BDE Petirah of Rav Michoel Bender ZTL Mashgiach in Stamford yeshiva he was nifter today in Monsey at the age of 72. Levaya details TBA. He is a son in law of Rav Simcha Schustal zatzal brother in Law to the Lakewood RY Rav Dovid Schustal shlita. And brother of Tav Yaakov Bender shlita R"Y of Darchei Torah Far Rockaway.
Matzav- A tzaddik yesod olam, Rav Bender was a son of the legendary Torah and chinuch pioneers, Rav Dovid and Rebbetzin Basya Bender. Rav Dovid, who was born in Slonim and came to America as a young child, went
overseas at age 20 to learn in the Mirrer Yeshiva in Poland. Rebbetzin Bender was born in Poland and became one of the first students of Sarah Schenirer in Cracow. They married shortly before the war and managed to escape the carnage in Europe and settle in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. Rav Dovid became a master mechanech and a menahel in Yeshiva Torah Vodaas, while Rebbetzin Bender became one of the pioneers of the American Bais Yaakov movement and a surrogate mother to generations of students. It was in this home imbued with Torah, yiras Shomayim and unwavering emunah and bitachon that Rav Michoel was raised.
Rav Michoel mirrored the values of her parents, who were indescribably rich in everything but money, who were wealthy in everything that matters, and who lived for everyone who needed them, without neglecting their own children.
Rav Michoel was a talmid chochom of note, whose tzidkus, aidelkeit and yiras Shomayim matched his ahavas haTorah and ahavas Hashem in every way.
Rav Michoel leaves behind his wife, Rebbetzin Bender, a daughter of Rav Simcha Schustal, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Bais Binyomin of Stamford, we well as children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who follow in her ways. He is also survived by his siblings, Rav Yaakov Bender, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Darchei Torah in Far Rockaway; Rav Paltiel Bender of Boro Park, R”M at Yeshiva Darchei Torah; Rav Shmuel Sholom Bender of Lakewood, R”M at Yeshiva Darchei Torah; and Rebbetzin Nechama Blumie Shapiro of Lakewood, wife of Rav Moshe Shimon Shapiro. His siter, Rebbetzin Esther Musha Epstein a”h, wife of Rav Chaim Epstein, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Zichron Meilich in Brooklyn, NY, passed away over a decade ago.
He was a true Tzadddik Yesod Olam! He was hidden in Stamford for many years, he was completely detached from this world. Only recently when the Yeshiva moved to Monsey, did people start finding out about him, and would flock to his for Berachos, with many seeing major Yeshuos. When someone would come to him, he would chuckle and say it’s “mamesh a joke” that people are coming to him, “I’m mamesh a gornish” . Terrible loss!!
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