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NEWS
Yuta Raisel Kaufman, O'h
by A. Cohen

Mrs. Yuta Raisel o'h wife of R' Zachariyoh Menachem Mendel Kaufman ylct'a one of the leading figures in the Gateshead kehilloh, was buried last Thursday at the age of 76.

She was born in Antwerp to Rav Shlomo Zalman Binyomin Grossbard of Warsaw, who passed away while she was a young girl. When Belgium was invaded by the Nazis, may their names be blotted out, the family fled to England, escaping miraculously and arriving in London. At the age of 14 Yuta Raisel went out to work to support the family. London was subject to heavy air raids and the authorities sent children to safer areas, but she remained in the city, firmly refusing to leave her widowed mother.

From her youth the pure education she received in her parents' home was already discernible in her. During this period there were no Bais Yaakov schools, but she exemplified the modesty and conduct a bas Yisroel kesheiroh should demonstrate. She soon gained a reputation both in her immediate and extended family for her dedication to every matter of kedushoh and emunas chachomim.

Upon marrying, she and her husband moved to Gateshead where together they built a home of Torah, yiras Shomayim, emunas chachomim, tzedokoh and chesed.

Throughout the years she stood by her husband's side and together they aspired to raise their children to lives of dedication to Torah and kedushoh. Through chasdei Hashem, they eventually did merit sons toiling in Torah and daughters married to outstanding talmidei chachomim, as well as grandchildren and great- grandchildren walking the path leading to Beis Hashem.

All her life she was very careful to adhere to high standards of modesty in her speech, her conduct and her attire -- and even as she lay on her deathbed in the hospital.

One year ago she grew very ill, at which time her inner strength came to light. Her entire family was astounded by her conduct during the past year as she girded the last of her strength to run her home and life as usual to spare her husband and children from grief.

During the last week of her life, while lying in a hospital bed, she maintained her habit of thanking everyone for even the smallest kindness. Even when her strength had dissipated she was careful to thank the non-Jewish nurses taking care of her, telling her children standing at her bedside that this is required of Jews.

On the 6th of Elul, with her entire family on hand, she returned her pure soul to her Maker.

At the levaya that set out from Gateshead she was eulogized by HaRav Zeev Cohen, rosh yeshiva at Gateshead Yeshiva; her brother-in-law Rav Chaim Kaufman, rosh yeshivas Tiferes Yaakov of Gateshead; HaRav Mordechai Yosef Karnovsky, the mashgiach of the Yeshiva Gedoloh of Gateshead; her son-in-law Rav Avrohom Sonschein, a ram at Yeshivas Lev Simchoh in London; and her son Rav Chaim Shlomo Kaufman. All of them praised her modesty and powerful emunoh.

From there the procession continued to London, where a hesped was delivered by Dayan HaRav Aharon Dovid Dunner.

At the large levaya held in Jerusalem the deceased was eulogized by the Gavad of the Eida Chareidis, HaRav Yitzchok Tuvioh Weiss, who spoke of her noble virtues and her loyalty as an eishes chayil to her husband; her son Rav Chaim Shlomo Kaufman; her son-in-law Rav Dovid Zimmerman; and her son-in-law Rav Tzvi Stern, rosh kollel Betzeil Hachochmoh.

At Har Hamenuchos Cemetery she was eulogized by HaRav Tzvi Rotberg, rosh yeshivas Beis Meir, and HaRav Y.M. Rosenbaum, rosh yeshivas Gur in London.

Mrs. Yuta Raisel Kaufman o'h is survived by her husband, R' Zachariyoh Menachem Mendel Kaufman; her sons Rav Chaim Shlomo and Rav Yosef, avreichim chashuvim at Kollel Ponevezh; her sons Rav Moshe and Rav Shimon, important members of the Gateshead kehilloh; her daughters married to Rav Zimmerman, an avreich choshuv in Bnei Brak, Rav Tzvi Stern, Rav Avrohom Sonschein, Rav Aharon Chaim Fuller and Rav Dovid Chaim Katz, avreichim chashuvim in London; and upstanding grandchildren and great- grandchildren following in the path of Torah.

 

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