Hundreds of people crowded into Yeshiva Ohr Simcha on Forest Avenue in Englewood to attend Sunday’s levaya of Rabbi Yosef Strassfeld, z”l, who was known to have a lev (heart) that had room for everyone. “A heart that beats no more,” said Menahel Rabbi Eliyahu Dworetsky.

A close talmid of Rav Shmuel Kamenetzky, and the rosh yeshiva and founder of Yeshiva Ohr Simcha of Englewood, Rabbi Strassfeld passed away after a long illness. The kevurah (burial) was also held on Aseret b’Tevet, in Lakewood.

Rabbi Dworetsky, as part of a very short statement as he introduced those speaking, noted that Rabbi Strassfeld asked that no hespedim (eulogies) be said other than those from his family, out of fear that someone would be left out. “He did not want anyone to walk away feeling hurt. It was against the way he lived his life.”

Rabbi Strassfeld was known for his warmth, dedication and close relationship with every talmid. He became a lifelong rebbe for the hundreds of bochurim who have learned in his yeshiva over the years, many of whom spoke to him on a weekly basis. “He was the most loving person,” said Rabbi Menachem Genack, spiritual leader of Englewood’s Congregation Shomrei Emunah. “Whenever you saw him with students, he had his hand around a talmid, embracing him. He was like a father to them.”

Rabbi Strassfeld was well known at Shomrei Emunah. “We would look forward to Simchat Torah when he would bring the talmidim to dance with us,” Rabbi Genack reminisced. “He loved Torah, and he always communicated that warmth. He was so happy at the last annual dinner when the yeshiva gave him a sefer Torah. It meant so much to him.”

Rabbi Zev Reichman of East Hill Synagogue had a close relationship with Rabbi Strassfeld as well. “Rabbi Strassfeld was a dear personal friend to all he met,” he wrote in an email to The Jewish Link. “He endeared the yeshiva, himself and Torah to the Englewood community.” Rabbi Reichman shared that Rabbi Strassfeld helped East Hill Synagogue start—by selling them the property at 255 Walnut Street, which was the yeshiva’s location before moving to its current address on Forest Avenue in Englewood. “He was most honorable in how he handled that transaction,” he said.

Rabbi Reichman added that Rabbi Strassfeld stayed a part of that community. “Despite a truly long walk, he was a regular at shul smachot. He always made students available to help us with minyanim, both in the shul and with members who needed to say Kaddish. He gave a shiur in our community for many years, and he was always available to help members with their personal challenges. He was a master educator. He educated with his heart. When individuals wanted guidance for dealing with teens, Rav Strassfeld was a wonderful resource. Englewood lost a treasure when Rav Strassfeld’s soul left to its eternal reward.”

Rabbi Strassfeld’s teaching went far beyond the students[1] of the yeshiva. “Despite his exhaustive schedule at the yeshiva, Rabbi Strassfeld found time to learn with many members of the community,” said Dr. Arthur Schwartz of Englewood. “I learned Gemara with him every Friday morning for many years. He gave a weekly Chumash shiur for baale batim, and Daf Yomi in the evening. He was a tireless fountain of Torah wisdom.”

Rabbi Strassfeld started his career learning at Yeshiva of Philadelphia. He founded Yeshiva Ohr Simcha in 1997, which today has a staff of over 15 rabbanim.

Yeshiva Ohr Simcha works toward its goal of providing top-notch, charedi chinuch, at the mesivta and beit medrash levels, while still focusing on all areas of a bochur’s growth and self-development. The yeshiva works to balance a strong limudei kodesh department of serious learning and hashkafa together with an understanding of bochurim, thereby creating an environment in which they can progress and shteig (rise spiritually) without feeling stifled. In addition, the yeshiva offers many incentive programs to further motivate the bochurim. With this unique combination of motivation and warmth, the yeshiva has evolved into a pre-eminent makom Torah (place of Torah) in Northern New Jersey.

He is survived by his wife, Chaya, their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

By JLNJ Staff