Thousands accompanied Rebbetzin Golda Miriam Broide,
o"h, widow of the rosh yeshiva of Hevron --
Knesses Yisroel HaRav Simcha Ziskind Broide, on her last
earthly journey on Tuesday, the last day of chol hamoed
Pesach, only two days after the levaya of her husband.
She was 77 years old at the time of her petirah.
Rebbetzin Broide was born in 5683 (1923) in the Lithuanian
city of Kovna. Her father HaRav Moshe Finkel, son of the
Alter of Slobodke, later served as rosh yeshiva in the
Slobodke branch in Hevron, and her mother Zlata was the
daughter of the rosh yeshiva of Slobodke, HaRav Moshe
Mordechai Epstein. Rebbetzin Golda Miriam was orphaned of her
father when she was very young and she was mainly raised by
her grandfather HaRav Moshe Mordechai Epstein and his wife
Menucha. When only sixteen she also lost her mother.
During her youth she was greatly inspired by her illustrious
uncles, HaRav Yechezkel Sarna, the rosh yeshiva of
Hevron, who had a special shiur in Pirkei Avos
with her; HaRav Eizek Sher, the rosh yeshiva of
Slobodke, who arrived in Jerusalem after the Holocaust and
taught her Tanach; and HaRav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel,
the rosh yeshiva of Mir.
Throughout her life, Rebbetzin Broide would recall these
illustrious uncles who oversaw her chinuch. Her
uncles, in turn, praised her talents and qualities.
In 5701 (1941) she married HaRav Simcha Ziskind Broide and
assisted him her entire life as he devoted himself to
spreading Torah to the thousands of students in the
illustrious Hevron -- Knesses Yisroel Yeshiva in Jerusalem,
where he taught for more than fifty years. In the
introduction to Shom Derech, the Rosh Yeshiva wrote:
"A special blessing to my wise and eminent wife, `tsofi'a
halichos beiso,' who went to great pains her entire life
so that I could pore over my Torah studies with peace of mind
and tranquillity."
Rebbetzin Golda Miriam cherished and highly respected the
yeshiva students and was remarkable in the manner in which
she honored talmidei chachomim. She was careful not to
use the bochurim of the yeshiva for mundane tasks,
even those who were extremely close. She was blessed with the
trait of generosity and greeted everyone warmly, with grace
and love.
After hearing the bitter news of the petirah of her
husband on erev Shabbos she fell ill and on motzei Shabbos
chol hamoed Pesach she suffered a heart attack and was
brought to Bikur Cholim Hospital. On Monday evening, chol
hamoed Pesach she returned her pure soul to its Maker,
surrounded by prominent members of her family.
Her levaya, which set out from the Shamgar funeral
center, was attended by a large crowd. Brief words of parting
were delivered by her son, HaRav Moshe Broide, a member of
the hanholo of the Derech Eison yeshiva in Far
Rockaway, New York City. The levaya then left for the
cemetery on Har Hazeisim where her grandson, HaRav Avrohom
Segal, delivered words of parting. She was buried beside her
illustrious husband.
