BDE: The Lizensker Rebbe, Rav Meir Leifer, zt”l

We are saddened to inform you of the passing of the Lizensker Rebbe who founded the Lizensker Shul in Boro Park more than thirty years ago. He was 81, and had been unwell in recent months.

 He was a son of Nadvorna-Bania Rebbe, Rebbe Yisachar Ber Leifer, who came to Boro Park from Williamsburg in the 1960’s, and whose shul still exists on 53rd Street between 11th and 12th Avenues.

 His mother, Rebbetzin Rachil, was the daughter of Rav Levi Yitzchok Leifer of Eretz Yisroel.

 The Rebbe was born in April 1940 in Bania, Romania, where his father and grandfather were Rebbes. The family escaped the clutches of the Nazis, taking the tiny infant Meir along with them as they made it to Italy, where they spent the war years.

 Following the war, the Leifer’s arrived in Williamsburg, where the young Meir was enrolled in the Zehlimer yeshiva. As a bachur, he went to learn in the Kashau yeshiva and maintained a close relationship with the Kashau Rebbe, Rav Refoel Bloom, zt”l, for his entire life.

 He married, ybl”ch, Rebbetzin Devorah Mindel Adler, a daughter of Rav Tzadok Adler, the Ostrovtza Rov in Flatbush. He established the Lizensker Shul in Boro Park in the late 1980’s, at its current location at Fourteenth Avenue and 59th Street. During this time, the old building was demolished, with a magnificent edifice erected there about fifteen years ago.

 Throughout his tenure, the Rebbe was extremely makpid that there should be no talking during davening whatsoever. He was a tremendous supporter of Torah and Talmidei Chachomim—maintaining his own kollel for many years, and supporting many others. His son in law is Rav Avrohom Eisen, Pozna Rov of Flatbush, and founder of the Kollel Shas Yidden & Torah 24 networks, whose son Rav Mordechai, has been serving as a Dayan in Lizensker Shul for a number of years.

 The Rebbe had been diagnosed a couple of months ago with an aggressive form of the machlah, R”l, and had been hospitalized in Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore, where he was niftar this morning, surrounded by family, and with a minyan.

 The levaya will take place on Sunday morning at 10:45, at the Lizensker Beis medrash. From there The aron will be taken to Eretz Yisroel, where the Rebbe will be laid to rest. 

 Yehi Zichro Baruch.