No Kinder Words

Rabbi Kelemer, rabbi of the Young Israel of West Hempstead for 38 years, was a man of influence that went way beyond his title, his shul, and even the broader West Hempstead community. Although he served as a local community rabbi, Yehuda Kelemer, considered the mara d’asra of all of West Hempstead’s growing kehillos, was a world-class talmid chacham. He spent several yeshivah years as a chavrusa to Telshe Rosh Yeshivah Rav Mordechai Gifter, later becoming an oft-called-upon expert in all issues related to marriage and divorce.

Although West Hempstead grew exponentially over the next few decades, and shuls opened on both sides of town, everyone still deferred to Rabbi Kelemer. Perhaps he was overqualified as a communal rav, but he nevertheless starred in that role, perhaps because of the way he exuded love for everyone and was reciprocally beloved.

In 2016, Rabbi Kelemer was hit by a truck in front of his shul and was unconscious for many days. He eventually recovered, but suffered residual issues from those injuries until his death at age 74 on 24 Teves (January 8), 2021.

Yehuda Kelemer was blessed with both a phenomenal head and premier chassidic lineage — two components that may not apply to every reader, but on average, we all confront an equal measure of serendipity. Rabbi Kelemer was the master of converting every small, seemingly insignificant event into one laden with significance.