BDE: Rav Avrum Eluzer Feferkorn, z”l, 97, Legend in Belzer Chassidus

We are deeply saddened to inform you of the passing of Reb Avrum Eluzer Feferkorn, z”l, the most senior Belzer chossid in the world, a role model to thousands of chassidim around the world, and a chossid thoroughly steeped in the ways and teachings of the Rebbeim to which he was mekushar with heart and soul.

He was born in 1925, in the Galician town of Yeroslav, a great center of Belzer chassidim, to a family of Belzer chassidim for generations.

He would relate with great fondness the holy sites that he saw in this youth, the Chassidic life, the tsaddikim that he merited to meet—all of which shaped him, and by extension the family that he would later raise.

Although the Feferkorn family endured a harrowing ordeal through the Holocaust years, they were fortunate to survive as a unit, exhibiting incredible emunah and mesirus nefesh through the harshest conditions.

Asked how the entire family managed on so little, he responded: “Di tzures hobn inz ois’ge’eidelt, our suffering refined us.” To anyone who knew Rav Avrum Eluzer, these experiences only served to elevate and refine him into the eved Hashem and fiery chossid that he was for his entire life.

He married a granddaughter of Rav Yeshalayale Kerestierer, with whom he would go on to build a home based on their fused holy traditions.

Arriving in America, he settled in Crown Heights, which teemed with Galicianer chasidim, and was one of the founders and pillars of the Belzer Shtiebel. He worked in printing in the early years, but his heart and mind were in his avodas Hashem.

He later moved to Monsey, and when he retired, he dedicated himself completely to learning all day. His golden years were spent surrounded by generations of descendants and of chassidim who sought to observe the character and the caliber of a chossid of yore.

He lost two children in his lifetime, and yet, no one ever heard him complain, and a bright smile always covered his features.

He leaves this world with an incredible legacy of Torah, avodah, and chassidus, and of generations who follow in his ways—and his passing is a tremendous loss to the Belzer chassidus around the world.

The levaya will take place at the Belzer shtiebel on Maple Terrace at 12:00 this afternoon.

Yehi Zichro Baruch.