Rebbetzin Sheindel Bulman, a”h

Rebbetzin Sheindel Bulman, a”h, was the eishes chayil, the virtuous ezer k’negdo of Harav Nachman Bulman, zt”l, for 52 years before the Rav was niftar in 2002.

With the passing of Rebbetzin Bulman, comes the closing of an era that was greatly influenced by the Rav and Rebbetzin. They were at the forefront of the chapter in recent Jewish history, entitled “the teshuvah movement,” working tirelessly, with great devotion, to transform lives.

Wherever the Rav taught, his impact was considerable. From Danville, Virginia to South Fallsburg, New York, from Newport News, Virginia to Far Rockaway, New York, from Jerusalem to Migdal HaEmek, and back to Jerusalem, to Neve Yaakov, the Rav’s efforts to reach out, educate, draw near, inspire and deepen the connection Jews felt with their Creator and His Torah, has born fruit in the hundreds and thousands of people who are living authentic Jewish lives today because of their connection with Harav Bulman.

And by his side, since 1950, when the young Reb Nachman married Sheindel Freund, the Rebbetzin was the warm, welcoming presence in their open home, and open hearts that nurtured a generation of Jews that needed the love they so freely offered.

Rebbetzin Bulman was completely devoted to the same idealism that electrified her husband’s soul.

Oz v’hadar l’vushah, v’tizchak b’yom acharon,” Mishlei 30:16, said her son, Rabbi Shabsai Bulman, as he described his mother at the levayah in Yerushalayim on Tuesday afternoon. “Oz” — strength, completely characterized her life, as she devoted herself to the unending stream of visitors and students that flowed through their doors throughout the decades of their service to Klal Yisrael.

In her simple modesty, Rebbetzin Bulman was a foundation of inner strength that supported her husband. In her uniquely humble way, she assisted her husband in his life’s work to reach out and educate Jews everywhere, as they lovingly, tactfully, guided a generation of Jews, with wisdom, optimism, idealism and the light of truth.

And “laughing on the last day” summarizes her great sense of humor: the Rebbetzin had a joke about everything. No matter how hard a situation was: whether it was shidduchim, illness, parnassah, or overeating, she was laughing, cheerful, and telling light-hearted jokes even right up to the end of her life.

The epitome of tzniyus in dress and speech, she was a woman who quietly was mevatel herself completely to her husband’s mission. The stellar nature of her character was hidden behind the scenes, so she wouldn’t take away from the centrality of the Rav’s role in all the communities where they lived. And with her tremendous ahavas Yisrael, she had an uncanny way of helping people in such a way that they wouldn’t realize they were being helped.

When we moved to Israel in 1985, the Rav’s community in Migdal Emek had  already been established for a decade. We debated for years whether or not to leave Yerushalayim to move to the north to be near the Rav.  Instead, we decided to move to Neve Yaakov in 1992, because we were told it was a warm, supportive community like “the Migdal Haemek” of Jerusalem.  We were then overwhelmed with gratitude to Hashem that the Rav and Rebbetzin ended up joining us in Neve Yaakov in 1999, three years before Harav Bulman was niftar.

And now our beloved Rebbetzin, the trusted partner of our rebbi, has left us to join her husband in the Olam Ha’emes, where the crown of Torah will be placed on her head.

It was 10 p.m., April 9, a few hours after Rosh Chodesh Iyar began, when the phone rang. It had been a long, emotionally exhausting day and I hesitated to answer.

“Hello, this is Hamodia calling from New York. Can you write up a tribute to Rebbetzin Sheindel Bulman?”

The wave of memories that were washing over me the entire day picked up their turbulence, as though they were about to peak and crash.

“What? Why are you calling me? How do you know that I was at the Rebbetzin’s levayah? How do you know that I live in Neve Yaakov? How do you know that I’ve lost my Bubbe?” I wanted to shout.

The Rebbetzin that was everyone’s Bubbe was niftar on erev Rosh Chodesh Iyar, 24 hours before the yahrtzeit of her own beloved mother.

And we are left bereft: without our rebbi, and now, without our Rebbetzin. What will we do without her open door and her open heart that made each one of us feel so loved, so welcomed,  and so special?

L’iluy nishmas Sheindel bas R’ Moshe Yechiel.

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