Mrs. Esther Stern settled in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y., in the 1960s and quickly became a beloved figure in the tight-knit community. She passed away on April 11 after contracting COVID-19.

Stern was talented writer, contributing to various Chabad publications, including Nshei Chabad Newsletter and Di Yiddishe Heim (“The Jewish Home”).

She was known for her welcoming home, always open for guests and visitors to the Chassidic neighborhood, which attracts young people seeking to learn more about their Jewish heritage and traditions.

“Esther was the first woman that I met when I came to Crown Heights in December 1972,” recalled a female guest. “I stayed in her basement for the weekend. Yossi and Shmueli [Stern’s sons] were very cute little boys, and I’m sure Esther was very busy with them, yet she gave such wonderful hospitality. That weekend in Crown Heights changed my life, thank you to Esther.”

She is survived by six children, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

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