Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, a prominent rabbi who oversaw several thousand Chabad-Lubavitch educational institutions, passed away on Tuesday, just days before his 75th birthday.
Rabbi Kotlarsky’s bearded visage was well-known to everyone who attended or watched footage of the annual Kinus Hashluchim, proudly reading off the names of thousands of Chabad emissaries during the “roll call,” a highlight of the massive gathering. In addition to being the director of the Kinus Hashluchim, Rabbi Kotlarsky was the vice chairman of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch. He traveled the world on behalf of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, pinpointing locations for Chabad sites and becoming known as the public face of Chabad in many foreign.
In 2023, Rabbi Kotlarsky was named to the Algemeiner’s list of top 100 people positively influencing Jewish life. Crown Heights resident Mendy Hershkop recalled Rabbi Kotlarsky for his big heart, his humility and the way he cared for every shaliach as if they were his own children.
“He was really a man who looked ahead,” Hershkop said. “Even in the present, he was able to constantly see the future, and see the future in the present.”
Tributes to Rabbi Kotlarsky poured in on social media.
“The world lost a giant today,” posted Shalom Goodman on X, who credited Rabbi Kotlarsky for having “a major part in building thousands of Jewish communities across the world as the unofficial leader of the Shluchim emissaries of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.”
“If you’ve heard of Chabad, it’s because of Rabbi Kotlarsky’s work,” tweeted journalist Yochonon Donn. “Whenever I called him he was always traveling – in an airport in Kenya, a bus in India, visiting a shaliach in Wisconsin. Truly a giant among men.”
The funeral for Rabbi Kotlarsky will take place tomorrow in Crown Heights. It is expected to pass by Chabad-Lubavitch world headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway at approximately 1 PM, with burial to follow at 2 PM at Old Montefiore Cemetery in Cambria Heights near the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Ohel.
15 comments:
His late Rebbuh told his Hasidim, among whom Kotlarsky was a leader, to do all they could to bring Moshiach down, teikef umiyad mamash (immediately). That was over three decades ago. And now Moshe Kotlarsky has died and Yidden are still in golus. Moshe's fancy giant banquets didn't do the job.
“If you’ve heard of Chabad, it’s because of Rabbi Kotlarsky’s work,” tweeted journalist Yochonon Donn."
What??? People heard of Lubavitch only because of Kotlarsky? What was the Lubavitcher Rebbeh then? Chopped liver?
9:18
You could say that about the Ramchal, the Malbim and many Rishhonim who predicted when Moshiach is going to come and we are still in Golus! Your comment is childish and only shows you hate against another Jew that you don't agree with!
9:22
Many people only heard of the Ari Hakodosh from his Talmud! We only heard of the Baal Shem Tov from his Talmidim . So I ask you was the Ari and the Baal Shem Tov "chopped liver?"
"You could say that about the Ramchal, the Malbim and many Rishhonim who predicted when Moshiach is going to come and we are still in Golus!"
We are not talking about predicting here. That is a different discussion. The point is that the Lubavitcher Rebbuh told his Hasids to do all they could to bring Moshiach down immediately over thirty years ago, IMMEDIATELY. Moshe Kotlarsky & Co. formed a special project "Tut altz" for that (https://www.tutaltz.com/). But Hashem didn't buy it.
2:40
I don't get it!
What was wrong that he wanted to bring Moshiach "down immediately?"
Because it doesn't fit into your theology?
You know what Hashem "buys" or doesn't buy?
How arrogant?
The Lubavitcher Rebbe was a great tzaddik and a huge Talmud Chucham. No one in the world would argue with that, so he wanted his Chassidim to bring Moshiach Now? So What? Am I missing something?
I see you have a great life and I pray it remains so, but people with sickness, or family members that are sick, or widows or orphans all want Moshich Now! That is what gives them hope, that is what makes them want to continue another day!
DIN: "Many people only heard of the Ari Hakodosh from his Talmud! We only heard of the Baal Shem Tov from his Talmidim . So I ask you was the Ari and the Baal Shem Tov "chopped liver?"
A) The comment was said in general, to all, that if you (ANYONE) heard of the Lubab Rebbe it was because of Kotlarsky. Anyone. That was way over the top.
B) Ari, BESHT, lived in a time before modern communication, but the last Rebbe of the Habad lived in a very different time, he was on tv, broadcast via satellite, video and audio recorded, print media.
3:16
I am not a Lubavitcher Chassid, far from it. But I do learn his sichos, and let me tell that is how I got to know him, through his sefarim. I heard of Rabbi Kotlarsky, but until yesterday, I had no clue what his position was! I live in Ramat Beit Shemesh, yesterday I happened to daven Mincha on Dolav in the Chabad Shul, no one, and no one, had a clue what his position was! So much for your observation!
I'll bet that R' Shach when he was ranting against this tzaddik, had no clue who R' Kotlarsky was!
טייערע ר' דין 4:44
האסט נישט פארשטאנען
You just proved my point. Masses of people knew Lubavitch through their last Rebbeh, not via Kotlarsky, like the tweet maintained.
נו נו
אנטשולדיקת
איך געהאט א שווערע טאג אין נישט גיט באטרכט דאן קאממענט
Old hatred from people that did not like the establishment. Its time to grow up and jews just love each other
The Habad must grow up and stop their Christian beliefs.
6:49
Christians also believe Chicken Soup is good for the cold, so should we stop eating chicken soup?
Take your childish arguments and shove them where the sun will never shine
DIN: When were you last in Kfar Habad?
Have you ever been in 770? It seems you don't know much about real Lubavitch beyond the PR.
גענוג שוין
My father was from Satmar and we lived in Crown Heights as most survivors did, I actually grew up on Eastern Parkway, I knew the Rebbe well as I saw him almost every single day as I walked to the Bobover Yeshiva.
All survivors no matter their background loved and adored the Rebbe, I will never forget as we all followed him to Prospect Park on the second day of Rosh Hashana to do Tashlich.
I am very well aware of Chabad and their philosophy, am very well versed in practically all of his sichos, which I may add is a work of genius.
What I don't like about Chabad is that they do not recognize Israel as a State! But they love every Jew! And their campaign of putting on Tefillin and wanting Moshiach Now is brilliant. I know many families. and when I say many, I mean literally thousands that Chabad made frum. Yes, some have left them, but are all shoimre Torah umitzvois thanks to Chabad. I now live in Ramat Beit Shemesh and in the neighborhood that I live in, hundreds of families are frum because of Chabad, they do not follow Chabad customs for different reasons but all remain frum! Thats a testimonial to the Rebbe.
I will promote them on this blog as this is the least that I could do.
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