I received the painful news this week that Rabbi Mordechai Feuerstein, my predecessor at Congregation Suburban Torah in Livingston, had passed away. He was a man who changed the lives of so many in our community and who taught me a great deal during our time together. Rabbi Feuerstein was a rabbi who not only taught Torah with brilliance but lived it with his entire being.
The relationship between a rabbi and his successor can easily be fraught. After investing heart and soul in a community for many years, it’s not easy to see someone else take your place and do things differently. Yet Rabbi Feuerstein was incredibly humble in all of our meetings. He walked me through the most sensitive issues in the community to make sure I didn’t enter any complicated situations blind. He withstood the natural temptation to tell me how to deal with these situations. He gave me the knowledge I needed to succeed, but without imposing his own will upon me.
There was only one exception, the only time he ever asked me to do anything as the rabbi: when it came to charity and the rabbi’s discretionary fund. Rabbi Feuerstein was a deeply caring person, far more than average, who devoted himself to helping people in need, both in and outside of our community. He would spend hours with people who were not even members of the shul, people to whom he owed no particular obligation. There were many individuals who relied upon his generosity—financial, yes, but even more so, his generosity of spirit and time. He would listen thoughtfully and with an open heart before trying to help them find a solution. This was the only thing he ever asked of me—to please continue to help the people who so desperately needed assistance and who had come to rely upon him.
When I think of Rabbi Feuerstein, I’m reminded of the adage: “People don’t care how much you know unless they know how much you care.” Though his scholarly knowledge was vast, what people remember most is how he cared for them.
When I moved into the rabbi’s house in Livingston, I discovered that the large basement was filled with enough bookshelves to house thousands of seforim. Room after room filled with bookshelves. Yet his wisdom extended far beyond books, to the Torah of life. Rabbi Feuerstein’s beloved and brilliant wife, Dr. Shayndel Feuerstein, passed away at the young age of 58 after a heroic eight-year battle with cancer, while he was serving as rabbi of our congregation. I cannot imagine how he held it all together during that time, balancing his responsibilities to his wife, children and community, yet he faced these challenges with remarkable faith and strength of character.
Perhaps it was this personal experience that gave Rabbi Feuerstein his extraordinary ability to comfort others in their darkest moments. I was privileged to conduct many funerals alongside him, witnessing firsthand his truly remarkable gift. During times of grief, Rabbi Feuerstein found exactly the right words—words that honored the deceased, comforted the mourners, and somehow made sense of loss. The way he spoke about life and death offered both wisdom and genuine comfort. I was constantly amazed by this ability and learned tremendously from his example.
There is perhaps no better measure of a person’s life than their children, their greatest legacy. The Feuerstein children—each one kind, warm, and dedicated to Am Yisrael—carry forward the values of both their father and mother. Rabbi Feuerstein leaves behind not only his remarkable family but a community forever changed by his leadership. The wisdom he shared, the kindness he showed, and the example he set will remain with all who knew him.
Yehi zichro baruch.
Elie Mischel is the Director of Education at Israel365.
