R’ Eliezer Tzvi Zeev Zirkind, a long time resident of Crown Heights who worked as a shochet and sofer stam, passed away on Monday.
He was 83.
Rabbi Zirkind was a descendant of a family that is known for its stringent standards and that continues to wear Polish chassidic clothing.
Known as the “Sofer of the Rebbe”, he once prepared a set of tefillin for Rabbi Moshe Feinstein at the direct request of the Rebbe.
He is survived by his wife Raisel Zirkind, and children Gershon Zirkind (Montreal), Shaina Rochel Schmidt (Israel), Shaza”k Zirkind (C.H.), Yaakov Mendel Zirkind (Morristown), Yehuda Michoel Zirkind (C.H.) Shmuel Yosef Zirkind (Thornhill, Canada), Meir Zirkind (Weston, FL), Chana Rissel Moscowitz (C.H.), Chaim Nachman (Mass.), Dovid Zirkind (C.H.) and Chinka Zirkind (Ontario).
He is also survived by his brother Rabbi Simcha Zirkind of Montreal, Canada and sister Mrs. Peshi Stern of Seagate, NY.
He was predeceased by his sons Rabbi Yitzchok Zirkind obm of Crown Heights and R’ Yehoshua Shlomo Zirkind obm of Jerusalem.
The levaya will take place on Tuesday, 1pm from Shomrei Hadas Chapels and passing by 770 Eastern Parkway at 1:45pm.
Baruch dayan haemes
yinachem eschem b’soch she’ar avaylay tzion viyrushalayim.
Rabbi and Mrs. Moshe Feller
His mother was my principal in elementary school and I will never forget that elegant sweet woman. Rabbi Zirkind was a special man who raised a special family with his wife to long life.
was familiar with every daf gemorah fluent!!! mamash …hounest paid taxes even on the cash he earned !!
A great man. He always had room at his table and his heart for his fellow jews…
A great talmid chochom and a man of integrity and principle with a big heart and compassion for his fellow Jew. He will be sorely missed. May he be a guteh beter for the mishpacha.
Shabbos after Shabbos at Rabbi Eliezer would dedicate time to review the Rebbe’s Sichos in english in between the Sichos at the fabrengens. Those who didn’t understand were/are forever grateful. A great dugma for all of us in so many areas
Rabbi Zirkind was a living example of spiritual strength. He made a tremendous contribution to the olam hatachton through his sofrus and his precision in avodas Hashem. His physical stature was daunting but his personality was soft. May his wife and his children have nechama. BDE
When I first came to the Rebbe and did not understand Yiddish, I used to stand next to Reb Eliezer for his translations between sichos, during the nigunim. A gehoibener Yid!.
a very special man whom i had the pleasure to know with a very special family
bd’e – his neshama should have many aliyaha
You didn’t want to mess with him – a giant of a man physically but also spiritually. He looked big and strong (as his sons) but was so gentle inward.
WOW……..THEY DON’T MAKE EM LIKE THIS YID ANYMORE.
NO COMPROMISE WHEN IT CAME TO EMES!
OUR KINDERLACH UNFORTUNATELY WILL NOT KNOW FROM THIS TYPE OF YID, ALL THE MORE REASON WE REALLY NEED MOSHIACH NOW!
I remember erev YK 1975 shlugging kappores in the early dawn;I was pregnant and he helped me “cope” with the three chickens that I needed to shlug. He was kind, patient and funny too; also zealous and so focused on this mitzvah-every YK since (40 years), nothing came close to the specialness of that moment with this special chassid.; BDE