Moshe Berkowitz, a Holocaust survivor and resident of the Borough Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y., passed away on April 17.

As a child in a small town in pre-war Hungary (now Romania), Berkowitz grew up in the court of the Spinka Chassidic dynasty, at the feet of the revered Rebbe—Rabbi Yitzchok Weiss, known as the “Chakal Yitzchok.”

After witnessing firsthand the decimation and pain of World War II and the Holocaust, Berkowitz emigrated to the United States to rebuild his life, becoming a successful businessman.

He became a cornerstone of the local Spinka community, among the privileged few to remember the Rebbe who had been murdered by the Nazis.

Blessed with a keen business acumen, Berkowitz flourished in his professional life, and was a generous donor and patron of numerous charities and causes. He was also a strong orator and spoke at many functions and fundraisers.

Mourners remembered him as a kind and welcoming employer.

He is survived by two sons and their children.

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