Ice storm claims ‘Facebuker’ rebbe

Rabbi Dovid Winiarz, z”l, whose work in chessed and kiruv strengthened the Yiddishkeit of countless Jews, died motzei Shabbat on icy roads in Maryland enroute to a kiruv conference near Baltimore.

The Staten Islander was known to thousands as the “Facebuker rebbe” with a page that encouraged Jews of all religious inclinations to consider the importance of their relationship to Hashem. In his final post before setting out for the American Jewish Outreach Professionals event, he is heard on a video studying with his young son and a friend.

“Hakadosh Baruch Hu gave us a gift for 49 years and he wanted his gift back,” his mother, Chaya Subar, said at Monday’s levaya on Staten Island. “He filled into these 49 years many lifetimes. That is the gift this neshama left us. Let’s not waste it.”

Rabbi Winiarz’s oldest son, Shaya, said his father was always planting seeds.

“It’s not my job to decide if they grow or not,” Shaya recalled his father saying. “That will be Hashem’s job. I just have to plant seeds.”

Rabbi Winiarz leaves behind his wife Miriam and ten children, seven of whom are still single. Having devoted his life to helping others, now it is his family that’s in need of help. A Winiarz Family Chinuch Fund has been established at www.youcaring.com/winiarz. Also, checks (payable to Bikur Cholim) can be sent to Bikur Cholim of SI, 23 Niles Pl., SI, NY 10314.