YWN regrets to inform you of the Petirah of Rebbetzin Rivkah Newhouse A”H, wife of Rabbi Avrohom Newhouse ZTL, the revered founder of Bais Yaakov/Camp Bais Yaakov in America.
Together they toiled and labored, and are credited with creating hundreds of thousands of Jewish Homes in America. She served as a staunch and shining role model to countless generations of Klal Yisroel.
The Levaya will be on Friday morning at 9:30 at the Lakewood Chapel on seventh street in Lakewood.
Kevurah will be at 1:00 in Mt. Judah Cemetery, Cypress Hills Queens.
Boruch Dayan Emmes…
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7 Responses
An Eshah Chashuva Ad Me’od!
Baruch dayan emes. I went to Camp Bais Yaakov for many years. I have many fond memories of her. She was a very special person.
I just got back from the levaya (stayed for 1.5 hours then had to go). What a special lady, a isha k’sheira vachashuvah!
I am not related to the Newhouse family, but my family went to Camp Bais Yaakov in the summers for over 20 years, and I remember as a young boy how “The Rebbetzin” as she was known, would give me a bag of challos every Erev Shabbos to take home to my bungalow.
She was a very strong willed woman, who did not compromise on any facets of her yiddishkeit after the petira of her husband some 35-40 years ago. To the contrary, she redoubled her efforts and always questioned “what would R’ Avrohom do” when raising her mishpacha.
With great siyata dishmaya she raised a family that is l’shem ul’tiferes in klal yisroel!
Although she had a very difficult life, she stood strong in the days when it was not popular to be interested in Torah, and Bnei Torah.
Together with her husband, they ran the first Bais Yaakov (along with the Kaplans, I believe).
My mother was a camper in Camp Bais Yaakov, the first frum girls camp in the USA, in 1944! Now, some 65 years later, the concept of a camp is a given. But then?? How many thousands of Jewish mothers (and by consequence the fathers) would not be here if not for the chinuch they saw by the Newhouse’s in their formative years?
All of Klal Yisroel lost one of our great heroines today.
I am sure she will be met in Shamayim by her chashuva husband, and her two sons who lo aleinu were niftar at very young ages: HaGaon Rav Yehudah Leib, zatzal, (who was such a masmid atzum that Rav Shach used to make him take breaks so that he would not harm himself) and hatzadik R’ Shragy, who was known worldwide for his tzedaka and chesed.
She is survived by her sons R’ Menashe, R’ Shimon, R’ Ezzy, and her daughters who are married to Rabbi Zaks, Rabbi Waxman and Rabbi Kravitz. And by legions of jewish women around the world.
Also please mention her chushiva daughter-in-laws and grandchildren of the deceased sons
How old was she?
84-86
I am saddened to hear of the loss of the Rebbetzin. I was a student at P’nimia Bais Yaakov in the 1970’s. She was indeed a special person!