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| Rabbi Shmuel Knopfler, frequent Torah Contributor to this blog and others. |
Rabbi Shmuel Knopfler, president of shul, lover of Zion and Jewish people, passes away at 68 On Shabbat morning 27th of Tishrei 5779 (October 6, 2018) Shmuel Zev Knopfler suddenly passed away in the manner of a Tzadik, while asleep in his bed.
Shmuel was fondly known to many as “Sam Kay.” He was a proud Jew, with a unique love for Eretz Yisrael. He was born to Holocaust survivors in Nové Zámky, Czechoslovakia in 1950, in a time of darkness and despair. His father served as the town rabbi and shochet. For a short while, they resided in Prague. Living in the Soviet Bloc was especially challenging for people that were shomer Shabbat. Children had no choice but to attend school on Shabbat. However, his parents were moser nefesh and made arrangements with teachers so that their children would not have to write on Shabbat.
Shmuel recalled a story of a young communist teacher that ridiculed him and his sister for refraining from writing on those days. His teacher told them that Yuri Gagarin had recently returned from space and did not see God, and that keeping Shabbat was therefore ridiculous. Young Shmuel did not relent and remained steadfast in his belief and tradition.
