Shimmy Benabou, 49, OBM

By COLlive reporter

R’ Shimon Benabou, owner of the Kosher Town Supermarket and other food retail businesses in Crown Heights who was a generous Baal Tzedaka, passed away on Shabbos, Rosh Chodesh Elul, 5782.

He was 49.

Shimmy was born in Israel, and came with his family on a visit to Crown Heights, when his family decided to move here permanently. He learned at the United Lubavitch Yeshiva on Ocean Parkway, where his classmates embraced him despite his language barrier.

After his marriage to Shoshe Wudowsky, together they entered the retail grocery business. First at the corner of Montgomery and Kingston, and then they opened the Kosher Town supermarket on Albany and Empire. There he grew his store from groceries to a coffee shop, later a café and a Shabbos and Yom Tov takeout. In the past few months he opened a satellite store on Kingston and President, calling it KT2.

He was known to always greet his customers, and treat his employees with respect. The food was fresh, and unique, bringing customers back again and again. Together with a local philanthropist, he supported many families with food. When he saw that someone was being hesitant in how much food they were taking for their Shabbos meals, he would kindly say, “fill it up to the top and just pay this amount.”

During the early days of Covid, to say kaddish for his mother Alice, he opened a shul on his back porch, which later moved to his garage. He created not just a small shul, but a community with a large heart. He made sure that there was always fresh brewed coffee and pastries in the morning. On Shabbos there is a large kiddush, and regular farbrengens and several shiurim were established. He refurbished an old aron kodesh, and built a wall to insulate the shul.

He would greet each person who came with his classic shy smile, and encouraged them to come again. He later called the shul Heichel Harashbi.

Over the past year he struggled with a difficult illness. Despite this, he tried to attend davening at the shul as much as possible. When he could not go down the stairs, he hosted farbrengens in his home.

While he invested much into fostering the shul, he took little credit, telling everyone it was those who joined the minyan.

He is survived by his wife, Shoshe and children Rosie Goodman, Ruthie, Elisheva, Oshrity and Avigail.

He is also survived by his father, Asher Benabou and siblings Iris Sherman, Itzik Benabou, Smadar Vaitzman and Ayala Maman of Yavne, Israel.

He was predeceased by his mother Alice Benabou and sister Dorit Giro.

The Levaya will take place tomorrow, Sunday, passing by 770 at 12:15 PM.

Shiva will take place at 1379 Carroll Street

Visiting hours:
12 PM – 2 PM
4 PM – 6 PM
8 PM – 10 PM

Shachris 7:00
Mincha 1:45
Maariv 9:00

Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.