Rabbi Dr. Immanuel Schochet z”l

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Rabbi Dr. Immanuel Schochet z”l, who passed away on Shabbos at the age of 77.

Born in Switzerland, he received his early education there and in the Netherlands. After moving to North America, he attended the Yeshiva Tomchei Temimim in New York, from which he graduated in 1958.

He received his academic education in Canada, attending the University of Toronto, University of Windsor, McMaster University, and University of Waterloo, and held degrees of BA (Phil), MA (Religious Studies), MPhil (Phil) and PhD (Phil).

His specialties in philosophy were Logic, Epistemology, Ethics, and Philosophy of Religion. His Master’s thesis at McMaster University was titled “The Treatment of Anthropomorphism in Targum Onkelos” (1966). His PhD thesis at the University of Waterloo was titled “The Psychological System of Maimonides (1974).”

He was the rov of the Kielcer Congregation in Toronto for 36 years before becoming the rov at Beth Joseph Lubavitch in 1996. He also served as Professor of Philosophy at Humber College in Toronto for 25 years and simultaneously taught Medical Ethics at the School of Medicine at the University of Toronto.

With the onslaught of cults in the 1970s and 1980s, especially Christian missionary organizations, Rabbi Schochet pioneered a successful network of anti-missionary campaigns which succeeded in reconnecting numerous Jews to their religious roots, literally saving their neshamos.

Rabbi Schochet wrote and lectured extensively on the history and philosophy of Chassidus and topical themes of Jewish thought and ethics and was a world-renowned authority on Jewish philosophy and Kabbolah. He authored 35 books and seforim and numerous articles, opinions and treatises concerning all Jewish subject matter.

As an extraordinary and dynamic speaker, he inspired thousands worldwide and traveled to numerous shuls, yeshivos, Chabad houses and other institutions, offering communities the privilege to hear his abundant insights.

Rabbi Schochet was an instructor of the Ivy League Program in the Catskills each summer, embracing the opportunity to influence and challenge some of the finest, brightest Jewish minds.

He is survived by his wife, Rebbetzin Jettie Schochet, and their children, Mrs. Oryah Vogel (Wilmington, Delaware); Rabbi Yitzchok Schochet (London); Mrs. Sharonne Zippel (Salt Lake City, Utah); and R’ Yisroel Schochet (Los Angeles); and many grandchildren. His is also survived by his siblings, Mrs. Shulamis Bechhover (Queens); Rabbi Dovid Schochet (Toronto), Mrs. Ruth Averbuch (Crown Heights), Rabbi Yosef Daniel Schochet (Toronto), Rabbi Ezra Schochet (Los Angeles) Mrs. Batya Wagner (Toronto), Rabbi Gershon Elisha Schochet (Toronto), Rabbi Meir Ovadia Schochet (Miami), and Mrs. Amina Newman (Long Beach, CA).

The levaya was held in Toronto and kevurah took place at Lambton Mills Cemetery on Royal York Road in Toronto.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Andy Heller-Matzav.com Newscenter}