Rabbi Ronnie Greenwald's children share the backstory of this master educator, fearless negotiator, skilled diplomat, and advocate for his people
That was the recurring theme that emerged during the conversations I had with the entire Greenwald brood ahead of the September 1 release of Ronnie: The Extraordinary Life of Rabbi Ronnie Greenwald, written by Suri Cohen, edited and expanded by Rabbi Chananya Greenwald, and published by ArtScroll. The long-awaited book provides a glimpse into the life of the man whose enormous heart had him constantly searching for ways to better the lives of others.
After spending multiple (wonderful!) hours chatting with Mrs. Basya Wolff, Rabbi Zecharya Greenwald, Mrs. Chevy Lapin, Rabbi Chananya Greenwald, Reb Yisroel Greenwald, and Mrs. Chana Shterna Lewenstein about their father, it was clear that the book’s 500-plus pages were just the tip of the iceberg, and that only a series of several similar-length books could accurately describe all that Rabbi Greenwald stood for and everything he accomplished in his 82 years on this earth. An educator, a father figure, a diplomat, a world traveler, a covert operative, a community activist — Rabbi Greenwald was all those things and more. But first and foremost, he was a devoted father to his children, one who led by example, always making clear in his actions that he truly believed in their ability to rise to their maximum potential.
Most small children think of their fathers as superheroes, a notion that they typically outgrow as the years go by, but things were different in the Greenwald home. Rabbi Zecharya Greenwald remembers one of the many times his father cemented his reputation for being able to accomplish just about anything, while also providing a glimpse of the enormity of his heart.
When a blizzard struck Brooklyn in the late 1970s, making the streets nearly impassable, Rabbi Greenwald set out on foot to retrieve his two oldest children, Basya and Zecharya, from school.
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