Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By richards on January 25, 2015

LYA staff and students present Rabbi David Edelman with a photo book of "90 Acts of Kindness on Dec. 24, the last time Edelman was at LYA. Reminder Publications submitted photo

Hundreds of people across faiths and generations paid their respects to Edelman at his funeral on Jan. 4 at Ascher Zimmerman Funeral Home in Springfield and during a week-long shiva, or mourning period, during which friends and members of the community visit the deceaseds family to give their condolences, Rabbi Noach Kosofsky, principal of LYA and Edelmans son-in-law, said.

I guess he viewed himself as having the responsibility and the mission to bring out the best in people, to elevate people, Kosofsky said. This is what the mission of Judaism and more specifically of the Hasidic Chabad movement. So I guess in that way, he was a legend.

What he did was legendary, he continued. The lessons that hes given and the guidance that hes given and the love that hes shown to people and his kindness; thats legendary. That continues to exist even a week and a half after his passing and God willing, it grows.

In January 1950, at the request of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson, the sixth Rebbe of the Chabad worldwide movement in the United States, Edelman and his then pregnant wife Leah moved from Boston to Springfield to help the struggling LYA, Kosofsky explained. LYA was established in 1946 and had three principals, who were the head of the school at that time, leave during a four-year period.

He didnt know where Springfield was, he added. There was no [Massachusetts Turnpike] at the time. You had to go through the city routes.

Kosofsky said Edelman drove the entire night of Jan. 8, 1950 from Boston until he reached Springfield on Jan. 9. Edelman helped save the school and was a part of the LYA community for 65 years. At the time, LYA was located on the first floor of a two-family house on Belmont Avenue in Springfield.

Last week during the shiva, there was one person here who told us that he remembered when Rabbi Edelman came [to LYA] when he was a little boy [of about 7 years old], he added. He remembers [Edelman] speaking to his grandfather when he was a little boy and this gentleman has grandchildren. Thats five generations [of people that Edelman knew].

They came to give strength and support to the family but I think a lot of people came because they needed the strength and support, Kosofsky noted. They felt the void of not having Rabbi Edelman here.

Kosofsky told Reminder Publications two years ago he and Edelman were in Florida on a vacation waiting to meet someone when Edelman noticed an elderly man who seemed distraught. The elderly man shared his thoughts of being without purpose in life.

More:

Rabbi Edelman remembered for life of service

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