The school bears his name
Rabbi Dovid Chanzin
6 Adar 5671 - 19 Tammuz 5763
A Torah scholar, rabbi and educator who devoted his life to making sure every Jewish child in the Land of Israel could learn Torah. The school in Cozumel bears his name.
His life's work
Educating Jewish children
In 5710 (1950), the Lubavitcher Rebbe asked that a Chabad school network be established in Israel, opening schools precisely where children had nowhere to learn Torah. Rabbi Chanzin took an active part in founding it, headed it until the last day of his life, and ran it in practice for twenty-five years.
Schools where there were none
The network began with four schools, in Rehovot, Jaffa, Kfar Saba and Jerusalem, and was soon joined by Kiryat Gat, Taanach, Ness Ziona and other places. Today tens of thousands of children learn in the network.
Preschool first
A teacher who worked with him recalled that when he wanted to open a school in Holon, Rabbi Chanzin said a preschool had to be opened first. From the preschool, the school grows.
Inside the classrooms
He took part in shaping the curriculum and visited the schools to follow, in person, how the learning was progressing.
Faithful to his post
When he asked to travel to see the Rebbe in New York, the Rebbe asked him to stay in Israel and keep faithfully carrying out his work.
His life
From Konotop to Petach Tikva
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Born in Konotop
Born on 6 Adar in the town of Konotop, Ukraine, to a family of Chabad chassidim. His father was Rabbi Menachem Mendel Chanzin.
56891929
Torah in Soviet Russia
He studied Torah on his own in the synagogue, at a time when learning Torah in Russia was dangerous, and while still young completed the entire Talmud twice. When the family moved to Moscow, he studied with the city's rabbi, Rabbi Abba Dovid Goldfein.
56941934
Arrival in the Land of Israel
He received permission to leave the Soviet Union and arrived in Israel, after Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook arranged his immigration certificate.
Jerusalem
Student of Rabbi Kook
He studied at the Mercaz HaRav yeshiva and learned in pairs with Rabbi Kook himself, who fondly called him "my Dovidl". During those years he drew close to Chabad Chassidism.
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Teacher and educator
He began teaching at the Achei Temimim yeshiva in Tel Aviv, first as a mentor to the students and later as a full teacher.
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The Oholei Yosef Yitzchak network
He took an active part in founding the Chabad school network in Israel, which he ran and headed for the rest of his life.
57111951
Rabbi of Petach Tikva
He was appointed rabbi and member of the rabbinical court of Petach Tikva, where he lived until his last day. He oversaw kashrut, the mikvahs and Shabbat observance in the city.
57381978
Head of the Chabad rabbis
He presided over the rabbinical court of the Chabad rabbis in the Holy Land and was their senior rabbi.
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His passing
He passed away on Shabbat night, 19 Tammuz, at the age of 92. A street in Petach Tikva bears his name.
Continuing in Cozumel
His grandson, Menachem Mendel Chanzin, and his wife Sarah founded the school in Cozumel and named it for their grandfather. And so his mission continues here too: a Jewish school in a place where children had nowhere to learn Torah.
The full story of his life is told in the book "David Avdi" by Menachem Ziegelboim (in Hebrew), published by Eshel.