It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Rabbi Dovid Winiarz z”l in a tragic traffic accident this morning.
Rabbi Winiarz had been traveling from his home in Willowbrook, Staten Island, to the AJOP Convention in Hunt Valley, MD, when the accident occurred.
Rabbi Winiarz was a beloved mekareiv and rebbi who worked to connect numerous Jews with their heritage. He was a baal chessed who was involved in many chessed organizations and gave of himself for anyone at any time. He was a kiruv dynamo whose heart embraced one an all with positivity and inspiration. His sudden passing has plunged his community, friends and the greater Jewish world into mourning.
Rabbi Winiarz was a victim of a treacherous ice storm that hit the Northeast this morning. The accident that claimed his life occurred at 7:30 a.m. near the intersection of Route 23 (East West Expressway) and High Point Road in Harford County, Maryland. Three passengers in the car with Rabbi Winiarz were rushed to the hospital.
Rabbi Winiarz is survived by his devoted wife and their ten children.
One of the last Facebook posts written by Rabbi Winiarz last night stated: “I will be travelling Motzoei Shabbos/Saturday nite with the encouragement of my wife and children to a convention in Baltimore … If I am delayed in replying to messages, please bear with me.”
Rabbi Winiarz was known as the “Facebuker Rebbe,” one of his creative approaches to reach unaffiliated Jews. He founded Survival Through Education Foundation, a kiruv undertaking, and operated a food pantry in Staten Island, among many other charitable undertakings.
The levaya will be held tomorrow.
Umacha Hashem deemah meial kol ponim.
{Matzav.com Newscenter}
So sad!
He was such an upbeat person!
Oy, Oy, Oy!
A special neshomo tehorah. A real korban Olah for the extended Staten Island Community
I remember him from yeshiva in Rochester, NY.
Oy!!!!
Boruch Dayan Ho’emes!
I used to hear his program on the radio. I think at one time he had it on AM radio with Talkline, and more recently on JRoute radio.
There is an archive of some of his past programs online at http://jrouteradio.com/kiruv-konnection-with-rabbi-dovid-winiarz/
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how terribly sad……
What a heilige person Rav Dovid was. We will all miss him and will always remember his exceptional warmth and great acts of kindness.
B”DE. I never heard of him till I looked up something on Friday and came to his Facebook page. Then I recognized the name today. May Hashem ease the pain of his widow and orphans!
the tragedy has touched us all. show your support.
https://www.youcaring.com/other/help-the-family-of-r-dovid-winiarz-zt-l/293141/donate#stripe
tizku limitzvos. while you still can!
He mustve accomplished some real special and dbig things at this convention in baltimore that his neshama was taken back right after. May he be a meilitz yosher for all of klal yisroelhis wife and children which I’m sure wiwll need a real nechama here and those that he reached out to during the last hrs of his life at the convention in baltimore that may chas vesholom find it hard to understand.
Baruch Dayan HaEmet.
I also had a traffic accident while driving to shul this morning on the treacherous ice. Fortunately I was completely unhurt.
A fundraiser was set up through the local chesed organizers to help these 10 Yisomim… http://www.youcaring.com/winiarz
I met him only once, he changed my life…. what a giant. an unbelievable loss to klal yisroel. BDE. Its unimaginable….. Hashem we need the Geulah.
Please donate what you can to the chinuch education fund that has been set up for his 10 kids.
http://www.youcaring.com/other/help-the-family-of-r-dovid-winiarz-zt-l/293141
A special soul without replacement. I personally knew him 20 yrs ago. A pure and good neshama filled like a rimon with maasim tovim in his modest unassuming way and permanently fixed smile.
A spiritual guide and inspiration in our 2G Children Of Holocaust Survivor Facebook group. We will miss him. May this special Neshama be amongst the holiest in Hashems kingdom, and may his dear family be comforted by the mourners of Yerushalaim.
A fund has been set up for his family.
http://www.youcaring.com/other/help-the-family-of-r-dovid-winiarz-zt-l/293141#.VLxxulwno24.gmail
What a tragedy!!!!! What can one say other that
Hashem Hu Ha’Elokim! I guess they need the good ones up there.
May the Ribono Shel Olam comfort this wonderful family and may we all live to the coming of Moshiach – SOON!!!
Rabbi Dovid Winiarz had his own video channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/dovidwiniarz
I knew Dovid well, A great-man like few others, May Hashem grant speedy Nechama to the family.