A Chinuch Legend Passes on; Rabbi Osher Lemel Ehrenreich, z”l, 66 Years the Helm of Beis Yaakov

 The hearts of thousands of Jewish daughters around the world are deeply saddened this evening with the news of the passing of Rabbi Ehrenreich, a legend in the Boro Park community and beyond. He was ninety-three years of age.

 He served as the menahel of Beis Yaakov of Boro Park for 66 years—all of which were marked by supreme dedication, care and concern for every single talmidah in his charge, and year in which close to 15,000 Jewish daughters were molded by this legend of Torah Chinuch in America.

 He was born in the Slovakian town of Brezna in the year 1928, and came over to America as a child, in 1934, enrolling in Yeshiva Torah Vodaath, and later in Beis Medrash Elyon. Rav Shraga Feivel Mendelowitz would often comment on their shared bond, both being Hungarian immigrants, a rarity in America of that time. He absorbed the chinuch, and world philosophy from the great Gedolim of the yeshiva.

 So, upon leaving yeshiva, he wanted to be a Maggid shiur—and would remain a formidable talmid chochom. But he took the position at the fledgling school, at the behest of Rabbi Moshe Sherer, on a temporary basis… and he remained there for 66 years. Yet, few marbitzei Torah in the world could boast the impact that Rabbi Ehrenreich would have on the Torah world in America and beyond.

 He came into the school which was begun a few years previously by a group of Holocaust survivors who need a place for their daughters. It was unique role… to educate that first generation following the Churban. Many of the parents were traumatized by the terrible events that they had witnessed, and it was Rabbi Ehrenreich, through Beis Yaakov, which provided the warmth that their parents were unable to give them ( in many cases). A generation later, they sent their own daughter to Rabbi Ehrenreich… who would in turn send their own children to learn under this unique mechanech.

 Decade after decade passed, with furiously changing times, and with them unique nisyonos of every generation—but the vision, the eidelkeit, the truth, and the love and sensitivity of the legendary leader at the helm of Beis Yaakov remained a constant.

 Reb Nachman Blassbalg, the longtime administrator of Beis Yaakov, who worked alongside Reb Osher Lemel, z”l, sums up the incredible loss of this consummate mechanech: “A number of years ago we held an event for alumni in Lakewood. The lines to meet Rabbi Ehrenreich stretched to the street, as though he were a Rebbe… and he remembered each student by name! The fondness that every one of the talmidos remember him is incredible, and this loss for the school and for each of the talmidos, is indescribable.” 

The Levaya will be held tomorrow (Wednesday) at his beloved Beis Yaakov at 11:30 in the morning, where he will be mourned and given a fitting kavod acharon—following a lifetime of devotion and dedication to the mossad and its students.

 Yehi Zichro Baruch