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Miami Herald

Influential Orthodox rabbi, who reshaped Jewish Miami and helped heal, has died

Rabbi Sholom Dovber Lipskar spent most of his life bringing positive change and spreading kindness to the Jewish community and beyond — especially to those who found themselves in crisis. That was evident in Lipskar's lifelong mission of Jewish leadership and passion for humanitarian work. It was evident when he founded the Shul of Bal Harbour, a hub for Jewish life known for being an 'unorthodox, Orthodox synagogue,' welcoming Jews across the religious spectrum. And it was evident in 2021, after the tragic Surfside condo collapse when he opened the doors of the synagogue to grieving families and first responders. Lipskar, one of Florida's most influential Orthodox leaders and a powerhouse rabbi who helped transform Surfside and Bal Harbour into thriving Jewish communities, died over the weekend. He was 78. 'He lived a pure life of unadulterated love, of unconditional kindness,' said Lipskar's nephew, Rabbi Aaron Lipskar, who is also the CEO of Aleph Institute. The head of the Shul of Bal Harbor for more than four decades, Lipskar became a central figure in Jewish life in Miami and beyond. The rabbi, according to Aaron Lipskar, was someone who brought out 'the best in every person that he encountered and every person that reached out to him ... to inspire them to be better, to be the best version of who they could be.' In 1981, Lipskar founded the Shul of Bal Harbour, which grew to be one of the largest Orthodox synagogues in Miami-Dade County. Before its success, Lipskar hosted services out of hotel basements and would stand on Collins Avenue for hours asking pedestrians if they would like to join his small worship group, according to the Shul's website. Over 40 years later, the Shul has evolved into a multi million-dollar property, and has served thousands of people, including a significant Sephardic and Latin American population. When Lipskar arrived from New York with his wife, Rebbetzin Chani Lipskar, in the early 1980s, Jewish life in the Bal Harbour area was basically invisible. Because of a history of housing restrictions that barred homes from being sold to Jewish and Black people, Lipskar didn't show his face while searching for his home and didn't see his property until after it was purchased, according to his nephew. Today, Bal Harbour and Surfside are seen as havens for Jewish communities. 'He literally changed the landscape of Miami as we know it in terms of becoming a very vibrant Jewish environment,' Aaron Lipskar said. An advocate for people of all faiths and backgrounds, Lipskar also founded the Aleph Institute, which works with people who are incarcerated, their families and those who are in the military. The organization provides financial, emotional and spiritual resources to thousands of men and women, advocates for the religious freedoms of those who are isolated from society. 'Rabbi Lipskar understood the chasidic idea role of each Jew — and each human being — is to be a lamplighter, a bringer of light to the dark spaces in our world,' Rabbi Frederick L Klein, executive director of the Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami and director of Mishkan Miami of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, wrote in an email. 'Rabbi Lipskar's entire life was to reach out to others and to constantly build a world in which God and our holy traditions helped thousands upon thousands,' Klein wrote. After his passing, tributes to Lipskar came pouring out on social media. Many recalled special moments and shared personal memories of the rabbi. Scott Kaufman, president and CEO of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, wrote on social media that Lipskar was 'one of the true giants of Jewish Miami and global Jewry.' Kaufman recalled a meaningful moment with Lipskar before he died, where the rabbi conversed and prayed with Kaufman after giving him new tefillin, small boxes with scrolls with verses from the Torah. 'He spoke to me about not letting what is done to the Jewish people define us, as there is so much positive and beautiful knowledge and tradition in our collective story,' Kaufman wrote. When tragedy struck Surfside in 2021, after a condo building collapsed, killing 98 people, including several members of Liskar's synagogue, the beloved rabbi became a beacon of hope for those experiencing unimaginable loss. 'While people were crumbling around him, he was a giant in terms of sharing what people needed to know, needed to hear, what would console them, what would heal them, what would carry them through the darkest moment,' said Aaron Lipskar, his nephew. 'That was his magnificent ability.' Lipskar's impact was felt by many in Miami, even outside of Jewish circles. The religious leader forged friendships with many local elected leaders and philanthropists. In a social media post, Miami-Dade County Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said the rabbi was 'a source of spiritual strength and moral leadership for countless people...' 'I am grateful for the friendship we shared,' she wrote. 'His wisdom, guidance, and dedication to others will be remembered for generations.' Gabriel Groisman, the former mayor of Bal Harbour, also lamented the loss of Lipskar in his own post. 'The giant who literally built our community in Bal Harbour. It is very hard, almost impossible, to process,' Groisman wrote. 'My teacher. My confidante. My friend. He married me. He named my 5 daughters. He swore me in as Mayor. He prayed with me when I needed it most. .... He taught me and our whole community what it is to be a proud Jew.' State Sen. Jason Pizzo also shared his condolences on social media. 'There have been so few people as significant, and yet so warm and accessible, as Rabbi Lipskar. He was both giant, and humble. His faith and strength guided many of us through very tough times,' Pizzo wrote. Lipskar is survived by his wife, Chani; their children, Rabbi Zalman Lipskar and Devorah Leah Andrusier; several grandchildren; and his siblings, Rabbi Mendel Lipskar of Johannesburg, Rabbi Yossi Lipskar of Miami Beach, and Sheva Schochet of South Beach. This story was produced with financial support from Trish and Dan Bell and from donors comprising the South Florida Jewish and Muslim Communities, including Khalid and Diana Mirza, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.