Rabbi Shmuel Chmelnitzki, Z”l

Rabbi Shmuel Chmelnitzki, an elder Gerrer Chassid, who served on the nesius of Ichud Mosdos Ger, was niftar early Thursday morning in Los Angeles.

Reb Shmuel was born in 1932 in Pabianice, Poland. When he was a young child, Shmuel’s father, Reb Avraham Yaakov, moved his family to Eretz Yisrael, upon the advice of the Gerrer Rebbe the Imrei Emes, zy”a.

As a bachur, Shmuel learned in Yeshivas Sfas Emes in Yerushalayim.

After Reb Shmuel married his wife, Tzivia (nee Ganz), a”h, the couple settled in Tel Aviv. Shortly thereafter, they moved to Los Angeles, where they had a son and two daughters.

In Los Angeles, Reb Shmuel established a successful business, but he was primarily a ben Torah. He was a talmid chacham who gave daily shiurim for many years.

He would often tell his grandchildren how, as a young boy, his father had taken him to the Imrei Emes, who told him, “Zei tzu horchen di Tatte” (Be sure to listen to your father). He was zoche to be sandik by a great-great grandchild.

Reb Shmuel was among the most prominent Gerrer Chassidim in the United States. He was very close with all the Gerrer Rebbes, from the Bais Yisrael to, ybl”c, the present Rebbe, and he was zocheh to have the Pnei Menachem stay at his home when he visited Los Angeles.

The levayah was held at Cong. Bais Naftoli in Los Angeles on Thursday morning. The aron was then flown to Eretz Yisrael, where a levayah will be held at 3:00 p.m. Friday at Shamgar Funeral Home. The levayah will pass the Gerrer Bais Medrash on Rechov Yirmiyahu, on the way to kevurah at Har Hamenuchos’s Chelkas Harabbanim.

Reb Shmuel is survived by, ybl”c, his sister, Mrs. Sabiner; his son, Reb Meir Melnicke; and his daughters, Mrs. Judy Adeles and Mrs. Raizel Schwartz, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Yehi zichro baruch.