By COLlive reporter
Rabbi Refoel Wilschanski, an elder Chossid who served as the Rebbe’s ambassador to France and North Africa for over 50 years, passed away on Wednesday, 3 Shvat, 5776.
He was 91.
Rabbi Wilschanski was known as the epitome of a devoted Chosid of the Rebbe, and was a noted Mashpia and role model to many.
Son of R’ Betzalel Wilschanski, R’ Refoel learned in various Tomchei Temimim yeshivos while running from the Communists.
While learning in Berdichev, he was arrested along with the other Yeshiva bochurim and put into prison.
He was from a group of choshuve bochurim who learned in Yeshiva in Kutayis, Georgia, where he became very close to the Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Shmuel Notick.
After WWII he traveled to Samarkand, where he was a student of R’ Nissen Nemenov.
He left Russia in 5707, and wanted to enroll in Yeshiva Tomchei Temimim, but the Frierdiker Rebbe immediately appointed him the director of the Lishka – Central Office of Chabad Institutions of France and North Africa.
In this capacity he was in charge of all the Chabad publications in France, and translation of Tanya and Chasidus into French.
In a farbrengen, when the Rebbe appointed a “Spiritual UN,” the Rebbe referred to Rabbi Wilschanski as his official “ambassador” to Tunisia and France.
He moved to New York in the 1970s, where he became a pillar of the community. A model of Chassidishkeit, the Rebbe referred to him several times as a “Baal Midos.”
He is survived by his wife Chava and children Rabbi Zalman Wilschanski, Rov of Morristown, NJ; Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Wilschanski, Rosh Yeshiva in Tzfas; Rabbi Chaim Eleh Wilschanski, Crown Heights; Devorie (Wilschanski) Reicher, Melbourne, Australia; Avremel Friedman, Coral Springs, FL; Dini Lebovic, Crown Heights and Chanie Ceitlin, Toronto; grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The Levaya will take place tomorrow, Thursday, leaving Shomrei Hadas in Boro Park at 1:00 pm and passing by 770 at 2:00 pm.
The family is sitting Shiva until Wednesday morning.
Address: 718 Empire Blvd.
Shachris: 8:45, 9:30 and 10:10 am
Mincha: 4:40
Maariv: B’zmano
Baruch Dayan Haemes.
Baruch Dayan Emet, a pillar of fire in the mist of galuth
As a child I remember him as the Candy Man
His father O.H. Reb Betzalel Wilschanski was the first of the 6 original Lubavitcher families that the Freideker Rebbe organised that Reb Moishe Zalmen Feiglin O.H. brought out to Australia.
This was in 1948 followed by the other 5 families in 48-49.
He started out as the Schochet Melamed in Shepparton , and then spent many years in both Sydney and in Melbourne.
His sisters may not be told about it so please dont say anything to them without checking with family first.
a very good and special person!
מופלג במעלות ומידות בין אדם למקום ובין אדם לחבריו, באופן חסידים הראשונים, מהמיוחדים בדוורינו
. . . המקום ינחם
So sad that this generation of greats are leaving us.
May we emulate R’ Fulleh and learn from his Chassidishkeit and Aidelkeit.
A giant among men…. will be missed
This was a true chasiddish gebor
When thinking of him, the world ‘gentle’ comes to mind.
Very special, understated. A chossid through and through..
BDE
Hamokom yenachem….
Knowing many of his grandchildren, it is obvious from their middos and being real mentchen etc that he was a special man! BDE!
Chaim ber Wilschanski, Australia
And he is also survived by his two sisters who live in australia mrs perlow and mrs sztillerman
A Good man!!!