Yidden across the globe were shocked and saddened to learned of the tragic passing on Chol Hamoed of Yisroel Levin z”l and Elisheva Kaplan a”h, a chosson and a kallah recently engaged who were killed in an automobile accident.
The incident occurred early Wednesday morning, April 4, when five cars collided in a chain-reaction crash on the Nassau Expressway in Lawrence on the Queens/Long Island border, just outside of Kennedy International Airport in New York. Yisroel and Elisheva were reportedly trapped when their car caught fire during the crash.
Five were injured, and two of those injured were arrested as homicide detectives looked into the possibility that they were driving while intoxicated.
Yisroel was a son of Rabbi and Mrs. Shaya Levin. The Levins are noted members of the Flatbush community, beloved mispallelim of the Mirrer Yeshiva and Agudas Yisroel Snif Zichron Shmuel, and cherished friends of so many.
Yisroel was a brother of Ari (Aryeh) Levin z”l, who tragically passed away at age 26 in January 2016.
Yisroel is survived by his parents, R’ Shaya and Mrs. Leba Levin, and his siblings, R’ Shmuel Dovid Levin, R’ Eli Levin, R’ Yaakov Levin, R’ Dovi Levin, R’ Yoel Levin, R’ Ephraim Mordechai Levin, Mrs. Faigy Jacobson, Mrs. Chaya Raizy Horowitz, and Itty Levin. Itty is engaged to be married to Yekusiel Eckstein in a month.
Elisheva was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joel and Leah Kaplan of Far Rockaway. Residents of Beach 6th Street, the Kaplans are a well-known family of baalei chesed and oskim betzorchei tzibbur. Mr. Kaplan has served his children’s yeshiva, Darchei Torah, in various capacities, including executive director, president and board member. He is the executive director of the United Jewish Council of the East Side and the chazzan at Congregation Beth Sholom in Lawrence.
Elisheva is survived by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joel Kaplan, and her siblings, Rabbi Mosey Kaplan, Yaffi Kaplan, Meir Kaplan, Mimi Levison, Rivky Rokowsky, Avraham Yochanan Kaplan, Yona Engelberg, Bryna Kaplan, Chavi Kohanteb, Yitzchok Kaplan, and Faigy Kaplan.
The levayah was held on Thursday, April 5, the fourth day of Chol Hamoed, at Yeshiva Darchei Torah in Far Rockaway. Speakers at the levayah included Rav Yaakov Bender, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Darchei Torah, R’ Shaya Levin, Mr. Joel Kaplan, and Yisroel’s and Elisheva’s brothers.
Elisheva’s kevurah was held following the levayah at Beth David Cemetery in Elmont, NY.
Yisroel’s aron was flown on Motzoei Yom Tov to Eretz Yisroel for kevurah on Sunday, April 8, in Beit Shemesh. At the levayah there, which was attended by Rav Don Segal, Rav Aharon Chodosh, Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel and others, divrei hesped were delivered by Rav Binyomin Carlebach, R’ Shaya Levin, and Yisroel’s siblings.
The Levin family is sitting shivah until Sunday morning at 1410 Avenue R, between East 14th and East 15th Streets, in Flatbush.
The Kaplan family is sitting shivah until Friday at 449 Beach 6th Street, between Jarvis and Meehan Avenues, in Far Rockaway.
All are asked to learn l’illui nishmas Yisroel ben Yeshaya Halevi and Elisheva Basya bas Yechiel Efraim.
Umacha Hashem dimah me’al kol ponim.
