YS GOLD
As the Yom Tov of Shavuos came to a close, the Stoliner chassidus received the crushing news of the passing of Reb Moshe Chaim Berenstein of Eretz Yisroel who was in America for medical treatment and resided in Boro Park for much of this time.
The name of “Moshe Chaim ben Rochel” had been on the lips of his countless friends and family as they supplicated the Ribbono shel Olam for his recovery. Alas, he was called back to Shamayim after being purified by intense suffering over a number of years.
Reb Moshe Chaim was born to his parents, Reb Binyomin and Rochel Berenstein, into a Yerushalmi family that resided in the holy city for generations.
He learned in the Stoliner yeshivos where he excelled and was known for his yiras Shomayim and ehrlichkeit.
He married the daughter of Reb Yochanan Rosenthal of Givat Zeev, and established his home in among the young Stoliner community in Teveria.
The dreaded disease hit suddenly and ferociously, and Reb Moshe Chaim and his family were thrust into a whirlwind of medical treatments—hoping and praying for a cure.
Throughout this time, the Chessed of Klal Yisroel toward Reb Moshe Chaim and his family was on full display in breathtaking and deeply inspiring form.
Askonim from Williamsburg and Boro Park hosted the family and cared for their every need, accompanied them to medical appointments, and were a constant presence in their lives, not leaving their side for a moment.
Reb Moshe Chaim will live on the memories of all those who loved and cared for him, and he will be remembered for his incredible mesirus nefesh to serve Hashem despite his incredible suffering.
A group of Stoliner yungeleit which davened and farbrenged at the Berenstein apartment every Shabbos over the last years was present as his neshamah ascended to the Olam Haemes in the waning moments of Yom Tov, escorting his purified neshamah with tefillos and tears.
The levaya will take place at the Stoliner shul on 48th street and 16th Avenue at 9:00 Sunday morning, and from there it will proceed to JFK for Kevurah in Eretz Yisroel.
A second levaya will take place in Eretz Yisroel with the participation of thousands of Stoliner chassidim from around the land.
Yehi zichro baruch.