Rabbi Sholom Ber Butman, a senior Chabad Chossid, mashpia and shliach in Eretz Yisroel, passed away on Friday, 10 Menachem Av, 5783.
Rabbi Sholom Ber Butman, a senior Chabad Chossid, mashpia and shliach in Eretz Yisroel, passed away on Friday, 10 Menachem Av, 5783.
He was 88 years old.
He was born in 5794 (1934) in Moscow, to his parents, Rabbi Shneur Zalman and Yehudit Butman. His mother was a great-granddaughter of the Tzemach Tzedek.
In 1946 his family fled the Soviet Union and arrived in Pairs, France at the age of 12. For a time the family lived in the same building as Rebbetzin Chana. It was there that the young boy first met the Rebbe who was visiting Paris at that time.
In 5714, after several years of living in Paris, he immigrated with his family to the United States.
In 5716, Butman was part of a group of 12 young men sent by the Rebbe to console the community of Kfar Chabad following a terror attack that claimed the lives of one adult and five children and wounded another 10.
In 5717, he married Devora the daughter of Reb Shmerel Gurary and Mrs. Chaya Shaina Michla (nee Shneider). Her father was a renowned chassidishe businessman who supported many Chabad mosdos and gave large sums of money to the Rebbe. The family settled in Tel Aviv after immigrating from Russia.
During the years 5719 – 5728, the couple lived in Crown Heights, before moving back to Tel Aviv. In Israel, he was appointed gabbai of the Nachalas Binyomin Shul in Tel Aviv. Rabbi Butman worked full-time in the textile business but remained involved in Jewish activism.
In 5771, he became the oldest person to open a new Chabad center with the establishment of the 32nd Chabad House in Tel Aviv serving downtown Tel Aviv’s trendy pedestrian mall.
He is survived by his children Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Butman – Lod; Rabbi Yochanan Butman – Chadera; Rabbi Yehuda Butman – Ramat Hasharon, Mrs. Michla Segal – Crown Heights; grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
He is survived by his siblings Rabbi Shmuel Butman – Crown Heights; Mrs. Leah Kahn – Crown Heights; and Mrs. Miriam Swerdlow – Crown Heights.
He was predeceased by his son Rabbi Yisroel Boruch Butman, shliach to Naharia, Israel, in 5774.
The levaya was held on Friday morning in Tel Aviv to Har Hazeisim for burial.
Baruch Dayan Haemes.
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