The levaya of HaRav Shmuel Yosef Fishbain zt”l, longtime rav of Congregation Beth Sinai/White Lake Torah Center in White Lake, New York, will take place at the Lakewood Chapel, 613 Ramsey Avenue at 7:30 PM. Kevurah will take place in Monsey.

The rav, who was marbitz Torah to generations of Yidden in the Catskills for close to four decades, was recently in Lakewood and was niftar at Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus.

Congregation Beth Sinai/White Lake Torah Center, under Rav Fishbain’s leadership, served as the only year-round shul in the Town of Bethel and became a central makom Torah and tefillah for residents and visitors alike. The shul has been operating since 1975 and became deeply identified with Rav Fishbain’s warm leadership, Torah scholarship, and unwavering dedication to the kehillah.

Born in Chicago, Rav Fishbain grew up surrounded by extraordinary mesiras nefesh for Torah and chinuch. His father, a Chernobyler chossid, passed away when Rav Fishbain was still very young after sacrificing greatly to establish authentic Yiddishe chinuch in Chicago during an era when many Jewish families sent their children to public schools and viewed traditional Torah education as unsustainable in America.

His mother, an exceptional baalas chessed known for her hachnasas orchim, opened her home to many of the gedolei Yisroel of the previous generation. Among those who stayed in their home were Rabbi Elchonon Wasserman, the Frierdiker Lubavitcher Rebbe Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, and the Lomzher Rosh Yeshiva.

Despite the immense challenges of the time, Rav Fishbain’s mother sent her sons to Yeshiva Torah Vodaath and her daughters to Bais Yaakov under Rebbetzin Kaplan, an act remembered by the family as tremendous mesiras nefesh for an almanah in those years.

Rav Fishbain later learned in Telshe Yeshiva as well as Torah Vodaath and Netzach Yisroel, where he served as a Ram. He also learned under Hagaon HaRav Yisrael Gustman.

Before arriving in White Lake roughly 50 years ago, Rav Fishbain served as a rav in Hurleyville, where he already became known for his warmth, humility, and deep connection to every Yid.

Throughout his life, Rav Fishbain maintained close relationships with many gedolim of previous generations and continued to remain connected to leading gedolei Torah throughout his lifetime.

He leaves behind generations of talmidim, mispallelim, friends, and admirers who benefited from his Torah, guidance, and ahavas Yisroel.

Baruch Dayan Ha’Emes.