Mrs. Raiza Farber, a devoted mother and grandmother of a Lubavitch family who served as the cook to the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Monsey, passed away on Monday, 7 Nissan, 5777.
She was 84.
A child during the war, her family fled to Tbilisi, Georgia. She told of how her father would take her and her sister to the train station every day to give food and shelter (despite barely having anything for themselves) to the constant stream of Jewish refugees fleeing East.
Eventually her father was arrested by the KGB and never heard from again.
The selfless chessed she learned from her father formed her personality, and even while living a difficult life, she always had a broad smile on her face and spoke with a sharp wit. She lived to help others any way she could.
A devoted mother and grandmother, she lost her husband 50 years ago and raised 2 young daughters alone.
Although she grew up an orphan, she instilled a love of yiddishkeit in her daughters, so that they too, went on to raise Yiddishe families.
Mrs. Farber was a fantastic cook and even better pastry chef. She worked for many years as the cook in the home of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Monsey.
“When any of her 10 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren visited her, she wouldn’t let us leave without loading us up with all sorts of delicious goodies,” a grandchild said.
She is survived by her daughters, Mrs. Leah Poltorak of Monsey, NY and Sarah Babayoff of Detroit, MI.
The levaya will take place today, Monday, in Montefiore Cemetery at approximately 6:30 pm.
Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.
leah, so sad to hear of her passing. she was a wonderful caring woman. may u have no more tzar and a kosher freilich pesach.