It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Rabbi Reuven Sirota z”l, an elder Lubavitcher chossid who ran an underground Matzah bakery in Tashkent.
He was 83.
R’ Reuven was a son of R’ Mordechai Sirota of Tashkent. When he was a young boy, he learned in the underground yeshiva Tomchei Temimim in Tashkent, learning from the mashpia Rabbi Shlomo Chaim Kesselman.
He later married his wife Rochel, and together they raised a generation of ehrliche children with mesiras nefesh.
An underground matzah bakery was built in his parents’ home, and he was in charge of the operations. For many years they produced matza for thousands of Jews who lived in Tashkent.
In the 1970s they emigrated to Israel, and R’ Reuven would fly to New York for a few months each year to work in the Crown Heights matzah bakery.
After a few years, he moved his family to Crown Heights and he continued to work in the bakery, with dedication and professionalism.
His home on Empire Boulevard in Crown Heights was open to many guests throughout the year, hosting relatives and other visitors.
In the past few years he had retired from work and spent his days learning in Kollel Tiferes Levi Yitzchok.
He is survived by his wife, Rochel; his children, Aron Sirota (Denver, Colorado); Sara Geisinsky (Crown Heights); Izzy Sirota (Crown Heights); Mendel Sirota (Crown Heights); and Tzippy Dalfin (Crown Heights); and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
He is also survived by his siblings: Zev Sirota – Crown Heights; Clara Goldshmidt – Nachlas Har Chabad – Israel; Rochel Klein – Nachlas Har Chabad, Israel; Moshe Sirota – Israel; Boruch Sirota – Israel; Hershel Sirota – Israel and Yisroel Sirota – Montreal, Canada.
The levaya was held at Shomrei Hadas Chapels in Boro Park.
Yehi zichro boruch.
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He was a Great Mesiras Nefesh. May he be a Melitz Yoisher to Klal Yisroel