Shimon Lazaroff (Texas)

Born in 5702 (1942), Rabbi Shimon Lazaroff (known as Shimke) is the Rebbe's shliach in Houston and the head director of Chabad institutions in Texas.

Life History

Born in the Soviet Union on the 5th of Menachem Av 5702 to his father Rabbi Gershon Eliezer Lazaroff and his mother Mrs. Menucha. Before his birth, he was orphaned from his father who was murdered by the KGB for spreading Yiddishkeit, and he was raised by his mother. His maternal grandfather was the chossid Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Lipsker, the Rav of Poltava.

When Chabad chassidim left Russia en masse in 5706, his mother joined the refugees together with him and his sister. After various wanderings, they arrived in Paris, France where his mother received a position as a house mother in one of the Chabad institutions established for refugees.

Later, when the Rebbe came in 5707 to accompany his mother to America, Lazaroff's mother helped cook food for Shabbos for the Rebbe. Because of this, he spent time in the Rebbe's presence and felt a close spiritual connection, which was strengthened due to being fatherless.

At the last farbrengen the Rebbe held before departing with his mother by plane to America, the chassidim broke out in a chassidic dance at the end of the farbrengen, while the Rebbe remained seated. Rabbi Lazaroff, who was then a five-year-old child and felt close to the Rebbe, approached and pulled on the Rebbe's jacket sleeve, urging him to join the dance. The Rebbe indeed responded to his request and danced with him for several minutes.

Subsequently, he traveled with his mother to Israel and entered to study at Tomchei Tmimim Yeshiva in Lod. During his years studying there, he began taking on an approach of kabolas ol and merirus which greatly influenced the development of his character and his relationship with his surroundings.

The Move to Crown Heights

Following absorption difficulties, in 5717 after two years of living in Israel, his mother decided to immigrate with her children to the USA and established their residence in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, near the Rebbe's court. Upon their arrival, the family entered for yechidus with the Rebbe. After a few minutes, the children were asked to leave and the mother remained alone to speak briefly with the Rebbe without her children's presence. After they left, the Rebbe asked her: "What happened to Shimke? I know him, he's a happy child, why does he look so serious and withdrawn?"

Shlichus in France

In 5722, the Rebbe sent a group of shluchim-students to Tomchei Tmimim Yeshiva in Brunoy, France, including Rabbi Lazaroff. Once, Rabbi Lazaroff was in a state of depression about being far from the Rebbe and wrote a letter complaining about being far from the Rebbe. He received the response "The Pan was received, I will mention it at the Tzion and may you share good news." He then composed a niggun to the words "Achas Shoalti" together with the words of the response he received.

In New York, Rabbi Lazaroff entered to study at the Central Tomchei Tmimim Yeshiva, where he also received semicha, and upon completing his studies married his wife Chayena, daughter of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Shapiro, secretary of the Crown Heights Beis Din.

Public Activities

After his marriage, he was sent by the Rebbe to assist Rabbi Sholom Dovber Shemtov, the Rebbe's shliach in Detroit, Michigan. After several years of shlichus, he received instruction from the Rebbe in 5732 to move to work in Texas, where he continues to operate until today, with nearly sixty shluchim working under him.

As a Musician

Rabbi Lazaroff is known as a chassidic musician [all the niggunim he composed and cherished were printed in a teshura at his granddaughter's wedding] and composed several niggunim, including:

• Mir Zeinen Shluchim Fun Rebben
• Achas Shoalti MeEis Hashem (niggun)
• Beis Chabad Niggun
• No Free Lunch (to the tune of the Poltava niggun, with an introduction by Rabbi Lazaroff), this niggun has two versions
• Forn For Ich Fun Dir Avek

Niggunim frequently on his lips:

• Niggun Oi Vi S'vet Zein Shein
• Niggun Ich Ver Nit Nispael

Family

His grandfather on his father's side: Rabbi Shimon Lazaroff His brothers-in-law:

• Rabbi Yitzchak Mishulovin of 'Merkaz STAM'
• Rabbi Nachman Shapiro
• Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Shemtov

His children:

• Rabbi Eliezer Gershon Lazaroff, shliach at the hospital in Houston, Texas
• Mrs. Fruma Sarah Rosenfeld, educator in Melbourne Australia, wife of Rabbi Yisroel Rosenfeld
• Menachem Mendel Lazaroff, Crown Heights
• Rabbi Yisroel Aryeh Leib Lazaroff, Los Angeles
• Rabbi Yosef Lazaroff, university shliach, College Station, Texas
• Rabbi Shneur Zalman Lazaroff, Crown Heights
• Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Lazaroff, the Rebbe's shliach in Houston, Texas
• Chana Chasi Rivkin, wife of R' Hirsh Meilech Rivkin, Morristown, New Jersey
• Rabbi Peretz Lazaroff, Crown Heights
• Devorah Leah Lukshin, wife of R' Mordechai Lukshin, Crown Heights
• Rabbi Shmuel Lazaroff, Jerusalem