It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the passing of Rabbi Moshe Rapps zt”l, one of the first talmidim of Mesivta Torah Vodaas and a longtime mechanech. He was 100 years old.
Rabbi Rapps was born on the Lower East Side. At a time when so many Jews became assimilated, Rabbi Rapps was a marbitz Torah and dedicated himself to chinuch for over 60 years.
Rabbi Rapps was one of the earliest musmachim of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas and an integral influence at Camp Mesivta. He was among the close talmidim of the spiritual giants Rav Shlomo Heiman zt”l and Rav Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz zt”l, a select group who were inspired to shape Torah education in America.
Rabbi Rapps was one of the first American-born rabbeim who could relate to the young generation of Jews growing up in New York. Working hand in hand with Rav Menachem Manis Mandel zt”l, the legendary founding menahel of Yeshiva of Brooklyn, Rabbi Rapps opened the eyes and hearts of Jewish children who attended public school to the beauty and love of Torah in the early days of Talmud Torah schools.
As a rebbi at the Rabbi Jacob Joseph School on the Lower East Side for 18 years, Rabbi Rapps often took challenging students under his wing and, through his belief in their ability to succeed, set them on a course to become great leaders and educators dedicated to a Torah way of life.
Rabbi Rapps was a rosh yeshiva at Yeshiva University High School for 36 years, being mashpia on his talmidim to continue their dedication to Torah study throughout their professional lives. He was a renowned baal dikduk and people sought his knowledge and expertise from near and far.
Rabbi Rapps was zoche to arichus yomim veshonim, inspiring thousands of students with a love of Torah and learning.
He was niftar due to complications related to Covid-19.
Rabbi Rapps is survived by his wife, Mrs. Frieda Rapps, their children, Suri Fink, Tehila (Tzirel) Guttman, Larry (Zalman) Rapps, Rabbi Josh Rapps and Dr. Aaron (AZ) Rapps, and many grandchildren.
The levayah was held at the Wellwood Cemetery.
Yehi zichro boruch.
{Matzav.com}
“Rabbi Rapps was one of the earliest musmachim of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas and an integral influence at Camp Mesivta.”
He appears in the YTV centennial book in the context of Camp Mesivta.
I wonder if he appears in the recently discovered Camp Mesivta video, or in one of the older ones online.
א טייערע איד
He was a good friend of my father ז”ל, and I also got to know his cousin, R. Moshe Stein z”l, a talmid of YTV, who later went to MTJ, אדם יקר וחשוב מאוד, well, after he moved to Brooklyn years ago.
יהי זכרם ברוך
Is this the Rabbi Rapps who taught in the Adas Yeshurun Talmud Torah in the 50’s and 60’s in Kew Gardens? If so, I would like his family’s address (email or snail) to send condolence wishes — he was a dedicated teacher who tried so hard to get the kids to go to yeshiva — a very uphill battle in a post war neighborhood filled with survivors.