By COLlive reporter
Rebbetzin Chaya Lieberman, wife of the Chief Rabbi of Antwerp and a source of guidance for her community, passed away Tuesday, 25 Shvat 5773.
She was 82.
Born in Kharkov to her parents Rabbi Yehuda Chitrik and his wife Kaila (daughter of the chossid R’ Aaron Tumerkin), she was raised in a staunch chassidic home.
Her parents insisted on not sending her to the Communist school as required and instead educated her on their own.
When World War II broke out, the family escaped to Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where a large group of Chabad chassidim found temporary refuge.
In 5706, the family traveled from the Soviet Union to France and from there to Belgium, and later to Montreal, Canada.
In 5711 she married Rabbi Dovid Moshe Lieberman, an German-born Holocaust survivor who served at that time as a Chabad Shliach in Chicago, leading Congregation Bnei Ruven and Ohr Chadash shul.
In 5740, they moved to Antwerp where the scholarly and experienced Rabbi Lieberman was appointed Chief Rabbi of the Shomre Hadass general Jewish community.
Well respected among both religious and secular members of the community, Rabbi and Mrs. Lieberman have been able to steer love for Torah and unity for the Jewish people.
All of their children are on Shlichus and hold key roles in many communities: Mrs. Sarah Kaplan of Tzfas, Rabbi Mendel Lieberman of Ashkelon, Rochel Chitrik of Tzfas, Rabbi Tzvi Lieberman of London, Yehudis Krasnjansky of Australia, Shulamis Pinson of Brussels and Esther Wilhelm of Zhitomir, Ukraine.
She is also survived by her sister Mrs. Sheindel Schneerson of New York.
Her two brothers, Rabbi Hirshel Chitrik and Rabbi Aaron Chitrik, both of Crown Heights, passed away in recent years.
The funeral was held Tuesday in Belgium and will continue on Wednesday in the Shamgar funeral home in Jerusalem. She will be laid to rest in the Har Hazeisim cemetery.
Baruch dayan haemes.
Each of the rebbe tins children is a dugma Chaya largely due to the exceptional chinuch they received.Ma zaraah bchayim aff he bchayim. May the knowledge of this fact be a true source of comfort to her distinguished husband and respected and beloved family as a whole,until they are reunited through techiyas hamaisim
Very sorry to hear of your great loss. What a WONDERFUL woman she was and what a special family the Leibermans have rasied!
Hamokoim Yenachem Eschem Bsoch Aveilei Tzion V’Yerushalayim.
didn’t reabbi sholom goldstein (grandfather of R. Sholom goldstein O.T) open bais yehuda school.? that’s what i hear from the old timers
As the nifteres once recalled to me – she was the first teacher of the Bais Yaakov school that my grandfather Rabbi Gerlitsky opened in his basement for his two eldest daughters- under the guidance of the Rebbe.
She is someone to emulate. A special Eishes Chayil – raising her children at all times in a very chassidische manner against the tides and trends yet with a strong grip on the ground.
May she be a gute better to her very special DOR and for klal Yisroel – Moshiach NOW!
I only met her recently, but I saw immediately that she was charming and quite a queen. What an amazing family Mrs. Lieberman A”H and Y”BL Rabbi Lieberman have raised. I understand they have had a great influence on their community. What a loss. The Aibershter must bring Moshiach NOW. Hamakom yenacheim eschem besoch shaar aveilei Tzion v’Yerushalayim.
He was from antwerp but was born in Germany before his parents moved there.
She was such a special and humble person.
She will certainly be missed in Antwerp
Hamokom Yinachem Eschem Besoych Sharie Avayla Tzion Ve Yerushalayim
she was a queen in her essence
They also lived in Detroit. He was the principal of Bais Yehudah School
also lived in Detroit for many years
I believe Rabbi Leiberman may have been principal of Bais Yaakov (?)in Chicago as well.
On both counts
i knew his brother from boro park and he was from antwerp?
i also think that during the war rabbi liberman as a young teen was saved by r’zalman schneerson from paris, but i may be wrong