Sholom Ber Levine, a colorful figure who served as a security guard for Yeshiva Ohr Elchonon Chabad in Los Angeles, California, passed away.
By Anash.org reporter
Sholom Ber Levine, a colorful figure who served as a security guard for Yeshiva Ohr Elchonon Chabad in Los Angeles, California, passed away.
Sholom Ber was the son of R’ Tanchum Levine, a chosid who merited a unique relationship with the Frierdiker Rebbe and beis harav, and who was a familiar figure in YOEC for many years after its founding.
A number of years after his father’s passing, Sholom Ber moved to a small room in close proximity to the yeshiva, and quickly became a familiar sight to the bochurim.
Sholom Ber would tell the bochurim stories of his own relationship with beis harav, and other hair-raising adventures. Every Friday night, he would eat the Shabbos meal with yeshiva, and would always make sure to bring special Shabbos foods and distribute it to the bochurim.
When the yeshiva’s security needs became greater, Sholom Ber began serving as the yeshiva’s unofficial security guard, making sure all doors and windows were locked and patrolling the campus during the night hours.
In recent years, he lived in an apartment a short distance from yeshiva, and bochurim would visit him from time to time for mivtzoim or to cheer him up.
He is survived by his brother Rabbi Nachman Levine and his sister Aliza Levine.
Baruch Dayan Ha’emes
המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים, ולא דעו מדאבה עוד.
בברכה לאריכות ימים ושנים טובות
יי”צ גראסבוים
מיניסאטא
Sholom Ber would every Friday make sure everyone knew what time Shabbos was, and he would fundraise money so the Buchrim can have fancy fishes on Friday night and Motzei Shabbos and seltzer and cookies for Melava Malka and by adar dancing he would bring his special instruments to make the Bochrim happy, and would go around on Shabbos letting the Bochrim smell Tabak, every Erev Yom Kippur he would give out Lekach With a very long Bracha for Each Bocher.
and he would always ask the Rosh for a brocha after Kol Nidre.
Let’s not forget about the fact that he always made sure we had COLD seltzer and cookies every shaboss afternoon after mincha
Shalom Ber means “Peace Bear”
I knew him from when he was a little boy and as a grown man and he was always a rodeph Shalom, a peace maker, and protector of the underdogs, the defenseless, and was quite the mighty bear, far more ferocious than his size would suggest. I loved him and am sorry to say goodbye so soon.
I knew him very well. We were classmates in Yeshiva at ULYOP way back when….
Always friendly, always with a smile…..
I haven’t seen him since then, but may he be a meilitz yosher for us all…..
Yechiel S.
BS”D
I met Reb Sholom Ber through his father, Reb Tanchum, OHS, a dear friend, and sought the son’s friendship. He was learned in Chassidus and Minhagim, and probably much more, but he kept it quiet. He lehned Torah beautifully, and I hired him to teach my son. He served in the US Marines for 12 years, and became Drill Sergeant–a characteristic which came to the surface when needed. Reb Sholom Ber spoke Scottish Gaelic fluently and knew Scottish music and dance. A most colorful gentleman, he had a hard life, but bore it gracefully and with good humor. A true Chassid. I will not forget him.
He spoke my dialect of Scottish Gaelic, one of maybe 9 people I’ve met outside of Scotland. He was a big-hearted wee man and I knew him for over thirty years. Always had a smile even when he didn’t have two coppers to rub together. The world is a darker place without him and I am truly sad he passed away alone without a hand to hold. He deserved so much better.
Baruch dayan haEmes. He sounds very special.
B”H
BDE
He was my friend and I loved him.
We where honored and feel privileged, that he came to our house a few times for Shabbos meals and some Yom tovim meals over the years.
He was also a decorated military veteran.
Such a unique and special nashomah.
I will miss him so much.
Mashiach RIGHT NOW❗️❗️👍
We called him Beau Ramsay, by his choice. Clan MacColin of Glenderry, the Scottish Historical group we both belonged to, called him Beau Ramsay. He was a Keeper of OUR lore, also, as well as a teacher of our children, and adults. He was also the Keeper of our very long, 40-yr-old Kadish List, the Memorial List he recited the names of our Lost from every year at our annual ceremony.
He kept the Sabbath with us, through the Springtime, for many years, and taught a lot of people about being devoted to their faith in unexpected way.
We are greatly saddened by his passing.