Ephraim Rosenblum

Rabbi Ephraim Rosenblum (6 Shevat 5695, 1935 - 3 Tishrei 5781, 2020) was a shliach of the Rebbe in Pittsburgh and a baal menagen (musician).

Life History

He was born on 6 Shevat 5695 in Montreal, Canada to his father R' Yaakov Chaim from a Chassidic family that immigrated from Poland before the war. In his childhood, he studied in a local non-religious Jewish school, and his parents opened an evening yeshiva where he could study Torah subjects, until the Temimim came from Shanghai and opened Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim Montreal, then he went to study there. For yeshiva ketana, his parents sent him to study at Yeshiva Torah Vodaath in New York, and he was even sent from there with a group of outstanding students to strengthen Yeshiva Ohr Elchanan in California for a short period. While studying at Torah Vodaath, he would attend farbrengens at 770 and even merited to participate in a farbrengen of the Frierdiker Rebbe.

In 5711, he entered a yechidus (private audience) with the Rebbe for the first time, during which the Rebbe instructed him to study Tanya in his yeshiva.

Already in 5711, the Rebbe said about him (during a yechidus with R' Dovid Raskin), "How did he fall in with them?" and after Tishrei 5714, when he stayed at his sister Mrs. Sarah Kahanow's home and merited to be in the Rebbe's presence for Tishrei, the Rebbe made efforts and influenced him to transfer to study at Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim.

In 5714, on his way back from a merkaz shlichus together with his friends, he was involved in a serious car accident in which he was unconscious. The next morning, they received a letter from the Rebbe with a blessing for a complete recovery. At the Shabbos farbrengen, the Rebbe mentioned that "there are several bochurim who need healing - may it be His will that they have healing in a way that not only will there be no lasting effects, but on the contrary, they should have additional strengthening in physical health, like in teshuva from love, where intentional sins become merits. And everyone should wish them well and bless them that they have additional strengthening in physical health." When he returned to New York, he was told by the secretariat that the Rebbe wanted to speak with him. When he entered for yechidus, the Rebbe told him, "I simply want to see you and inquire about your welfare."

In 5721, he married his wife Mrs. Miriam, daughter of Rabbi Nachum Volosov.

After the wedding, he traveled with his wife on shlichus to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he was appointed as a melamed (teacher), and later to the position of principal of the local Yeshiva Achei Temimim. Subsequently, he was also appointed as rabbi of the "Keter Torah" synagogue. There he gave classes in Chassidic teachings to the community and engaged in spreading Chassidus and Judaism in Pittsburgh.

He passed away on 3 Tishrei 5781.

His Family

Sons

• Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Rosenblum, director of Yeshiva Achei Temimim Pittsburgh and rabbi of Keter Torah synagogue.
• Rabbi Yehoshua Dovid - shliach in Caracas, Venezuela.
• Rabbi Zalman Menachem Mendel - shliach in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Daughters

• Freida, wife of Rabbi Chaim Gurvitz, Crown Heights.
• Rivka, wife of Rabbi Sholom Ber Raices - among the Rebbe's shluchim in Skokie, Illinois.
• Chana, wife of Rabbi Hillel Baron - among the Rebbe's shluchim in Columbia, Maryland.