By COLlive reporter
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Itkin, a beloved Shliach and community member in Sydney, Australia who impacted many in his lifetime, passed away on Sunday, 11 Kislev, 5777.
He was 61 and suffered from an illness.
Mendel was the son of the famed Chosid Reb Meir and Sima Chasya Itkin OBM of Crown Heights.
He was a beloved member of the Sydney community, involved in teaching, and encouraged many to increase in Shiurim and daven with a Minyan. He was a daily attendee of the Sydney Kollel.
Mendel was an enthusiastic chossid, an intelligent teacher and a loyal friend. His genuine happiness, warmth and empathy for each person was legendary and his ability to encourage and build another’s confidence was admirable. Mendel’s charismatic and non-judgmental personality attracted many, but intrinsically he was a devoted and dedicated chossid.
In recent days, a story about Rabbi Itkin was widely shared on social media, of a remarkable incident which took place with him while receiving a dollar from the Rebbe. Many around the world united in saying Tehillim on his behalf as news spread of his illness.
Prior to moving to Sydney, he was on Shlichus for many years in Los Angeles, impacting generations of students and mushpaim.
His passing has been a great shock to all who knew him, “leaving an unbelievable devastation in Sydney,” his friend said, “as Mendel made such an impact on the community.”
He is survived by his wife, Aviva and children Heshy Itkin and Yossi Itkin of California, Zalman Lever of Crown Heights, Chaya Witkes of Jerusalem, Devorah Leah Joseph, Chaim Lever and Esther Lever and Meir Itkin of Sydney, Australia.
He is also survived by his siblings, Mrs. Feige Rapaport, Mequon, Wisconsin, Mrs. Shana Tiechtel, Crown Heights, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Itkin, Pittsburgh, PA, Rabbi Leibel Itkin, Scranton, PA, and Mrs. Chani Geisinsky, Great Neck, NY.
He was predeceased by his brother, Rabbi Chaim Shneur Zalman Itkin obm of Hamilton, Canada, whose 10th yartzeit will be this Shabbos.
The Levaya will take place on Monday at 1 pm at the Chevra Kadisha in Sydney, Australia.
Updated shiva information for Menachem Mendel a”h ben Meir Itkin a”h:
Mrs. Faigie Rapoport and Mrs. Chani Geisinsky will be at 405 Crown Street from Wednesday through Friday.
Mrs. Shana Tiechtel will be sitting at 405 Crown Street all week.
Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Itkin will be at 405 Crown Street Wednesday morning through Thursday 5pm and will continue Friday at his home in Pittsburgh PA 2116 Wightman St.
Rabbi Leibel Itkin will be at 405 Crown Street Wednesday morning through Thursday 5 pm and will continue at his home in Scranton, PA. 831 Madison Ave
Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.
The kindest person you can meet, always with a smile willing to help.
BDH AD MOSAI !!! MEKEN SHOIN NISHT!!!
r30 IY H THIS SIMCHAS TOROH WE WIL WITNESS ONCE AGAIN HAKOFOS WITH THE REBBE AND ALL THE REBBES NOW OMEN
Mendel Itkin helped me get a “place” for the Rebbe’s hakafos in 5752. It is thanks to him that I was able to witness from up close what turned out to be the last time…
Thank you for the link, it encapsulated our friend. He will be missed. Start listening on the 8th minute
Truly larger than life he just simply made people feel special, wanted and happy. Thanks for everything mendle
Reb Mendel as we would refer to him was someone in Sydney we could look up to…whenever we came back from Yeshivas overseas or Kollelim he would always ask for a Vort to hear and he would then start saying over various Toros on the Parsha. A True Ehrliche Yid and we were lucky in Sydney to have someone like Reb Mendel in our midst.
Exceedingly humble and paitent. A man of true values. I learned a lot from him
I got to know Mendel 42 Years ago as a Shliach in the Yeshivah in Kfar Chabad.
A truly humble man with a very special heart.
He will be sorely missed, but not forgotten.
May his family be comforted by the amazing man that Mendel Itkin was.
HaMakom Yinachem Eschem
Yaakov Lieder Melbourne Australia
How shocking and heartbreaking. My heart goes out the family at this terribly difficult time
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qqpQaARuCw4
I had the please and zchus of knowing R Mendel after coming to Sydney. He was like described by R Aron Moss at the levayah farbrengen, “a living contradiction “. As personable as he was, you never knew him. As outgoing as he was he was very private. There are so many great things to say about him. He loved learning Torah. He loved giving over Torah. He knew and lived Torah. He was a true shliach of the Rebbe and he represented. He was a cornerstone of the Sydney Community Kollel now known as the Menachem Mendel Sydney CommUNITY… Read more »
So sorry to hear this news. His son Yossi is very good friends of my son Gabe. The one time we were in Australia we bumped into him at a kosher restaurant. He looked so happy.
I miss you already, Reb Mendel. May the Aibishter raise your spirit to Great Heights, and watch over those you leave behind.
Intercede for us, please.
~ F. S. ♡ ♡
Mendel held the community up with his tremendous amount of learning and doing goodness and kindness to others. A selfless person and he will be terribly missed among everyone in sydney
Moshiach needs to come now!
Remmember him and his kevutza in the lemeds in ocean parkway . They where shluchim or the older bochurim in zal who learned with the younger boys . R yoel shyichya , would come give shuerim for them and we where allowed to join . I remember a few words with him , something to the effect that if u try hard ull succeed . Do not be a softy on ur self . Work ….he said … Aihhh . Moshiach Now !
mendel was an outstanding mentch and chissidisher yunger man. despite his challenges, mendel stood with his head high and rode on the Rebbe’s brochos all along! a one of a kind – positive, energetic, always with a willing hand to lend.
mendel really LIVED yiddishkeit and chassidishkeit. we dont’ see many such mendels around
moshiach now!!
really sad for his family.
full of Chayus and friendliness. One the few in Sydney that grew up in the Rebbe’s daeld amos and could tell so many stories from times of old. Mendel loved learning especially the Rebbe’s Torah – something to really learn from
Our sukkah’s have not been the same since he moved to Australia. So vibrant and caring. I miss making the farbrengen fahrbeisen with you. That in of itself was a farbrengen. Very sad.
I will miss you and i really dont have words now to express my sadness. may your family only know simchos.
He had the energy of ten people. Positive chasidishkeit oozed out of him, delivering a truckload of good real chasidishkeit which is rare these days.
When he walked into a room, a farbrengen, his chayos filled everybody with joyful eternal g-dliness.
We Wil soon dance with you, Mendel, with Moshiach.
אוי מה היה לנו
חבל על דאבדין
ידיד ה’ וידיד כל אחד
תנצבה
May hashem comfort the family!
Bde we loved you Mendel you taught us chassidus and Rebbe you were always happy may your neshama rest in gan eden
What a loving caring Mashpia and human being The system should learn from him how to take care of their boys. All I could say a holy Jew he will be missed tremendously
I spent much time with him and became his partner to do Mif’tzah’iem while we were both in Yeshiva. I learnt many things from him and will miss him. BDE
Bentzion ben Yisroel
What a good person, learned a lot from him…
Such terrible news.
I am heartbroken
Zol er hoben a lichtige gan Eden.
bde so sorry to hear. he also lived in los angeles for a very long time. he will be sorely missed.
Mendel’s sons were enrolled in our day camp. Despite the personal challenges he was going through at the time, he always put his children’s welfare ahead of his own. I have never forgotten the incredible show of mentchlichkeit he exhibited at the time towards all of us and have often cited him as an example of how a person can navigate life’s ups and downs with dignity, character and sportsmanship. He excelled at that. To Heshy and Yossi – hamokom yencahem eschem
An exceptional spirited optimistic person. He will sorely be missed. Boruch Dayan Hoemes
Mendel A”H was an enthusiastic person who celebrated life. A real chossid. No matter what challenge came his way, he always was truly bsimcha and made sure that those around him were happy as well. BD”E. We don’t understand Hashem’s way. We need Moshiach now. We will try to emulate his simcha to Moshiach a reality.
Sydney is absolutely devastated by the heartbreaking loss of R Mendel Itkin A”H. He was beloved by his family, friends, students and entire community alike. Our hearts go out to his family at this most difficult time. Sydney lost a true Chossid in every sense of the word.
I can’t believe it. Reb mendel was such a mentch and a true chossid. We will miss him terribly….