 

 deep, that he had a solution for virtually every situation.

He judged everybody favorably and when you left his company, you always felt  

 

 like you were capable of so much, and you wanted to be your very best.

When our children were young he would say "Lead by example. If you practice

your Judaism with sincerity, your children will feel this, and learn to love

it too". What a fine testament his 10 wonderful children are to the example Rabbi

Lipa and his beloved Dena have set. Each one of them is kind, caring, warm

and sincere, always showing the utmost respect for their parents and

graciously taking care of any guest who comes through the door. They have shared

their parents endlessly with the community, and we have all benefitted so much.

Thank you dear Dubrawsky children, thank you Dena, and thank you Rabbi. We

will try to honor your life by doing mitzvot, studying Torah, and forever

striving to be better students of our beloved teacher and friend.  

Ha makom yenachem etchem bitoch sha'ar avelei Tzion v'Yerushalayim.

 

Jonathan & Renee Katz and family