Mrs. Rivkah Chitrik, 96, AH

Mrs. Rivkah Chitrik (née Karasik), one of the Rebbe’s very first Shluchos, passed away on Monday, 17 Tishri, 5787, Chol Hamoed Sukkos.

She was 96 years old.

She was born on 10 Tammuz, 5690 (1930), in Leningrad (St. Petersburg), Russia, into an illustrious family of Chassidim. She was the youngest daughter of the Gaon and Chassid Rabbi Chaim Eliezer Karasik, the last Rav of Shchedrin, and Rebbetzin Leah (née Gurary) Karasik, who came from the distinguished Gurary family of Chassidim.

In 1935 the family moved to Eretz Yisroel and settled in Tel Aviv, where she grew up in the young and growing Chabad community. Her father served as the community’s Rav and as chairman of Agudas Chassidei Chabad in Eretz Yisroel. He was also among the first to champion the founding of Kfar Chabad. On the eve of World War II, she traveled with her mother to Poland and had a yechidus with the Frierdiker Rebbe in Otwock, where he instructed the girls to speak Yiddish.

In the winter of 5710, the Frierdiker Rebbe sent her an affidavit to come to America. She set sail together with Reb Yoel Kahn on Yud Shvat itself, unaware of the Frierdiker Rebbe’s histalkus that day.

In 5711 (1951) she married Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Chitrik, and the Rebbe officiated at the chuppah. Even before the wedding, the Rebbe asked the couple to go on Shlichus to Brazil. He personally convinced her parents to give their blessing, writing of her that she was a “Temima bas Tamim.” When their firstborn son, Yosef Yitzchak (Yossi), was born, the Rebbe, in a rare and exceptional honor, served as sandek at the bris and delivered a sicha at the seudah.

Shortly after Yossi’s birth, the young family set out for South America as the first Shluchim the Rebbe sent after accepting the Nesius. For eight years she served as a Shlucha of the Rebbe in Brazil alongside her husband. They began in S. Paulo, where he revitalized the Beit Chinuch school and grew it to 400 students, and later moved to Rio de Janeiro. There they established schools and communal institutions and brought many closer to Torah and Chassidus.

In 5721 (1961) the family settled in Crown Heights, near 770. There she remained devoted to the causes the Rebbe set out and stood at her husband’s side in all his activities. She served on the women’s committee that, with the Rebbe’s blessing, raised the funds to purchase the Machon Chana building, and she headed Nshei U’Bnos Chabad.

She was known for her chessed and her exceptional hachnasas orchim, and for her pleasant manner and warm, welcoming face. She raised her children to serve as Shluchim and educators around the world.

She was predeceased by her husband, Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Chitrik, in 5772 (2011), and by her sisters, Mrs. Devorah Ashkenazi and Mrs. Tema Gurary.

She is survived by her children: Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak (Yossi) Chitrik (Tzfas), Rabbi Aharon (Ari) Chitrik (Crown Heights), Mrs. Esther Piekarski (Tel Aviv), Mrs. Sarah Zalmanov (Crown Heights), Mrs. Ella Lerman (Crown Heights), and Mrs. Rochi Shemtov (Uruguay). She also leaves grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.

The levaya will take place tomorrow, Tuesday. Details will follow.

Baruch Dayan Ha’emes