2008 Woodie Awards
Sifra Tendler, Wife of Rosh Yeshiva, Passes Away at 80
Zev Eleff and Noson Waintman
Issue date: 10/15/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Sifra Tendler, wife of RIETS Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Moshe Tendler, passed away early Thursday morning, October 11, after a thirteen-month battle with lymphoma. She just recently turned 80.
The funeral was held in Rabbi Tendler's Community Synagogue of Monsey. The turnout for the funeral was tremendous, attended by many RIETS roshei yeshiva and staff among many members of their Monsey community. With the Synagogue's large main sanctuary over capacitated, many people had to sit in the smaller sanctuary.
Although several of her sons and her younger brother, Rabbi Reuven Feinstein, spoke endearingly about their mother's and sister's commitment to chesed, Rabbi Tendler fought through tears to articulate how integral his wife was to his success as a scholar and pulpit rabbi.
In a very emotional eulogy, Rabbi Tendler described how his wife supported their family and Monsey's Jewish community throughout her life. Further, he described how he spent his early life preparing for a world he would build upon marrying his wife, the daughter of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein. With her passing, Rabbi Tendler lamented that the most valuable part of that world is gone.
The couple was married in 1948, a year before Rabbi Tendler began lecturing in RIETS. Rabbi Tendler described how difficult those beginning years were for his young bride, as he devoted much of his time to Torah study and working towards the Ph.D. in Biology he was eventually granted from Columbia University in 1957.
Describing his wife as a woman with tall dreams and visions for her husband, family and community, Rabbi Tendler expressed his gratitude for her teamwork in his rabbinic career. "She protected me from omission and commission," Rabbi Tendler said of his wife. He continued that she always encouraged him to commit more time to his congregation and students.
In one particular anecdote shared, Rabbi Tendler related how, at age of 50, Sifra Tendler decided her chesed for others was insufficient, and committed herself for the following ten years to visit a local hospital in Monsey that served many Jews in her community.
The funeral was held in Rabbi Tendler's Community Synagogue of Monsey. The turnout for the funeral was tremendous, attended by many RIETS roshei yeshiva and staff among many members of their Monsey community. With the Synagogue's large main sanctuary over capacitated, many people had to sit in the smaller sanctuary.
Although several of her sons and her younger brother, Rabbi Reuven Feinstein, spoke endearingly about their mother's and sister's commitment to chesed, Rabbi Tendler fought through tears to articulate how integral his wife was to his success as a scholar and pulpit rabbi.
In a very emotional eulogy, Rabbi Tendler described how his wife supported their family and Monsey's Jewish community throughout her life. Further, he described how he spent his early life preparing for a world he would build upon marrying his wife, the daughter of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein. With her passing, Rabbi Tendler lamented that the most valuable part of that world is gone.
The couple was married in 1948, a year before Rabbi Tendler began lecturing in RIETS. Rabbi Tendler described how difficult those beginning years were for his young bride, as he devoted much of his time to Torah study and working towards the Ph.D. in Biology he was eventually granted from Columbia University in 1957.
Describing his wife as a woman with tall dreams and visions for her husband, family and community, Rabbi Tendler expressed his gratitude for her teamwork in his rabbinic career. "She protected me from omission and commission," Rabbi Tendler said of his wife. He continued that she always encouraged him to commit more time to his congregation and students.
In one particular anecdote shared, Rabbi Tendler related how, at age of 50, Sifra Tendler decided her chesed for others was insufficient, and committed herself for the following ten years to visit a local hospital in Monsey that served many Jews in her community.