Mrs. Rivka Schechter, daughter of the chossid Reb Shmuel Yitzchok (Itche) Reices, passed away on Shabbos afternoon, 20 Iyar, 5779.
She was 91.
Mrs. Schechter was born to Reb Shmuel Yitzchok and Alte Yehudis Reices OBM.
Reb Shmuel Yitzchok, whom the Rebbe referred to at a farbrengen as “Rashi Reices”, was a shoichet in the city of Minsk during the communist era. Young Rivka, at the age of 6 years old, would ride the train and deliver the meat that was slaughtered by her father and kashered by her mother to other chassidim in town at great personal risk.
With self-sacrifice and at all costs, her father refused to send her and her siblings to the communist school.
She was named Rivka as a hakaras hatov, in appreciation to Rebbetzin Rivka, who cared for Reb Shmuel Yitzchok when he was a young bachur learning in Lubavitch.
She married Reb Tzvi Schechter in Samarkand around 1947, and moved to Eretz Yisroel thereafter and settled in Bnei Brak.
Years later they moved to Crown Heights and operated a fabric store on Kingston Avenue for many years.
Their home on Montgomery Street was a haven for many guests, out of town relatives and friends visiting New York.
After closing the shop and retiring, the couple moved back to Eretz Yisroel and lived there until the passing of Reb Tzvi OBM. In recent years she was living with her children in Miami.
She is survived by her children, Mrs. Henya Holtzberg – Crown Heights, R’ Shmulik Schechter – Lauderhill FL, Mrs. Leah Yarmush – Crown Heights, Rabbi Motti Schechter – Kfar Chabad and Rabbi Yosef Schechter – Crown Heights, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.
She is also survived by her brother Rabbi Yosef Bentzion Reices of Crown Heights.
Burial will be in Eretz Yisroel. Details to follow.
Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.