On April 8, the eve of Passover, thousands of students lost their teacher and mentor when Rochel (Felice) Blau passed away after a lengthy illness, coupled with COVID-19.

Blau was one of the founders of the Beis Yaakov elementary school for girls in Brooklyn, N.Y., and was known as a kind educator with a passion for the arts. She was a talented musician and songwriter, and had a keen appreciation for creativity as an artist and playwright.

The iconic teacher is survived by her husband, Rabbi Chaim Elazar Blau, and their four children, together with the thousands of lives she helped shape and influence over the years.

Readers are invited to express their condolences or memories of the departed in the Reader Comments box that follows this article.

To provide additional information for this article, or to submit the names and information about other Jewish victims of the coronavirus, please use this form.