Monsey Niftar Revealed as ‘Anonymous Donor’ of 40K Worth of Gemaras

by Yitzy Fried 

The Monsey and Wesley Hills communities are still under the deep shock and sadness from the sudden passing of Reb Menachem Toprowitz, a 39-year-old father and husband who was niftar following a heart attack last Thursday night.  

Accounts of Menachem’s meticulousness in mitzvos and chessed to so many poured in from many corners, but perhaps most poignant was the emotional revelation by popular daf yomi maggid shiur Reb Eli Stefansky. 

Rabbi Stefansky’s Merkaz Daf Yomi program awards free gemaras to anyone committing to join the shiur anywhere around the world. “Over the past few months, we had a little bit of an issue, and we were going to discontinue giving away gemaras,” said Rabbi Stefansky. “But one individual stepped in, and over the last two-three months, he gave over $40,000 to this program…. But he was anonymous.” 

“But today, I have to tell you what his name is; his name is Menachem Toporowitz, and his levaya was today,” he said. “He said many times; ‘this is the way that I want to be mekarev people to Torah, and I want to have a zechus in it.” 

As the neshamah of Menachem ben Amichai ascends to Gan Eden, he will be accompanied by the incredible zechusim of those who have undertaken a commitment in Torah learning as a result of his selfless generosity in complete anonymity. 

Yehi zichro Baruch.