Baruch Dayan HaAmet: In the Crown Heights neighborhood, the benefactor and guest, the late Rabbi Yechiel Michal Raskin, the owner of the fruit and vegetable store located at the corner of Kingston and President in the Hassidic neighborhood, passed away today (Sunday) at the age of 92.
The late Moach, the eldest of four brothers, was born in Leningrad, Russia, to his parents, Rabbi Aharon Leib Lane 14 and his wife, Duba Reiza, in 1903. His parents educated and raised their children with devotion under communist rule. When an adult was sent to study with his grandfather, the influential Rabbi Yehoshua Lein Haid, in the town of Rudnia, near Lubavitch.
With the outbreak of World War II, in which his father perished, he stayed with his family in the city of Gorky, and during the great escape of Chabad followers after the war, the family crossed the borders of Russia. Because they used fake IDs, they adopted their mother’s last name – Raskin.
In 1953 he came to New York with his family.
After his marriage to Mrs. Dania Tavalha, the daughter of the Chassid Rabbi Shneur Zalman Issachar Getzel Rubashkin, he established the fruit and vegetable store on Kinsgaton Avenue, the store provided, among other things, fruits and vegetables for the Lubavitcher Rebbe and the Rebbetzin.
His house was an open house for guests, and was hospitable all year round – and being a benefactor in his soul, he worked tirelessly for the needy.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Dania, and children – Eric McRae Heights, Gittel Eidelman of Florida, Meshi Markowitz of Crown Heights, Abrami Raskin of Melbourne, Zeldi Treitel of Canada, Shlomo Raskin of Crown Heights, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
And his brother Rabbi Ben Zion Raskin and Rabbi Chaim David Lane.
The funeral procession will pass on Monday morning near the 770 World Chabad Center, on its way to the Montefiore Cemetery, where Whitman is buried.