We regret to inform you of the Petira of Harav Yitzchok Chinn ZATZAL – Rav of Gemilass Chesed of Mckeesport PA. Rav Chinn was a close talmid of Rav Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz and of the Klausenberger Rav. The Levaya is scheduled take place today (Taanis Esther) at 5:00PM in his Shul. The Kevura will take place in Eretz Yisroel.
(If there is any change in the Levaya schedule, YWN will update that information.)
Boruch Dayan HaEmes…
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Boruch Dayan Ha-emes.
The world has lost a true tzadik who loved every jew for being a jew. The world lost one of its greatest men.
Pittsburghers daven in Shuls that are Modern Orthodox, Young Israel, Russian, Polish, German, Chabad, and Lakewood Kollel, among others, in point of view.
On whole, Pittsburgh is blessed with a UNIQUE LEVEL OF SHALOM and respect between the various denominations. *********
This phenomenon is in no small measure due to the personage and leadership of Rabbi Chinn.
As Chairman of the Vaad Harabanim of Greater Pittsburgh, among other leadership roles, Rabbi Chinn was intimately involved with the fabric of Jewish life in Pittsburgh.
Respectful to all and respected by all, Rabbi Chinn led by example.
Can’t we all just get along?
Rabbi Chin said yes.
And under his influence- in Pittsburgh, at least- we do.
Condolences to the Chinns, and to the City of Pittsburgh.
He will be missed.
I just heard that the Levaya is now scheduled for 5:30.
rabbi chinn was my grandfather he was an unbelievable man who dedicated his life to the meckeesport community and its truly a tragedy when a man like this passes on im sure jes in a better place right now but our whole family will miss him
A person who gave everything took nothing
My Great Grandparents, Horav Yaakov and Faiga Friedman are buried in Mckeesport. Rabbi Chinn has always been available to our family when I went there or when I needed to called him.
He was a wonderful person, and will be missed by the Friedman family.
Rabbi Chinn ZT”L and LeeZT”L and Margo Guttman A”H along with Rebbitzin Chinn made McKeesport a very unique place to grow up. They were successful in keeping many Jewish children shomeri torah in a small town with their warmth and caring. Without them intermarriage and assimilation from the 50’s to the 80’s in the town would have been much greater than it unfortunately is. Their students and those us who grew up in the town are all over Israel and the US are what they are Jewishly in a great part because of these people. May the Rebbitzin and his children be comforted
The levaya can be listened to on phone 401-694-1600 password 1545 you do not need to id yourself just listen.
I was privileged to spend time with R. Chinn zt’l during his many visits to Columbus. He positively radiated ahavas Yisroel and simchas haChaim. My deepest sympathy to Mrs. Chinn, R. Hirsh Michel, and all of the family.
Rabbi Chinn ZT”L personified Derocheho Darchei Noam- What a wonderful Rov and most of all a wonderful human being who was constantly mekadesh shem shomaim- Yehi Zichro Boruch!
Rabbi Chinn’s empathy with his fellow Jews was unparalleled. He would radiate with joy when sharing in another’s simcha, and he cried with deep grief when tragedy struck Am Yisrael. Yehi zichro baruch…
Rabbi Chinn zt’l, his wife and children represent the generation of yidden that Reb Shraga Feivel Mendolovitz tried to create.
A family of Torah, graceful yidden with respect to all.
Klal Yisroel has suffered the loss of a role model= to rabbis, rebbes and talmidim alike.
Todays leadership should step back and learn about the life of Rabbi Chinn and understand how to lead by example with finesse and sensitivity.
Yhai Zichro Baruch
Baruch Dayan Ha-emes,
My father shlita learned together with Rabbi Chin in Torah Voddath and Beis medrosh Elyon. They were (lihavdel ben chaim lichaim) talmidim of Harav Hagoan Rav Reuven Grozovsky. I myself met Rav Chinn Zt’l in camp Ohr Shraga about 8 years ago. I told him that I am the son of a friend of his from the good old days,I told him my name and he stood up to show covad for my father. I spoke to him for a while and I was deeply impressed. He gave me his card and wrote something on the back and told me to give to my father. I did not understand what he was refering to. I came home and gave to my father. My father’s eyes were illuminated and stood up as did Rav chinn Z’tl. My father had not heard or seen Rav Chinn for over 45 years. My father called Rav Chinn
and spoke for about an hour. My father explained to me what his friend meant from the writting on the back of his card. It blew me away. After 45 years, he reminded my father of a story that took place in Beis Medroh Elyon. He gave advice to my father back then and it turned out just as he said. He was a Lev Tohar. May he be a Malitz Yosher for klall Yisroel Z’ya.
A short story to personify the ahava and thoughtfulness of Harav Chinn:
When the Klausenburger Rebbe Ztz”l was in the hospital once recovering from a major surgery, he awoke to find a beautiful bouquet of flowers at his bed side.
When he asked the gabaim what it was doing there they smiled and said two words: “Rav Chinn”.
The Rebbe smiled with delight and said, “Only he would think of it – or send it”.
Rav Chinn understood that even a Gadol Hador can enjoy the beauty and strength giving properties inherent in a flower arrangement…
Yehi zichro boruch.
You couldn’t meet Rabbi Chinn “Sabba” without feeling loved, and realizing his deep love for Klal Yisroel and Eretz Yisroel! It was unconditional!
15, I assume you were named after your great grandmother? I knew her husband. He personified the gadlus of the pre-war Americans who paved the way for all we have today.
I had the zechus to be a member of his shule and wanted to share a story.
Once I went to pay a shivah call for one of our members. I heard this story from the son of the deceased. At the levayah, the son had told Rabbi Chinn that he wanted to give a hesped. After hearing Rabbi Chinn’s hesped, he told the Rabbi that he (Rabbi Chinn) had said all that needed to be said and that he, the son, could not add to it. It’s unbelievable that he could capture someone so well that even the person’s son did not feel that he could add to the Rabbi’s words.
Rabbi Chinn, Z’TL, was famous for his qoute from the great Rebbe of Kotzk who said : “If I am I because you are you, and you are you because I am I, then I am not I and you are not you. But if I am I because I am I and you are you because you are you, then I am I and you are you.” there is not a single person from Gemilas Cheses in Mckeesport who has not heard this hundreds of times. many have formulated their life based on this. most important, many are who they are because of Rabbi Chinn….
Are any of his children sitting in Yerushalayim. If so, until when?
BDE! What an amazing figure! A true talmid and disciple of his Rebbi, Rav Mendlowitz ZT”L. He emulated his Rebbi, living up to the term he coined about his Rebbi, “Nistar Mendlowitz”. I vividly recall the warmth and personality that permeated at his speech at my Bar Mitzva, his campfire Shmuessen in Camp Ohr Shraga, his sermons in Gemilas and Ahavas Sholom of Colombus. I cant imagine writing these words after recently speeking with him and hearing him sound so positive. May he be a Meilitz Yosher for his Rebitzin Shetichya, Reuven and Hirsh Michel, daughter and the whole family.