[By: Fern Sidman]
The Hineni Organization founded by Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis, a’h, has announced that the ‘shloshim’ (culmination of the 30-day mourning period) commemorating the life and majestic legacy of the Rebbetzin will be held, IY’H, on Wednesday evening, September 21st at 8:00 pm at Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue Synagogue . The synagogue is located at 5 East 62nd Street on the Upper East Side.
In a statement released to the media, Hineni directors issued an open invitation for all Jews to attend the Shloshim. “At Hineni, we are a family, and as such families come together to share both joy and sorrow. We consider every Jew to be an important part of our extended family and encourage everyone, both near and far, to join us on September 21st as we strengthen each other and pay tribute to the incredible accomplishments that Rebbetzin Jungreis, a’h made during her lifetime.
On Tuesday, August 23rd, (19th of Av) Rebbetzin Jungreis’ heilege neshoma was called to Shamayim by Hashem at the age of 80. Her levaya at the Agudath Israel synagogue in Far Rockaway was attended by over 1000 people while countless Jews around the world (whose hearts the Rebbetzin touched) mourned over the passing of this remarkable woman whose historic litany of achievements in the world of kiruv is unparalleled.
Imbibing the sagacious wisdom of her father, HaGaon HaRav Avraham HaLevi Jungreis, her grandfather, Rabbi Yisroel, zt’l and her many holy antecedents, the Rebbetzin made it her life’s mission to disseminate the timeless and eternal teachings of the Torah.
It was during the formation of Hineni in 1973 that she posited herself in the forefront of the battle against the spiritual Holocaust which had claimed exorbitant numbers of Jews through rampant assimilation, intermarriage and alienation.
Speaking of her upcoming international project at the annual Hineni dinner held in March of 2016, Rebbetzin Jungreis said at the time, “The hallmark of Jewish life; the center of our existence is the acknowledgment of Hashem and we do this through the recitation of the Shema Yisroel prayer every day; twice a day.” With determination and resolve reverberating in her voice, she called upon her organization to embark on a very special Shema Yisroel campaign that would bring the words of the Shema to every Jew in every land.
“At the Shloshim, we intend, with Hashem’s help, to unveil the Hineni ‘Shema Yisroel’ program. This was my mother’s final and fervent wish as she wanted to once again connect her people to their faith through the Shema,” said Slovie Jungreis-Wolff, the Rebbetzin’s daughter and Hineni director.
She added, “The best way of paying tribute to the Rebbetzin is to continue her vitally important work for Jewish survival. We invite everyone to join us at the Shloshim for an evening in which we can collectively and personally reflect on the Rebbetzin’s life as we listen to how she impacted each of us and the world at large.”
A special video presentation featuring exceptionally rare and never before seen footage of the Rebbetzin delivering powerful messages over the decades will be shown.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
2 Responses
We were zoche to hear her back in the 1980s for the first time on a visit to NYC and several times thereafter. Of all the wonderful memories of her inspiring appearences was the softness of her presentation and the simple sweetness of the ahavas yisroel and of yiddeshkeit she communicated without the shrieking, shouting and hyperbole that are too often associated with those who seek to engage in these types of outreach. May she be a maylitz yosher for all of us in chodesh Elul and beyond.
#1 – You pointed out that it’s Elul – so please be extra careful and weigh your words! In your praise of Rebbetzin Jungreis which she so richly deserves, you disparage other kiruv activists. Almost none of them communicate with “shrieking, shouting and hyperbole” גפרית ומלח style. Most are moser nefesh to be mekarev Yidden, speak kindly and with an abundance of Ahavas Yisroel giving up potentially lucrative careers to devote themselves to bring Hashem’s children closer to Him.