We regret to inform you of the Petirah of Rabbi Dovid Reiss Z”L, who was niftar this afternoon. He was 90.
A master mechanech, he began his teaching career in Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim of Baltimore approximately 65 years ago.
He then taught in Yeshiva Bais Yehuda in Detroit, and then at Toras Emes in Brooklyn.
After his marriage, he went back to teach in Detroit.
He then moved to Lakewood where he spent many years teaching at the Lakewood day school.
Eventually, he moved to New York and was a longtime rebbe in Beer Hagolah.
Wherever he taught, he had a tremendous influence on his students, and today there are tens of frum families who became Frum because of Rabbi Reiss.
He leaves behind his wife Susan, his partner in all of his spiritual endeavors. His sons are Avrohom, Chaim (Lakewood), Raphael, and Pesach (Lakewood). His daughters are Rochel and Leah, and his daughter Malka predeceased him.
Yehi zichro boruch.
A great great person…….
WHAT A GREAT MAN! THE HASPOH THAT HE HAD ON THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN IS UNBELIEVABLE. HERE IN LAKEWOOD HE WAS MASHPIA ON HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES IN THE LAKEWOOD HEBREW DAY SCHOOL. HE LIVED ON THE CORNER OF 8 STREET AND PRIVATEWAY BEFORE THE MASHGIACH LIVED THERE.ALL WHO REALLY UNDERSTOOD HIM ADMIRED HIM FOR ALL THAT HE STOOD FOR. MAY HIS CHUSHUVE WIFE SUSAN AND THEIR WONDETFUL CHILDREN HAVE A NECHAMA AND HE SHOULD BE A GUTTE BETTER FOR THEM
BDH. A victim of the Corona virus?
“the Apple don’t fall far from the tree” Knowing his kids
I know he was a great man
Reb,
You connected.
You connected with the heilige Kopishnitzer rebbe, ztl, and your rabbeim and transmitted their warmth and commitment to Hashem to generations of yiddishe kids that probably would have gone in a different direction without you.
You connected with Detroit and Lakewood kids that were more interested in baseball and TV than Gemara and with their parents who were trying to forget what they went through in Europe and make sure their kids would never know such a gehinom and grow up successful in the goldenah land of America.
You connected with Russians who were running away from Yiddishkeit for 70 years and were still running even after they weren’t being chased.
You showed us all that regardless of the indescribable horrors that klal yisroel in general and our parents in particular had gone through, the constant in a Yid is commitment to Torah and Yiddishkeit You showed us that even in America, even after unspeakable gehinom, you can connect with the will of Hashem. In English. Using a Shiloh Siddur.
You used everything you had — your knowledge and imagination, your toughness, your sense of humor, your insight into people, your ability to draw and write and teach — everything, to make those connections. You were a master in kiruv before the word existed.
And you were successful. You have thousands (yes thousands) of talmidim and their offspring that you can be proud of as you stand before the Kisai Hakovod. Shomrei Torah U’Mitzvos, Talmidai Chachomim, Mechanchim. Baal Habatim. All on your account.
I was in your class for 9th grade. We had 35 boys in the class, ranging in age from 10 to 18. You knew that for most of us this was a make of break year, most of the boys would not fulfill our potential staying in Detroit for high school (at that time) and public school was an option for some. You had to focus on gemara so we could get into out of town yeshivos and to engage the guys who were on the fence re: public school to stay in Beth Yehuda.
You taught us Hamyniach, HaKonais, and Arba Obvos. We learned, we chazered immediately, we filled out a sheet with the gemara in linear, we filled out the same sheet again for homework, we reviewed the next day and filled out the sheet a third time. Next piece of gemara. Sheets with diagrams. Funny pictures on the board. Four hours a day of gemara, 15 minute recess. Sunday through Friday.
Of the 35 boys, 24 got into out of town yeshivos, 10 stayed in Beth Yehuda. It was a remarkable achievement.
You drove me from Detroit to Scranton (~10 hours in those days) for my farher and convinced the Roshei Yeshiva, shlita, to take me in. Along the way, you stopped at a rest stop to call the Rebbe, zt”l, to ask him something. He said to keep going. And you did.
I will never be able to thank you enough.
May you be a mailitz yosher for your family, you talmidim, and all of Klal Yisroel especially during this bitter magayfa.