Menachem Mendel Futerfas: Difference between revisions

'''Rabbi Menachem Mendel Futerfas''' (also known as: Reb Mendel. 20 Tishrei 1906 - 4 Tammuz 1995) was a chossid and mekushar to our Rebbeim, a man of mesiras nefesh who established underground branches of [[Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim|Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim]] behind the Iron Curtain. From 1973, under the Rebbe's direction, he served as the head mashpia at the central Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim in Kfar Chabad and as a shadar abroad to inspire spiritually and raise funds. He served as a board member of Beis Rivka and the Bucharian Yeshiva institutions in Kfar Chabad. Together with Rabbi Mordechai Shmuel Ashkenazi and Rabbi Bentzion Vishetsky, he founded the Yiddish Cheder in Kfar Chabad.

Reb Mendel was born on 20 Tishrei 1907 in the town of Pleshnitz in White Russia, to his father Reb Menachem Mendel and his mother Maryasha Badna (who passed away on 5 Menachem Av 1958) - daughter of the Segalovitz family and her mother from the Kugel family. He was the fourth child after two daughters and one brother. His father passed away shortly before his birth during a typhus epidemic, and his mother named him after his father. Being fatherless, Reb Mendel grew up with his grandfather, the chossid Reb Chaim Futerfas in Kharkov, who was one of the shapers of his personality and from whom he received many chassidic stories. Reb Mendel spent his childhood with his grandmother Rachel-Leah from Nevel, who was the niece of the famous chossid Reb Chanoch Hendel Kugel. Many stories circulate about her chassidic conduct and enhancement of mitzvos.