RABBI DUBRAWSKY MY TEACHER MY FRIEND

RABBI DUBRAWSKY MY TEACHER MY FRIEND

 

The Vancouver community is in mourning over the loss of such a great man.

 

I write this with tears in my eyes as I just cannot grasp this overwhelming feeling that keeps creeping back up.

 

I would like to share a couple thoughts and memories of the Rabbi.

 

When I heard the news I was just so overwhelmed with grief. 

The outpouring of support and love that I saw for the family, both at the Chabad house during Tehillim and at the Dubrawsky's house, showed just how much everyone loved this great man. People from all over the entire Jewish community came out in support.

Many of us are still not ready to write our personal messages to the family as we still are processing what happened, but the family should know that we are all here in support of them.

This is a difficult time for everyone.  The loss of not only a great Rabbi of our community but also a loving father and husband is devastating. 

 

My thoughts return to how my wife told me how Rabbi Dubrawsky helped make Dena’s classes so special.  How he would help her with photocopying and with any other things she would have needed.  It just showed how much of a loving and caring a husband he was. 

 

My daughter is very close to his daughters and spent many hours, days and nights at their home over the years.  When my daughter was small and we lived far away, Rabbi Dubrawsky and Dena would allow her to sleep over, after we ate a Yom Tov meal, so she wouldn’t have to walk all the way back home.  When she got older she used to spend almost every Shabbat afternoon at their home and stay for Havdalah.  I know it was a very special time for her.  She was able to see Rabbi Dubrawsky in a different light than most of us were able to, in the privacy of his own home. He had such love and affection for all of his children. He was the same kind and gentle and quiet man in private as he was in public. He would always act the same in public as in private. He and Dena raised their children with the proper Midot and values.

 

I also want to say that I had the privilege of eating by their house this past Pesach and was able to see Rabbi Dubrawsky with his grandchildren. Living in Vancouver I saw his children grow and get married and have children of their own. The sight of the Rabbi sitting at the head of the table, singing zmeros with a grandchild on each knee, gave me so much nachas to see how his family has grown and blossomed so beautifully over the years. He was such a proud grandfather. It was a sight that I will cherish forever.

 

I and my family wished we could have been in New York with your family.

 

Rabbi Dubrawsky sat right near me in shul and we would often talk every morning after davening. Whether we spoke just about life or any of my many questions he always made time for me and would answer my questions with patience. He always made me feel comfortable and I was able to ask him any sort of question, and not feel as if he was judging me in any sort of way. If the answer was not on the tip of his fingers he would always look it up. If there was a challenge he would never forget to ask how it was going.  

 

I feel as though we had a very special relationship.  I will miss the conversations that we had. It was always a two sided conversation, we confided in each other, and got to know each other on a deeper level than just a regular relationship between a local rabbi and congregant. For this special bond we had I am forever grateful.

 

His penetrating eyes and overwhelming presence made me feel that the rest of

the world was excluded when he was talking to me.  When he entered a room there was an aura that accompanied him.  People knew they were in the presence of a holy man.

Rabbi Dubrawsky will be much missed, more than I can ever express.

He helped so many people in his time with us.  We may never know how many.

Now in Gan Eden he can help so many more.

 

Hamakom ynachem eschem b,toch shaar avlei Tzion v,Yerushalayim

 

Mordechai, Tova and Yiska Sandbrand