Rabbi Dovid schochet
HaRav Dovid Schochet z"l (5692-5784/1932-2024) served as the Nosi of the Vaad HaRabbonim of Toronto, Rov of the Lubavitch kehilla in Toronto, Canada, and member of the Vaad Rabbonei Lubavitch Haklali. As a bochur, he merited to be among the shluchim sent by the Rebbe in 5716 to strengthen the spirits of Yidden in Eretz Yisroel, particularly in Kfar Chabad.
Born in Holland to his father HaRav Dov Yehuda Schochet, who served as the local Rov, the mishpacha later moved to Toronto to provide proper chinuch for the children. There, they developed a deep hiskashrus to Lubavitch, with the entire family becoming Chassidim of the Rebbe.
After completing his studies in the Chabad mosdos in Montreal, he traveled to learn in the central Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim at 770. During Chanukah 5714, at the kabbalas ponim of Reb Bentzion Althaus's chasunah, he made the first complete recording of a farbrengen of the Rebbe.
Following the tragic attack in Kfar Chabad where the Yud Daled Kedoshim HY"D were murdered at the Beis Sefer L'Melacha, the Rebbe chose him to join a special group of shluchim sent to strengthen the Yidden in Eretz Yisroel. For nearly a month, he and his fellow shluchim visited communities throughout Eretz Hakodesh to provide chizuk.
His chasunah took place at 770 on Gimmel Nissan 5717 to his Rebbetzin Bas Sheva (sister of Rav Nachman Sudak). He merited that the Rebbe was mesader kiddushin. During his aufruf Shabbos, the Rebbe mentioned his aliyah during the farbrengen, and the following Shabbos Sheva Brachos, following his father's special request about "zman shehanesi'im nosnin," the Rebbe held an additional farbrengen.
Even before his marriage, he joined the hanhala of the Chabad mosdos in Toronto. Shortly after his chasunah, he and his Rebbetzin moved to Toronto where he began his avodas hakodesh. Over the years, he was appointed as Rov of the local Chabad kehilla and member of Vaad Rabbonei Lubavitch. He was masmich many talmidim l'rabbanus, some even through modern technology in recent years.
He was niftar on Yud Tes Shevat 5784 (2024), leaving behind a beautiful mishpacha of children and grandchildren continuing in his derech of harbatzas haTorah and strengthening Yiddishkeit:
- His son HaRav Yosef Yitzchok Schochet
- His daughter Mrs. Basya Lisker
- His daughter Mrs. Ruchi Dinah
- His daughter Mrs. Chana Weisberg