Rabbi Schneur Zalman Blumenfeld, Head Shliach to Peru, and director of Chabad of Lima, passed away on Friday night as thousands of shluchim gathered for the Kinus Hashluchim in New York.
By Anash.org reporter
Rabbi Schneur Zalman Blumenfeld, Head Shliach to Peru, and director of Chabad of Lima, passed away on Friday night, 24 Cheshvan, 5781, as thousands of shluchim gathered for the Kinus Hashluchim in New York.
He was 58 years old.
Rabbi Blumenfeld was born in Brazil to his parents Rabbi Yerachmiel and Mrs. Alte Dvora Blumenfeld, where his father served as the Chief Rabbi and Shliach to Rio’s Jewish community.
In his youth, he learned in the Machane Yisroel Chabad Yeshiva in Petrópolis, Brazil, and in 5743, he was sent as part of the second group of talmidim hashluchim to the yeshiva in Casablanca, Morocco, which had been established by the Rebbe three years previously.
Following his marriage, he moved with his wife to Lima, the capital city of Peru, where he established a Chabad House for the local Jews and the many tourists that pass through the country. Over the next three and a half decades, Rabbi Blumenfeld would go on to help countless Yidden by arranging Shabbos meals for tourists, large Pesach sedorim and Yom Tov meals, relief after natural disasters, and with organizing Jewish programming in a country that is nearly a desert in anything related to Yiddishkeit.
Rabbi Blumenfeld was known as a true example of a chassidisher shliach, and despite his distance from any established Jewish community, he did not compromise on a single iota of hidur mitzvah or a minhag. He even established a kosher bakery in Lima, to allow locals and guests to enjoy fresh bread and pastries at the highest level of kashrus.
He is survived by his wife Shterna Sara and children, Chaya Raskin – Orlando, FL; Mendy Blumenfeld – Eretz Yisroel; Reiza Blumenfeld – Crown Heights/Peru; Rivka Pevzner – Crown Heights; Yehudit Carlebach – Peru; Moshe Blumenfeld – 770/Peru; Yerachmiel Blumenfeld – Eretz Yisroel/Peru.
He is also survived by his mother-in-law Rebbetzin Penina Slonim and his siblings R’ Yaakov Blumenfeld – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Mrs. Chana Scharf – Crown Heights; R’ Yossi Blumenfeld – Crown Heights.
Levaya and kevura will be held in Lima, Peru, on Monday.
Rabbi Blumenfeld’s wife and children will be sitting Shiva at Avenida Aurelio Miro Questa 1015 Apt. 301, Lima Peru. His siblings will be sitting at their homes.
Baruch Dayan Haemes
Rabbi Blumenfeld z.l. (known as Uri in Peru) was instrumental in organizing the repatriation of over 1000 young Israelis stranded all over Peru when the country went into strict quarantine in March 2020 because of Covid. Israel sent 4 EL AL planes to pick up its citizens and Uri z.l. made sure that no one was left behind. Of course he took care of the kosher snacks while they waited for the paperwork to leave the country.
Great Rab, friend, Jajam gadol, he made a lot of changes in our peruvian community and turn us The jewish and persona we should be. Always helping and showing us the way we should act and think with jewish cop.
One of his students and friend
Rabbi Blumenfeld z’l a big loss for the community and the world.., He loved every Jew. One of the Mashgichim from the OU was niftar in Ecuador. We could not communicate with anyone there. I remember calling Rabbi Blumenfeld and he immediately took care of it. Flew to Ecuador and brought to New York the body and returned back to Peru the same day. This is one of his mitzvas among many more. Nothing was complicated Rabbi Blumenfeld zl when needed, acted without trepidation. Let his memory be a blessing. Yehi Zichro Baruch.
El Rabi URI z’l, se caracterizó por su amplia sonrisa a la que acompañaba sabios consejos y nos mostraba su amor a la comunidad y respetó al ser humano jamás lo olvidaremos
We have lost a great human being, a great rabi, he helped the jewish citizens as well as the jewish visitors in Peru. A man with a really big heart, a great guide. We will miss him
Baruch Dayan HaEmet !!!
Grande perda para Am Israel.
Gran persona, gran Rabino, una enorme pérdida para nuestra comunidad, nunca olvidare sus sabios consejos y enseñanzas!!
Querido Uri Z”L te recordaremos siempre! Un abrazo fuerte a su esposa Sara a sus hijos y toda su familia
Era junho 1986,uma quarta-feira, meu filho Soly Haim Shelomo, estava hospitalizado em New York, depois de um exame de medula, foi desenganado pelos médicos com “nada mais temos a fazer”.Ligamos para os bachurim brasileiros que nos davam assistência, e veio à noite o “Uri”Zalman Blumemfeld Z.L. nos ver no hospital. Foi portador de uma carta ao Rebe, a qual ele nos orientou a escrever, e entregou como emergência tarde da noite. Na manhã seguinte,A MESMA lâmina do dia anterior que tinha células ruins, foi mudada,por totalmente células boas.Sei que “Uri”Zalman Z.L.continuou sua vida de mitsvot, sempre. Obrigado.
I believe that the suddenly departure of rabbi Uri zl as we called him left us with a broken heart.He was always present when comfort in a shiva was needed or a time of jora in wedding , bringing pessah supplies or a suka to someone who cant get away from home, kaparot in kippur and so many mitzvot its hard to number them.May his family BH will find comfort in this time of pain and sorrow Baruj Dayan Haemet
Uri was a great Rabbi and a Very Good friend for all my Family he was always willîng to help and advise with his great kwonledge very smart and wise he married me and always guided me the best he can so sorry for his dear wife sarah and children he was à tsadik I will miss him a lot
Baruj dayan ha emet
Hamakom ienachem etchem betoch shear avele Tsion vIrushalaim
Conhecida no Rio de Janeiro família de grandes filhos sabios, conhecemos pessoalmente seus saudosos sabios pais (Z”L) nesta cidade , e o atual irmão Rabi Iaacov (shlita)
Ihie zichro baruch
המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים
שלא תראו דאבה עוד
שיהיו בשורות טובות
Could someone post a phone number to reach the Avelim in Peru?
BS’D
Rabbi Blumenfeld is gonna be deeply missed.
May we merit to see him very very soon !
And may Hashem comfort the family.
Baruch dayan ha emes.