Tributes paid to Rabbi Nachman Sudak

Tributes have been paid to Rabbi Nachman Sudak, the influential leader of Chabad Lubavitch UK, who died in London this week at the age of 78.

As Head Shliach and Principal, Sudak oversaw the growth of Chabad Lubavitch UK into a national organisation with 14 schools, 25 community houses and 11 campus houses.

The father of nine was born in the former Soviet Union and was sent to England in 1959 to “reinforce and help develop Jewish life in the UK,” for which he was later awarded an OBE in the 2001 New Year’s Honours List.

Here, he found and married Fradel Shemtov, whose father—Rabbi Bentzion Shemtov—had been a leader of the clandestine Chabad infrastructure in the USSR before emigrating to England with his family.

“He was one of most wonderful people,” recalls Seymour Gorman, a local businessman and Lubavitch supporter. “The world is much poorer now… his children are carrying on his work, but it’s no easy task to follow someone like him.”

He is survived by his wife Fradel and their children Rabbi Leivi Sudak (Edgware), Mrs Bassie Raskin (Stamford Hill), Mrs Esther Kesselman (Southgate), Mrs Chanie Alperowitz (Bournemouth), Rabbi Kasriel Sudak (New York), Rabbi Mendy Sudak, (Stanmore), Rabbi Sholem Ber Sudak (Stamford Hill), Rabbi Zalman Sudak (Edgware), Rabbi Bentzi Sudak (London).