In what police are calling a “tragic accident,” authorities believe 91-year-old Rabbi Zev Segal Z”L mistakenly drove into the Hackensack river Wednesday morning, believing he was heading toward a road that would take him to Livingston, where he had an appointment.
Authorities ruled that Rabbi Zev Segal R”L died of an accidental drowning.
Rabbi Segal apparently drove into the river from the foot of Duncan Avenue even though there are two metal barriers at the foot of Duncan, a car can easily maneuver between them and into the water. Police Chief Tom Comey recalled of at least two prior instances of cars driving into the river from Duncan, city workers placed concrete barriers at the end of the road.
City officials said that Rabbi Segal drove onto private property owned by a trucking co. before entering the water.
Rabbi Segal’s Levaya took place on Friday morning at the Bialystoker Shul on the Lower East Side, and will be leaving to Eretz Yisroel tonight.
Click HERE to hear the last words of Rabbi Segal Z”L – as he talks on the WFMU radio station, just minutes before he R”L went missing.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg issued the following statement regarding Rabbi Segal Z”L:
“Like many New Yorkers, I knew of Rabbi Zev Segal’s reputation as a scholar, as the builder of a strong Jewish community, and as a man who brought people together. But I also feel that I knew Rabbi Segal through his children and particularly through his son Nachum, who traveled with me to Israel to lead America’s delegation for the dedication of the new Holocaust memorial and museum. From his children, I know that Rabbi Segal was a man of sharp intellect and strong character, great spirit and good humor. And I have no doubt that Rabbi Segal’s sons and daughters built their joyful devotion to Judaism, to Eretz Yisrael, and to making the world a better place on the foundation that their father laid for them. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Segal family during this very difficult time. Baruch Dayan Emet – may this family know no more sorrow.”
(Source: Star Ledger)
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8 Responses
Another message to K’lal Yisroel from Hashem. May he be a maylitz yosher for us and go into Gan Eden.
BD”E. He was a great man and this is a tremendous loss for Klal YIsroel. For all those who think that he should not have been driving, you should know that the police and the chevra kadisha were shocked that he was that old. He did excersize every day was in top shape and mentally was 110% with it until the end. I’m sure there will be alot written about him and his closeness with many Gedolim fromprevious generations. We should all be zoche to be where he was at that age AMU”SH.
What a zechus for Nachum to hear these as his father’s last words. He’s receiving such chizuk from him. It is almost prescient, as though he knows that these are his final words to his son.
Baruch Dayan Emes this was a tragic incident may we here Besuros Tovos.
Perhaps Rabbi Segal was giving over a message to all of us, not just his son. He said: “Twenty-five in hebrew is Chof Heh….meaning Kavod Hashem…you are spreading the honor and glory of the Almighty. Your program has no specfic agenda except the service of the Almighty, the people of Israel and the Land of Israel. May you go from chayil el chayil and continue your sacred work.”
WE must all have no specific agenda except serving Hashem and doing what we can for Klal Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael. WE must always be conscious to make a Kiddush Hashem in our thoughts, our words, and our actions.
Let us really really try to accomplish this, l’zecher nishmas Rabbi Zev Segal, a”h.
Wow! You just don’t know what will happen from one second to the next.
I guess that new great grandchild will be named after a very special man.
what a multifaceted man.for those intersted in knowing more about him see harav m’brisk volume 3 page 111.just overheard by the levaya here that the mizrachi wanted to disown him over his askonus against giyus banos.yehi zichro baruch and a nechama to his family
Can anybody post what he said? for some reason I can’t open that link.