(More exclusive pictures of this Kiddush Hashem by clicking HERE)
Shortly after the devastating news broke of the massacre at Virginia Tech, the family of Professor Liviu Librescu was notified of his death. As reported HERE on YW, the 75-year-old Holocaust survivor sacrificed his life to save his students.
The family immediately contacted the ZAKA Organization in Eretz Yisroel to help expedite the release of the niftar, who in turn advised the family to contact Rabbi Isaac Lieder in Monsey, NY.
Rabbi Lieder quickly contacted the medical examiner’s office in Roanoke, Virginia, and explained that the professor was Jewish and Jewish law prohibits performing an autopsy on a deceased person. They guaranteed Rabbi Lieder that even though they were dealing with the largest investigation of a shooting on US soil, there would in fact be no autopsy, just a minimally invasive procedure to remove the bullets, followed by a few x-rays.
Rabbi Lieder contacted Rabbi Yossi Kranz, who is the Chabad shliach in Virginia to go to the medical examiner’s office and act as a shomer for the niftar, while explaining to them that an autopsy is forbidden according to Jewish law.
Rabbi Lieder was scheduled to fly by private jet with Mr. Eli Rowe of Queens Hatzolah to pick up the niftar. Unfortunately, due to inclement weather, they were unable to fly. Rabbi Lieder drove in a private vehicle to the medical examiner’s office in Roanoke to take the niftar to New York City.
Rabbi Lieder, who spoke with Yeshivaworld, told of the amazing cooperation of state police in states along the way, which provided him with police escorts the entire way. He specifically mentioned the cooperation of the governor of Virginia’s office, various Virginia congressmen, and other public officials.
The niftar will be brought to Shomrei Hachomos Chapels in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Wednesday, where a taharah will be preformed by the Chesed Shel Emes Organization under the leadership of the esteemed askan, Rabbi Mendy Rosenberg.
A levaya is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at Shomrei Hachomos, after which the niftar will be flown to Eretz Yisroel for another levaya and kevurah.
[Note: This information was obtained by, and written exclusively for Yeshivaworld and the Yated by a YW reporter. No part of this article may be reprinted without the written permission of YW Editor.]
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58 Responses
Wow, great article. I really hope that many people turn out for the levaya to give this great man a’h the kovod he deserves.
We can’t even imagine the schar of someone who makes a true Kiddush HaShem.
please keep us updated with the time of levaya, so those of us around brooklyn can attend
The whole shooting thing made a mark on me more than most news tragedies. I actually went to Va. Tech for a short while, so it felt closer to home. But this brought tears to my eyes. Thank you, Ribono Shel Olam, for allowing me to be a part of Your nation! Mi K’amcha Yisroel! Can we please come home now?
For us in Brooklyn, please provide the location and time of the levaya (if you know it) so we can plan to attend. Todah
That information is in the article:
“A levaya is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at Shomrei Hachomos, after which the niftar will be flown to Eretz Yisroel for another levaya and kevurah.”
Where is this? “Shomrei Hachomos”
great article
What a hero this man is.
Not to mention the Kiddush Hashem he performed,
Even in tradgedy there are Jews who help non-Jews save their lives…
Remember on 9/11 when that frum person stayed behind with a sick man and perished in the collapse of the building?
I’m proud to be Jewish!!
It’s A true Kiddish Hasham From What Professor “LIBRESCU” DID
it reminds us of the Jewish people that went thru The Holocous
in Glacia,Poland where Jews litterally gave their lives away for others & there were others after the war where at the 9/11/01
incident that happened where a frum jew gave his life for some that was disabled & stayed with him. From now Let Hasham Help us that we should not have to hear anymore of such incident. CHAVEL AL DEAVDIN V’LU MISHTACVIM, HASHEM SHOMRANU M’COL ZA
What a kiddush hashem by the professor, but also a Hazak U’Baruch to Rabbi Lieder- What amazing dedication!
Also Kudos to Yeshiva world for their amazing reporting.
Nice article. I’ll make sure to check it out in the yated.
Yehi zichro boruch
wow he did it al kedush Hashem can you please let us know what time the levaya in Israel. preferely so I can tell people to go.
thanks Tova.
Thank you for all the details.
Putting up a notice at my place of work about the levaya, do you have the exact address? To see so many yidden working together to ensure a kosher and proper burial is wonderful.
UPDATE 8:35AM The Niftar has just arrived at Shomrei Hachomos in Boro Park via police escort.
I hope Yeshiva’s will take their Talmidim to this levaya. It would further the Kiddush Hashem if thousands turn out for such a levaya. The lesson would be priceless for the Talmidim, and to be part of history….
once again, Yeshivaworld shines through.
Yasher koach!
The media will probably be all over this Levaya.
They “should” be.
This man did a great thing.
He can never be re–paid.
Yesh Konah Olam Bisha Achas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He aquired the “word” in a few last seconds of oxygen.
Wow!
What a zechus!!
Great job YW. Keep up the great reporting
The address is: 4218 Fort Hamilton PKWY at 43 Street. 718-435-8100
Thanks for that address.
I will try to make it there.
This man deserves much Kavod for his acts!!
Kiddush Hashem!!!!!!!!!
In this world of fast breaking news etc etc the entire world is watching us.
They will be watching the funeral accross the world!
YW, I will be unable to attend (I am on buiseness in China now) so please cover the levaya for us.
thank you very much.
YW, you failed to mention that Eli Rowe was planning to fly the plane himself (he is a pilot & he owns the plane).
Call ereryone you know, Klal Yisrael NEEDS to be there for this very important event.
somebody should get it announced on cbs, wins, and put up signs all over flatbush, bp, landos shul and shomrei shabbos asap
I was in the ER last night with my daughter (BH no broken bones as first thought), and in the waiting room they had the Tohu Vavohu broadcasting the news.
They said how this man survived the HOLOCAUST, was to be “laid to rest” in ISRAEL, and that he was a HERO! (They mentioned all the “important” points.)
This is a tremendous Kiddush Hashem b’rabbim.
yesh koneh olamo b’shoa achas!
Yw,
Thank you for being mezaka the oilam !
Vatischak L’Yom Acharon, on his ‘last day’, he will get his due Schar and Kovod.
As far as Eli Rowe, he has been helping people with his huge, brave heart since he was a young teenager.
Keep up the good work Klal Yisroel!!
Mi K’Amcha Yisroel!!
Thank you, Yeshiva World, for keeping us updated on this. And thank you, Dr. Librescu, for the unbelievable Kiddish Hashem you made.
I second Flatbush Yenta!
kitzur_dot_net Says:
“yesh koneh olamo b’shoa achas!”
He was Koneh it already, He was a holocaust survivor.
Yeshiva World News has been amazing in their coverage of this story. I just question if showing pictures of a body bag is truely Covod Hames.
perhaps at 2PM for those who can not be at the levaya it would a good time to say some tehillim on behalf of the niftar.
I THINK YESHIVAWORLD OR ANY ONE ELSE SHOULD POST HIS FULL NAME:
פלוני בן פלוני
ושם אמו
! ובלע המות לנצח
my rosh yeshiva says that you shouldn’t judge someone after they die especially al kiddush hashem, like they say “acharei mos kiddushin”
Don’t want to register even a small compaint with such a story, but I wondered the same thing as z
z
you might have a point there
but i feel that showing a hero’s respectfully covered body being treated with dignity by frum Yidden IS kovod ha meis
Does anyone know on which plane flight the niftar will be taken to EY? I’ve got someone flying CO to TLV this afternoon, and was just wondering.
MEE KI”AMCHA YISROEL.
Boruch dayin Haemes
Just came from the levaya. Was disappointed in the turnout for a person that was mikadesh shem shomyim by scarificing himself to save others. More people/students should have been there.
outoftown: good point, thank you.
Raboisai, you said it all. This man’s maasim tovim will outlive him. All of your ahavas yisroel comes shining through and I am very humbled by this all. YEHI ZICHRO BORUCH!
If I’m not mistaken, there’s a Rambam ( forgot the source) that says if a person will have a hisorerus b’tshuva by even looking at the meis, then it’s okay to have the face exposed. I was at a funeral in E’Y for someone killed by a mechabel were that was done. I would think (NOt that I’m a posek), that a similiar situation could apply over here. Just my two cents
Feivel
“but i feel that showing a hero’s respectfully covered body being treated with dignity by frum Yidden IS kovod ha meis”
100% on target!
QUEENS MEMBER U ARE INDEED CORRECT, ELI WAS ON A 3 WAY WITH ME AND RAABI ISAAC AND WAS INDEED READY TO FLY BUT WORKED OUT THIS WAY WITH POLICE ESCORTS ARRANGED BY THE GOV OF VIRGINIA THEY DESERVE A BIG THANK YOU FOR PAVING THE WAY FOR THE BODY TO ARRIVE TO BP IN TIME TO HAVE A LEVAYA AND MAKE TONIGHTS FLIGHT
CHABAD HAS JUST SENT SOMEONE ALONG TO BE WITH THE ALMONA ON THE FLIGHT OVER
TIZKU LEMITZVOS TO ALL THE MISASKIM ESPECIALLY RABBI ISAAC LEIDER WHO GIVES UP NIGHTS AND DAYS TO ASSIST ANYONE WHO NEEDS HIS HELP FROM CHOLIM TO RACHMANA LITZLON MEISIM
MAY HASHEM REWARD ALL THOSE WHO ARE MOSER NEFESH FOR THE KLALL
MI KIAMCHO YISROEL!!!
MY HUMBLE OPINION
I THINK THE PICTURE WITH BLOOD ON THE PILLOW SHOULD BE REMOVED
Does anyone know where and when the levaya will be here in EY ?
i would like to focus on the gimelut chesed thats being done to bury the
dead and care for his almanah which is great reward, the issue of kidush
hasem i would not jump rite away to say this was a kidush hasem and to go to say he was kona olamo!! there are very few people die al kidush
hasem (excluding the arabs)
I agree that some of these pictures are in bad taste, particularly the one of the pillow with blood and the body bag pictures.
Did the wife or family of the meis give permission for these photos to be taken? I can imagine how upsetting it would be for them to see these. Isn’t it beyond the pale to publish these? I encourage you to delete them from the site. I think we can get the gist of the story without these a few of these photos and still publicize what a kiddush Hashem our chevra kadisha does.
Yeah chesed shel emes and kavod hameis also means respecting the meis – the pictures too.
It appears that the pic of the pillow was removed. There have also been pics of Levaya recently posted to same link.
Showing the bodybag is a bit distasteful. Is that really needed?
I agree about kavod Hameis and removing pics of body bag.
I too was there and was glad the almanah elected to bar the TV cameras from the Levaya. Until after the moving hesped from Assemblyman Hikind, the room was half empty. NYC radio stations were not giving the time and place all morning other than “Brooklyn”. Nonetheless, as a result of publicity from both TYW and Nachum Segal, the room should have overflowed. Either way, Dov Hikind spoke true words of nachama in a most diffcult of situations and he should be so commended. Also, while Mayor Bloomberg could not make it, I saw several frum members of his staff there working very hard. Finally, WABC TV did a very moving piece on the levaya on the Six o clock News and should also be commended for their insight and sensitivity.
I caught a very full segment just on the levaya earlier this evening from NBC news in new york. it was long and very well done.
The notables in the screenshots Dov Hikind, R’ vi Weiss and R’ Edgar Gluck.
It’s pretty apparent from all the pictures that certain political people used this as a format to get themselves in the news. True chesed shel emes gets paid in olam habah not on the news.
Whatever happened to real chesed, where the selfless acts of kindness took place without fanfare?
SIDELINES:
Welcome to the world of politics!!!!!
But it says ‘ mitoch shelo lishmo, bo lishmo’