A new Torah was welcomed to Getzel’s Shul in Crown Heights to mark the 10th yahrzeit of R’ Boruch Torenheim, a Crown Heights resident who passed away in 5773.
A new Torah was welcomed to Getzel’s Shul in Crown Heights to mark the 10th yahrzeit of R’ Boruch Torenheim, a Crown Heights resident who passed away in 5773.
Boruch Torenheim was born on 9 Adar to Harav Tzvi Hakohen and Sara Torenheim, of the Lukov/Velbroz Dynasty. His parents were sent on Shlichus to Rio De Janeiro, Brazil by the Frierdiker Rebbe.
As there was no Yeshiva in Brazil, when Boruch was just 12 years old, he traveled by boat with his 9-year-old brother from Brazil to Israel. This was in order to ensure that he gets an exemplary Chinuch.
He sacrificed seeing his parents and siblings for many years just to obtain this Chinuch and Torah education.
He later traveled to the United States where he obtained smicha and learnt shechita. When he was a bochur, he was involved in kashering the kitchen for Pesach for the bochurim’s Yeshiva which was inspected by the Rebbe.
He married Miriam Torenheim (nee Scheinfeld) and moved back to Brazil where he was a Shochet and assisted with the Jewish community’s needs. After his firstborn son Motty turned 3, he moved back to the United States.
He had an open home and gave generously to tzedakah. He greeted every person besever panim yafos.
For many Rosh Hashanas and Yom Kippurs, he would travel upstate in order to ensure that the Tiferet Israel Anshei Parksville Synagogue would have a Minyan. He merited to raise 5 beautiful children who understand the sacrifices he made as a young child to maintain a Torah way of life and they keep his legacy alive.
After battling an illness for many years, he passed away at the tender age of 64 on 29 Iyar in 2013.
The final letters of the new Torah, which was completed on Sunday, 15 Sivan, took place at Beis Gimpel Chaim in Crown Heights.
The newly completed Torah was then escorted with song and dance to Getzel Shul, where traditional hakafos were held.
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