The regional director of Chabad-Lubavitch of Illinois, Rabbi Daniel Moscowitz, died in Chicago on Tuesday at the age of 59.
Moscowitz was born on the North Side of Chicago. After several years studying in other regions, he returned to Chicago and founded the Tannenbaum Chabad House, serving Jewish students at Northwestern University. He later became Chabad’s head shliach (emissary) in Illinois. Over the years, Moscowitz helped grow nearly 40 Chabad centers in 21 cities across the state, according to Chabad.org.
Moscowitz died after not waking up during a routine surgical procedure on Tuesday.
Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky—chairman of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch, Chabad’s educational arm—said Moscowitz “served effectively with alacrity and distinction” as an executive board member of that agency.
“Just yesterday (Monday), he participated in a three-hour teleconference of the executive board, where matters pertinent to the wide world of shluchim (emissaries) were discussed,” Krinsky was quoted by Chabad.org as saying.
Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, vice chairman of the Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch, added on Moscowitz, “He was energetic, caring and dedicated. He was a close friend to everyone, and an active voice on behalf of Torah and Judaism. Rabbi Moscowitz was someone who put the cause of the community and the [Lubavitcher] Rebbe’s vision before everything else. Many shluchim would seek out his advice on a variety of issues.”