After the news broke of the passing of longtime Lakewood community activist Rabbi Yisroel Schenkolewski, Lakewood Township officials mourned his passing and shared memories honoring his distinct legacy of community service, which was instrumental in shaping the Lakewood of today.
“It is impossible to put into words the immense impact Rabbi Schenkolewski had on Lakewood,” says Mayor Ray Coles. “On a personal note, ‘Schenky’ was a friend. He was my teacher, advisor and confidant – my ‘Rebbe.’ I like to think that some of my love for Lakewood was an outgrowth of him sharing his love for our town with me.”
Deputy Mayor Menashe Miller, who grew up in Lakewood in the 1980s, says that Rabbi Schenkolewski’s impact was already visible back then. “Rabbi Schenkolewski was a one-man operation whose activities morphed into many of the volunteer service organizations we see today,” he reminisces. “In particular, in times of tragedy, Heaven forbid, families and community activists knew him to be the address to help navigate even the most challenging predicaments.”
Committeeman Meir Lichtenstein, who serves as the Township’s emergency services liaison, recounts, “Rabbi Schenkolewski had a unique blend of fairness, wisdom, calmness and ferocity. This helped him accomplish so much of behalf of Lakewood and turned him into a father figure for those involved in communal and governmental affairs today. Rabbi Schenkolewski will be sorely missed by all who knew him, and we will continue doing our best to fill his great shoes.”
Committeeman Isaac Akerman echoed these sentiments. “Rabbi Schenkolewski was a pillar of the Lakewood community,” he explains. “For many decades, he was there for everyone, at all stages. His legacy will always remain an inspiration for our entire town.”
