Twenty five years ago today some of us literally had our life saved when we were involved in the terrible accident on Beis Av in 1986 (5746) in Richmond, Virginia, while enjoying the summer as Masmidim from Camp Gan Israel – Parksville, NY.
We escaped with broken bones, dislocated shoulders, concussions, internal bleeding, and other wounds. But we had our life. Unfortunately one of our bunk mates did not. Laibel Kahan obm lost his life on that tragic day. While we eventually went on to heal and rebuild our lives, his life was no more. His parents had no sick or wounded child to nurse back to health, instead they had a child to mourn.
I don’t intend at all to sound morbid or melancholic but rather to suggest something for today. It is now twenty-five years later and we have all developed our lives in one way or another. Whether it is through our families, business, Shlichus, career, or other, we have Boruch Hashem a lot to be thankful for. And that it is precisely what we should be doing today and every day, thanking Hashem for what we have.
But we should take some time, especially today on Leibel’s Yahrtzeit, to think about him and his short life. Try to imagine his face as it appears every once in a while in one of the Living Torah (JEM) videos, what kind of Chosid he was, how Mekushar he was, and try to emulate that a bit. Try to think about what he missed out on while we think about what he achieved in his short life. Raise a glass (physically, mentally, or emotionally) to Leibel and wish that his Neshamah should have an Aliyah, be sad for him having lost his life, be thankful for your saved life, and pray that his family continue to be comforted.
As the Rebbe wrote to the camp after the accident: “Tzion Bimishpat Tipodeh Vishaveh Bitzdakah.”
We live far from each other physically but let’s say together to Leibel – L’chaim!
Sincerely, Hirshy Minkowicz
Alpharetta, Georgia
Remember the color war song from that summer after the accident.
(To the tune of: Al Zeh Hayah by MBD)
Our holy Torah, we hold so dear
Its basic purpose, so strong and clear
To purify all that we see
For this great task, chosen were we
An inheritance for every Jew
Not only for a special few
How at a Farbrengen, you did stand
The Rebbe’s wish was your command
To spread Torah to every Jew
Leibel, Leibel, this was you
Although it seems you’re no longer here
After only fourteen short years
But still, the Torah that you’ve learned
Shall inspire us ’til you return
Leibel is seen at a farbrengen, 24 Teves, 5741
I never saw him but I wish I did and could see him now
i have but 2 memories of my brother. i dont know if they are real or just made up in my head. my birthday is vav av. just 4 days after leibles yortzait. i turned 2 that year. thank you mommy and tatty for being there and taking care of me through your grief. my mother always tells me the story of leible coming home from school for lunch. he would ask me ‘vas mach a kiale?’ ‘vos mach a shepsele?’ i dont remember this but i love this story. thank you mommy and tatty for being the best parents… Read more »
I was in younger bunk but still remember that tragic day and the song that was composed in memory if Laibel A”H. Yehe Zichro Boruch Vahkitzu Varaninu Shochnei afar!!
Thank you for your articulate words which have truly left an impression on me. I couldn’t help but think about Ari Halberstam who was also a young chossid who lost his life while riding in a van filled with many other bochurim, whose lives were spared (under very different circumstances though, he was killed by a terrorist).
ii read col every day when i go on to my computer. rarely do i stop and read every article! something made me read this article! well, i cant stop crying. this was very touching. i definitley will try to focus every day for a few moments how thankful i have to be for every moment hashem gives us in this world. life is very busy and hectic, and sometimes we get carried away with the nitty gritty of life. this is something to stop at and think how thankful we have to be for every moment we have in… Read more »
The person that wrote this should have a big zechus for writing this article and inspiring so many souls.
I Didnt look at collive for quite a while as it one of the busiest times of my shlichus. I run a camp. My oldest daughter told me about this article. Hershy…Thanks so much.. for doing what we all should of… and yossy …you bring Shalach monos to his parents on his Bday to this day ??? truly amazing and inspiring…I always say there ARE good ppl !! I was in the Van and bachasdei hashem came out with out a scrach. Hashem spared my life then and another time many years later. Tayere Yidden…when we say moideh ani in… Read more »
My name is Leibel Kahan. I was named after my special uncle, and I hope I could live up to his name. I look forward to meeting him when Moshiach comes.
i am BZ ben Yisroel, it is still painful to this day. Ha’shem has his ways and we try to understand?
Leibel on the video, is the one with the “red” turtle neck.
Always at every farbrengen singing and listening. (that is why he is seen on many videos at farbrengens).
The story must have occurred before I can remember but the feelings are so poignant and so loving. Which boy is Leibel at the Farbrengen?
Dear Berl, Chaya Freida and the kinderlach. Although i was a few years younger than leible i remember him clearly and what a nice neighbohr he was, living two doors down to the left i always looked up to him as a chasidisher bochur. i remember the tragedy vivdly and how we all felt as neighbohrs, with broken hearts. very often i find myself singing laibl laible this was you… how at a farbrengen you did stand… especially in this time of the year. I was always inspired to see how you continued raising such aa beautiful family through out… Read more »
I was a staff member that summer and a dear friend of the “driver”, a few staff members, myself included were going to the Kahn’s to visit them during Shiva and I insisted that my friend – the driver come along, he was as you can well imagine in a very bad state at the time both Physically and Emotionally and was very apprehensive and felt very uncomfortable about having to meet Leibel’s parents, but I encouraged him to come along with us (and drive BTW) none the less – and so he did. As we were sitting there on… Read more »
While they suffocated in grief for the decades that ensued, Berel & his wife never neglected their children; indeed they spared no effort in their chinuch — and I can attest to that personally. Their home was home away from home for their out of town neices and nephews. When other parents joined this most unfortunate club (as Mrs. Kahan put it) the Kahan’s went out fo their way to offer, well, whatever it is that veterans of such a club can offer. And they ended their nichum aveilim with a brocho that this club remain exclusive and should accept… Read more »
The heartfelt comments here are amazing, they brought tears to my eyes. I did not know Leibel, but remember the tragic accident as if it were yesterday! May his family only be blessed and may we have MOSHIACH NOW! Thanks to Yossi Lew for such an amazing memory and for sharing it with us!
This is the exact Loshon of the Rebbe’s answer which came out on that day: “L’hoisif B’mishpot Ubitzdokoh Uba’avodas Hashem B’simcha.” On that Friday night, the song – which the campers sang at the Chof Ov Farbrengen that year – was composed: Ivdu Es Hashem B’simcha… Tzion B’mishpot Tipodeh V’shoveho Bitzdokoh. The color war teams that year were Mishpot and (winning team) Tzedokoh. Team Mishpot produced the song referred to early by Rabbi Hirshy. Lyrics were written by Levi Shemtov (DC), counselor of the Masmidim (and Leibel’s) bunk – Yossi Lew.
I think of him every year on his yahrtzeit and tell my students in my class (in Sydney) of his special qualities.
the ones who live here (especially mendy spalter(yoec), leibel korf and leibel lazaroff )get together to farbreng every year on the yartzeit no matter what else is going on..as a wife i thank hashem for my husbnds survival b”h(he still suffers from the wounds today- a stark reminder to never take anything for granted..and wish the family much simcha and comfort till the coming of moshiach .may he be a meilitz yosher for his family and friends
so i of course did know him, but i knew of him, and sang the song with camp many times…
very moving, thank you!
I was one of the van drivers who drove the van to virginia I was in the minivan and watched helplessly the 15 pas van roll over. I quickly ran and removed many of the injured boys Including Hershy Minkowitz who wrote this beautiful Post I Davened with Lable early that morning and to my surprise he insisted on using the outdoor pool as a Mikveh before he Davened. I took him to the hospital did not leave his side for a moment and prevented an autopsy. I then flew with him to NY. Lable on this day please be… Read more »
you said it so well! Oy Hasem shoin Genug! send Moshiach already NOW!!
The Rebbes answer of the time was MOISEF BETZEKAH OMISHPAT VAVODAS HASHEM BESIMCHA
I was about eleven years old and walking home from OT one Friday. As I passed 770 Leibel asked if I wanted to go on mivtzaim. I joined him for my first experience on Mivtzaim. It was an experience which continues to impact all my years of Friday mivtzaim and my Shlichus until today.
Amazing to see how many people still remember and are touched 25 years later! May his Neshoma have an Aliyah and may he be reunited with his loved ones immediately, with the coming of Moshiach now!
although i was h.c. at another cgi, i remember the day beis av every single year and mention it at home, let’s not go in to the dvorim ha’mtzaarim, and let this 25th yahrtzeit be the last one, moshiach now!!
I was Leibel’s chavrusa in Mesivta the year prior to the accident. His loss is felt to this very day by all of his class mates. I was blessed to have been a close friend of his during his short life. May he continue to be a source of inspiration to all. Thank you Hirshy for keeping his memory alive on this special day.
I remember growing up, not having an older brother, how DL used to brag about Laibel helping her with her homework. I used to wish I had such a good brother. Today as the wife of one of the counselors that counseled the kids in the van, I still hear about Laibel often. I find it especially inspiring that a few nights prior to the tragic accident, my husband relates, that Label climbed up the partition between the two bunks in the bunk house, and said he asked mechillah from every single person in the room. Laibel had such far… Read more »
i was not his classmate at o.t., but i was with him that summer, and in the van at the time of the accident , i have very fond memories of him being friendly to everyone even the newcommers and i remmember him spending time learning with one of the weaker boys sitting on his bed in the corner at the end of each day. S.L.
I wonder if there is any spiritual connection between Leibel Kahan (obm) and Leiby Kletsky (obm). Both named Leibel, both with a last name starting with a K, and both leaving this world tragically in connection with Summer camp.
Yaher Koach to Leibel’s friends for keeping his memory alive. Your articles, mishloach manos and good wishes mean so much to his parents. It has and will always help ease their pain that they have lived with for 25 years. This is a sign of true friendship. May you all be blessed with health, long life and hatzlacha in all your endeavors.
I remember seeing him in the store and thinking here goes a chossid of the Rebbe!! Much nachas from your family!
I was touched by the article and the moving comments. Laible was a very special boy and obviously everyone remembers him as such.
May this “reunion” party with Laible and Moshiach happen really soon and leave it up to Yehudis to “Farbreng”.
May you know of only Simchos and Nachas from all your family.
Your loving neighbor of the right.
Thank you for this beautiful article. It’s so nice to see the place my brother still holds in many people’s hearts, even after 25 years. It warms my heart to know he will be forever remembered by his family, his namesakes, his friends and all those who knew him. We miss him terribly and wait for Moshiach, so we can be reunited once again.
thank you reb Hershy!
Laibel, you are in our harts forever!
May we see moshiach speedily in our days!
Laibel (Michoel Yehudah Aryeh Laib) was a lively kid in the class, His birthday was Purim so it made sense that he was always “lebedig”. It was a loss not only to the Family may they live and be well till 180, but also to all his class-mates. There is not a day that go’s by that at some point I don’t think about Laibel and the loss we all feel. I am not alone. We grew up way too quickly starting that summer.. Laibel Should have a “lichtigeh Gan Eden” and we should see him soon with the Rebbe… Read more »
What I remember: Mendel Spalter (JCM), Mendel Spalter (Son in law to the Rosh), Moshe Rosenfeld, Hirshy Minkowicz, Yossi Feigenson, Yossi Jacobson, Chaim Estulin, Yossi Cunin, Aryeh Weuntch. Others (don’t remember if they were in the overturned van or the mini van in front). Dov Ber Pinson, Shmuly Stern, Elie Furst, Yosef Brikman. There are more, There were 16 in the van and 6-7 in the mini-van.
I was a little bit older then Leible when this happened, but being that I grew up on the same block and went to Oholei Torah I got to know him a little. I will never forget the day we heard the news, everytime I would hear or hum the song (or tune) that was made is his memory for color war it brought tears to my eyes. He was a very special person, and a very eidele neshama.
Thanks for writing this article.
and never knew Leibel, but when I walk into Kahn’s Superette and see the hard working father behind the counter, the strength and courage to continue to work and keep on going with his family, may they only know of simcha after simcha.
What a tragedy for the Kahan family. May they celebrate many more years of simchos by their kinder and einiklach. But can we hear the glimmer of light in this story and be told of all those who miraculously survived? I’m 27 years old so I have no idea. I’m truly interested to know.
I was one of the head counselors that year. That day was, as anyone could imagine, one of the most difficult ones in my life. I must share the following: Not too long before the fateful trip during which the accident happened, I was doing the rounds on the “hill” in Parksville at one in the morning. Going into the Masmidim bunk, I noticed that everything was still and quiet. As I was about to leave, I notice a little movement. As I approached the bed, I noticed it was Leibel, holding a flashlight under his covers. I thought I… Read more »
He was HC. He handled very well
we can’t wait for that party. V’haikitzu v’raninu shochnei ofor
thank you Hirshy for writting this
a fellow shliach who was in his bunk
we will never forget him
I have wonderful memories of this special boy.
we miss him dearly
Thanks for writing and sharing this with us!
I too never knew Leibel or his family. I am related to part of his family today. Very moving article. I remeber when it happened.
from what i understand, there ar a number of his nephews with the name Laibel. all bright and friendly boys, after their namesake. may they all be a source of ture nachas to their parents and speedily reunite with their uncle a’h.
chazak v’ematz!!
I wish I could have seen my uncle hearing how kind and smart he is.people say how your so lucky your small but reading this I wish I was older
Berel, Chaya Fraida and Family
Leibel’s energy and koach should continue to shine and give the family berochos. IYH, so soon you will have the best reunion party ever with Leibel,and Moshiach at the lead. As a dear neighbor I hope I am invited to that precious exciting moment!!
Yehudis Bluming and family
May we see him soon in the coming of Moshiach!
I grew up on the same block as Label. I remember him well. His parents are very special people. On this close nit block, where lives were and are intertwined, we feel to this day the pain the Kahn family has suffered. Your loss is ours, we will never forget Label!
I am Leibels sister and I am amazed how his memory holds a special place in many of his classmates heart. Every Purim on Leibels birthday Rabbi Yossi Jacobson brings my parents Shalach Manos. It means alot to my parents & family. Thank you Hirshy for this special article.
although I was only born in Mem zayin, the tears are rolling down my cheeks.
Thank you for sharing these inspiring words with us.
my husband and i want to thank you for your article.I continue to be amazed that although Leibel is no longer here physically he is not forgotten .continued hatzlacha in your shlichus.
may hashem bless the Kahan family with only happiness and nachas
i never knew him but i am crying.
I remember when it happened and I think about it every so often. Thank you for writing this!
i remember him very often
a very speciaL BOY
thank you for posting. Leibel was indeed a very special boy.
I was a staff member that year. I year never goes by that i don’t remember Laibel on this day.
we miss you leibel
very moving and touching.