CLICK HERE TO DONATE MONEY TO THE BAUMAN FAMILY FUND
[Levayah info below.] It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports that the body of Rabbi Reuven Bauman z”l, who was swept out to sea last week in Norfolk, Virginia has been found.
The discovery was made early this afternoon and Rabbi Bauman’s family was notified a short while ago.
The news comes after days of intensive searching that involved volunteers from the local community and far beyond, and the participation of the Coast Guard, police, fire personnel, and others. Organizations including Hatzolah, Misaskim, Shomrim, Chai Lifeline and Achiezer were involved in the effort.
This saga began last Tuesday when Rabbi Bauman, on a trip with a group of 20 boys, spotted one of his campers, an eleven-year-old boy, struggling in the water, so he went to help. The camper was able to exit the water, but Rabbi Bauman was swept out to sea. His whereabouts were unknown and a massive searched was launched. The sand news confirming his petirah came a short while ago after his body was discovered by Misaskim volunteers off the coast of North Carolina, eight miles from where he first went missing.
Rabbi Bauman was an alumnus of Yeshiva Bais Moshe of Scranton, PA, and was a rebbi and a teacher at the Yeshiva Toras Chaim elementary school of Norfolk. He was 35 years old.
Rabbi Bauman, in addition to being a master educator, authored a wonderful book for children titled Yanky’s Amazing Discovery, published by Menucha Publishers.
He is survived by his parents, his siblings, his wife, and his five children.
Levayah details will be posted once they are finalized.
May Reb Reuven be a meilitz yosher for his family and all of Klal Yisroel. Umacha Hashem dimah me’al kol ponim.
Update: The levayah will be held on Monday morning, at 10:30 a.m., at B’nai Israel Congregation, the shul led by Rabbi Sender Haber, located at 420 Spotswood Avenue in Norfolk. The aron will then be flown to the tri-state area, where a levayah is slated to be held in Clifton, NJ.
Matzav.com has been asked to convey that following the minhag of the Breuer’s kehillah, which both Reb Reuven’s family and his wife’s family follow, women should not go to the bais hachaim.
The family will be sitting shivah at 183 McNamara Road in Spring Valley, NY, starting on Tuesday morning. Shacharis will be at 8 a.m. and Mincha/Maariv will take place at 8:10 p.m.
{Matzav.com Newscenter}
ברוך דיין האמת
Chessed Elyon that he was found! Just imagine the tzaar of the family if he hadn’t been found! Who found him? Was it one of the volunteers or officials?
Found by misaskim of maryland
Mixed emotions. Terrible tragedy. Unspeakeable.
Miracle that they found him and that he can be brought to kever Yisroel.
Boruch dayan emes.
May we know of no more tzaar.
klal yisroel is amazing! we have halacha and we do not give up in our attempt to fulfill the halacha. may everyone, those who davened, those who volunteered and all the professionals who worked tirelessly be gebenched. may rabbi bauman’s campers his rebbeiim in scranton, his talmidim during the school year, and all of klal yisroel get the help they need
So Heart-wrenching! B”h the body was found. May we never hear of any more tzaaros!
Is there a phone number we can call to donate money to the family?
Donate online at charity.com/baumanfamily
Boruch dayan emes.
What a tragedy, what a loss of such a young tzadik who risked his life and paid the ultimate price for his efforts to save a child. May his family have a nechama and may we always remember this wonderful man.
(B”n my family and I will contribute to the fund set up for his family.)