Mrs. Henya Federman, the dedicated shlucha to the Virgin Islands, who united the Jewish world in prayer for her recovery, passed away on Wednesday, 17 Shevat.
Mrs. Henya Federman, the dedicated shlucha to the Virgin Islands, who united the Jewish world in prayer for her recovery, passed away on Wednesday, 17 Shevat, 5783.
She was 40 years old.
Henya grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where her parents Rabbi Yisroel and Bracha Devorah Shmotkin direct the Statewide Chabad-Lubavitch activities. After graduating from Beis Chaya Mushka High School of Oak Park, Michigan, she continued her studies at the Bais Chana Teachers Seminary in Tzfat, Israel and majored in both early childhood and elementary school education.
During the summer months, Henya was head counselor of Camp Gan Israel day camp in Milwaukee, and then she spent several years as a youth director in the community.
After her marriage to Asher Federman, the couple moved to New York, where Asher taught at Ohel Chabad and Henya served as an early childhood teacher at Gan Chabad Preschool in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Asher and Henya co-directed the annual 600-participant International Shluchim Youth Convention and a winter camp in Arizona for Jewish children from across the globe.
In 2005, the couple moved to S. Thomas, where they founded Chabad of the Virgin Islands. For the next 17 years Henya and her husband served as the shluchim to the Virgin Islands, creating a Jewish lighthouse on an island paradise, serving tourists and locals alike.
When Hurricane Irma hit the island in 2017, the Federmans rose to help those facing the humanitarian crises in their island home. Over the years they profoundly impacted the lives of many thousands worldwide and built an idyllic oasis of community on their island home.
In Kislev of this year, Henya was injured in a horrific accident that took the life of her 4-month-old daughter Shterna.
Since then, the Jewish world united in prayer for her recovery, as she remained hospitalized in Florida and then in Lakewood. Tragically, she passed away on Wednesday.
She is survived by her husband Rabbi Asher Federman, and their children Moussia, Mendel, Yitzchok Leib, Levi, Shneur, Chana, Feigel, Zelda Rochel, Yudel, Meir, Nechama, and Shaina.
She is also survived by her parents Rabbi Yisroel and Bracha Devorah Shmotkin – Milwaukee, WI and siblings: Rabbi Zalman Shmotkin – Stamford, CT; Rabbi Shmaya Shmotkin – Detroit, MI; Rabbi Mendel Shmotkin – Glendale, WI; Rabbi Elkanah Shmotkin – Brooklyn, NY; Mrs. Feigel Tenenbaum – Gurnee, IL; Mrs. Chana Klein – Eilat, Eretz Yisroel; Rabbi Levi Shmotkin – Chelsea, NY; Rabbi Yehuda Shmotkin – Hamilton Heights, NY; Rabbi Shmuel Shmotkin – Miami, FL; and Rabbi Meir Shmotkin – Alameda, CA.
The funeral for Henya Federman will be held in New York today, Thursday, 18 Shevat (Feb. 9):
2:30 p.m.: Funeral procession
Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters
770 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn
3:45 p.m.: Interment
Old Montefiore Cemetery, Queens
Shiva for Henya’s husband, children, parents and siblings together, at:
120-04 228th Street
Cambria Heights
through Sunday 1:00 p.m
Continuation to be announced.
Baruch Dayan Haemes.
Baruch Dayan Emes. I am so sorry to hear of her passing..my sympathieqs and heartfelt condolences to her children, husband, family and friends. May Hashem help to heal their hearts and comfort their souls.
BDE. My heart goes out to her husband and children. May we only share in Simchas from now on.