BDE: Reb Elimelech Grodinsky u"h

By Y.M. Lowy

With deep sadness, we share the passing of R’ Elimelech Grodinsky, a beloved Bobover chossid, at age 74.

The niftar was the son of R’ Shloime Yechiel Grodinsky, a Gerer chossid who had the zchus to see the Gerer Rebbes of earlier generations. R’ Meilich learned in Yeshivas Kedushas Tzion in Kiryas Bobov, Israel, and became a true Bobover through and through. 

As a kohen, his greatest joy was Birchas Kohanim, at every possible moment. He said it with such warmth and sincerity that you could feel the bracha as he said it. For years, he served as a bus driver for the Bobover Yeshiva, greeting every child with a good word and a smile. As a driver, he loved taking the job of taking small kids to lein Krias Shma by vachnachts, so he could say birchas kohanim for the newborns.

For him, driving the bus wasn’t just a job, it was a big zchus. He cherished the chance to bring children to cheider, or the Buchirim in Yeshiva to their building on 38th St in the early morning hours, or for night seder.

He had a remarkably sweet, powerful voice. A talented baal menagen and baal tefillah, he davened with energy and depth, always for the sake of Hashem and the tzibbur. His voice can also be heard on many of R’ Moshe Goldman’s Camp Shalva classic tapes, a soundtrack of childhood for thousands.

A few years ago, while davening for the Umid at a grandchild’s simcha in Bobov, he poured his whole being into the tefillah. Later, after the sheva brachos, he suffered a heart attack, but miraculously, the doctors said it was caught in time. Had he not exerted himself at the Umid, it would have struck in his sleep and might not have ended the same way.

Together with his devoted eishes chayil, daughter of the well-known Londoner Bobover chossid and baal menagen, R’ Moshe Duvid Strum, he built a beautiful Torahdige family, including marbitzei Torah and upstanding Yidden.

After recently facing medical complications, he sadly passed away this morning.

The levayah will take place today at 10:00 AM at the Bobover Bhm"d. 

Yehi Zichro Baruch