The Baltimore community is saddened by the petira of Reb Mordechai E. Lando z”l. Mr. Lando was known as ‘Reb Yukum’.
In his youth, he studied in the Kaminetzer Yeshiva in Yerushalayim, at a time that this was rare for Americans. He maintained a lifelong relationship with the Kaminetzer Yeshiva, and served as the head of the Kaminetz Committee in Baltimore. Subsequently, the Lando family settled in Baltimore. Reb Yukum was a pillar of the Baltimore community for many years. In his later years, after he retired, he was instrumental in establishing a Kollel for retirees. In his final years, he suffered many yesurim, which he accepted b’ahava. His wife, Mrs. Leah Lando, exhibited tremendous dedication in caring for her husband.
The Landos practiced Kiruv Rechokim long before the term was even coined. They were pioneers in helping Iranian Jewish refugees who escaped to the US. They opened their home to a young Iranian Jewish girl, Sora, today known as Mrs. Sarah Baalness, a prominent member of the Baltimore community.
Mr. Lando was 71 years old.
Survivors include his wife, Leah Lando (nee Fensterheim); children, Nechi and Rabbi Eliyohu Hirsch, Rabbi Chayim and Chava Lando, Rivky and Rav Yitzchok Penfil, and Mindy and Rabbi Avraham Baum, Rabbi Pinchas and Gold Lando, Rabbi Dovid and Aviva Lando, and Sorah and Avraham Baalness; one sister, Judi Dick; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His son Rabbi Pinchus Lando is the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Yeshiva. His youngest son, Rabbi Dovid, is an Assistant Rosh Kollel in Toronto.
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6 Responses
I did not have the zechus to know him. May he be a meilitz yoisher for all of klal yisrael. His son R’ Chaim does amazing kiruv work!
r yukum was a very special person. did wonderful things for many people , and sepecially for iranian jews. u can see from the aricle taht they count the Baal Haness’s as children -they really were/are. Their children even called him Zaidy…. yehai zichro boruch
He left behind a great legacy, his children and grandchildren. His oldest daughter, Nechi and Eli Hirsch raised a beautiful family in Lakewood. Rivky and Rabbi Yitzchok Penfil also live in Lakewood where R’ Yitzchok is zoche to still be sitting in kollel. Mindy and Avraham Baum live in Philadelphia where Avraham is a rebbe at the local school. Pinny and his wife Golda live in Philidelphia where Pinny practically runs the Philly Yeshiva and Dovid and Aviva settled in Toronto where Dovid was able to get a position of assistant rosh kollel. Sora and Avram Baal Haness live in Baltimore. His sister, Judi Dick works for Artscroll, and her husband R’ Nachum Dick is part of Sini. He leaves behind more than 50 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.
He was known for many years in the Baltimore community to have an open door policy. Anybody who needed a place to stay while in Baltimore knew they could stay in the Lando household. They were zoche to host, among others, R’ Moshe Aaron Stern Z”TL and R’ Yitzchok Schiner, for many, many years.
Hamakom Yenachem Eschem Bsoch Shaar Aveili Tzion ViYerushalaim
He personified the posuk “odom le-omol yulad”. He excelled at his job, but worked just as hard at his meleches shomayim, at a age when others would have been satisfied with “bikesh yaakov leyshev beshalvo”.
“Veohavto, sheyehey sheim shomayim mis-ahev al yodcho”. He was hashem’s a mentch without having any official title or position. An in almo dikshoyt, this is what they consider.
May his children be yoresh his spiritual strengths, and continue his holy work. Dor ldor “yeshabach” maasecho, from the shoresh “improve”.
tired,
Why did you leave out his son R’Chaim, a great man in his own right?
I am the oldest grandchild. I made him an old man. I was very close to my grandfather & grandmother. They were always there 4 me. Through the had times & the good times. Yes he did a lot of gr8 things but he was human. There were times he drove us nuts but we always knew (well atleast i knew) that at the end of the day he still loved us & wanted the best 4 us. I feel bad that the younger generation only nos him as being sick. They missed out. While he was sick I never heard him complain & thank good he still had his mind til the end. I am so happy he was in Lakewood 4 3 wks cuz I was lucky 2 visit him 2x a wk. On the 18th of Jan 2009 My married younger sis & her husband (my bro in-law) drove me My sis who flew in from Israel with her baby 2 the hospital. 2bad he wasn’t awake. but 4 some reason i had 2 keep going in, yes it was hard but new if this is last time wld c grandfather then need 2 go in again. I even had 2 watch them do cpr on him 4 times. Hard but don’t regrete I was there. He was sick on and off 4 around 8 years but around 9 yrs ago when i was in england they both came 2 visit me. I still remember having a gr8 time with my grandparents. 8 yrs ago they let me move in with them 4 almost a year. In 8th grand they let me come 4 3 wks. Ok i had 2 go 2 school while there but when ended up in the wrong school he was on the way 2 rescue me b4 i reliezed what happend. they took just me out 2 resterants. or the harbor. they made me feel special ofcourse I also remember the trips we went with all the cousins but what stands out is all the time they took the time 2 b their 4 me. while they revived his heart 3 times I always said stuff like zaida don’t go i still need u. by the 4th time when they got a pulse the second I said my goodbyes they said they lost his pulse. I believe & will always believe that he was waiting 4 me 2 say goodbye. I think of when he was sick but i am thankfully that i still can think of him and remeber him as when he was healthy. I miss you Zaida so much wish u didn’t have 2 leave but am thankfull that i was able 2 be so close. I hope i will never forget him but do hope it gets easier 2 deal with his passing. I can go on and on with stories but I think this is getting 2 long so I will sign off now. Miss you always and love you always your oldest grandchild