Rabbi Yehuda Harris of New Haven, CT, lovingly known as “Flumie,” passed away Wednesday morning, 10 Cheshvan, 5787.

He was 65.

He had been unwell over the past few months, battling an infection.

He lived in New Haven his entire life.

He was born in 1961 to his parents, Aryeh Leib and Uriella Harris. His mother was a Holocaust survivor who lived in hiding during the war. He was an only child and spent his high school years at Mir Yeshivah.

Yehuda had a brilliant mind. He received semicha from Rabbi Piekarsky and Rabbi Hirshprung in both Rabbonus and Dayanus. He was also an accountant and passed the bar exams in three states—New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut—all within two weeks!

He traveled around the country during many summers, eventually visiting all 50 states and meeting and befriending many shluchim.

He loved water flume rides, hence his nickname, “Flumie.”

He was a proud Chosid of the Rebbe, and would write to the ohel several times a week. He was an exceptional Yerei Shomayim. He loved and derived great satisfaction from leading davening, receiving aliyos, and reading the haftorah. He was also very generous in giving tzedakah.

Over the last decade or so, he was a full-fledged talmid in the New Haven Yeshivah Gedolah. There is hardly anyone who has lived in New Haven, even for a short time, or studied in the Yeshivah over the past 50 years who did not know him.

He was a unique character who always had something interesting to say. He was lovingly cared for by the New Haven community, young and old, including the shliach, Rabbi Levitin, and the Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Kalmenson A”H.

The levaya will take place tomorrow in New Jersey, near the resting places of his parents.

Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.