Rabbi Yaakov Lazaros, who directed and ran Chabad of Framingham for close to 48 years, passed away this morning surrounded by his family.
Rabbi Lazaros was a deeply spiritual and genuine person and Rabbi and a devoted husband, father of seven children and many grandchildren.
On Thursday I sat across the table from him in his synagogue and we chatted, never did I imagine that within 36 hours he would pass away.
In our early years in Sudbury before we started our own services, I would walk the 4+ mile walk each Shabbos to be a part of the Minyan, and during that time, I had the honor to get to know this silent and gentle spiritual giant, who had impacted so many hundreds of lives in such a meaningful and deep way.
Rabbi Lazaros had a love for studying Torah and in this picture I took several years ago, he was concluding a tractate of Talmud on the day before Passover, making a Siyum.
On Thursday, Rabbi Lazaros told me that he is up to page 96 in the tractate of Sanhedrin, but is finding it harder to concentrate although he wants to finish it.
In that conversation, Rabbi Lazaros was very open with me about what lay ahead, and his humility, simplicity, greatness and sincerity were all on display in full force. I couldn't talk for a few minutes in the conversation as I was so overcome and couldn't stop thinking about it since then.
Rabbi Lazaros was born in Germany to Holocaust survivors, and led a authentic and proud Jewish life, that brought Judaism and meaning to so many, in the Framingham area and well beyond.
Rabbi Lazaros, your unique light will be missed, you are leaving behind a beautiful family and so many people you impacted so deeply, who are all devastated by your loss.
To your dear family, may G-d comfort you all.
Leilui Nishmas, Rabbi Yaakov Noach Ben Mordechai Tzvi Z"L