It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Yisroel Chaim Pichey z”l, a veteran mechanech and longtime rebbi whose life was devoted to Torah, chinuch, and the nurturing of generations of talmidim. Rav Yisroel Chaim was niftar over Shavuos at the age of 91.
Rav Yisroel Chaim became a distinguished talmid of the famed Telz Cleveland yeshiva, where he absorbed the depth, precision, and nobility of the Telzer approach to learning and avodas Hashem. Those who knew him described a man who carried himself with dignity, humility, and a deep sense of responsibility toward every talmid.
For many years, Rav Yisroel Chaim served as a beloved rebbi at Yeshiva of Brooklyn, where he impacted talmidim through his warm demeanor and genuine concern for the growth and wellbeing of each individual. Generations of talmidim remember him not only for what he taught in the classroom, but for the quiet example he set through his refined character, sincerity, and devotion to Torah.
In later years, Rav Yisroel Chaim relocated to Lakewood.
Rav Yisroel Chaim was connected to one of the great families of American Torah activism through his wife, Mrs. Donya Pichey, a daughter of the legendary Reb Elimelech “Mike” Tress zt”l, whose tireless efforts on behalf of Klal Yisroel and the rescue of European Jewry became part of the fabric of American Orthodox Jewish history.
He is survived by his devoted wife, Donya; his children, Reb Eli Pichey, Reb Shloime Pichey, Mrs. Rochel Levin, Mrs. Hena Rivka Willner, Mrs. Chaya Sara Lefkowitz, Mrs. Leeba Kahn, Mrs. Dusie Basch, Mrs. Bassie Perman and Mrs. Shevy Eisgrau; as well as many grandchildren who carry forward his legacy.
The levayah will take place Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. at Congregation Sons of Israel Holocaust Memorial Chapel, located at 613 Ramsey Avenue in Lakewood, New Jersey, followed by kevurah at Wellwood Cemetery in West Babylon, New York.
Yehi zichro boruch.
{Matzav.com}
Bd”e
He was such a nice genuine person. He was my 7th grade Rebbe in YOB in 1979. He always had a smile on his face.
A friend of mine told me that he was a talmud of his in Pittsburgh, when he was learning in Rabbi Alster’s Yeshiva. He even showed me pictures of himself standing with some chevra, behind Rabbi Pichy on Purim while he was praaving his seudah in Pittsburgh.
BDE. What a true tzaddik he was. I had the great zechus of being in his 8th grade class in YOB in 1986, and the impression he left on me — and on so many of his talmidim — has never faded. His sensitivity to every talmid was extraordinary. He possessed exceptional middos, rare mentschlichkeit, and a simplicity and humility that made him deeply beloved and respected. His method of teaching was unforgettable: he had a unique way of breaking down every sugya into clear components, giving his talmidim not only understanding, but a lifelong דרך in learning. Above all, he taught with heart, patience, and genuine care. He was not only a rebbe who taught Torah; he was a rebbe who shaped people. יהי זכרו ברוך. May he be a מליץ יושר for his family and for all of כלל ישראל.