Rabbi Dovid Price zlA Father to Us All

By Shimmy Feintuch
Who was he? Who was Rabbi Dovid Price? Of course, he was the principal of Prospect Park Yeshiva for 36 years, a founding member and coordinator of Flatbush Hatzalah, and a talmid of Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin. But to me, and so many others, he was not Rabbi Price. He was Abba. He was my Abba, and he was everyones Abba. He was the Abba of his daughters, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. He was their Abba because thats what they called him, and because he treated them all as his children. He was the Abba of the thousands of girls who came and went through Prospect Park Yeshiva, so many of whom came this week to pay their last respects. A parent once confided in Rabbi Price that she felt she was abandoning her child when dropping her off at school. Rabbi Price responded: When my talmidos are in school, Im their father. But even after a young woman stepped out of those doors, he remained concerned about her welfare. He was the person who made sure the young lady continued her studies, the one who cared about her even after she got married, the one who sent her money if she needed it. He was her principal, yes, but he was her Abba. What I wouldnt give to have had Abba as my principal! He was humble, he was firm, and he was warm and caring. He could command attention at a school assembly by raising two fingers; he was respected but never feared. His students respected him because he respected them. He was their Abba. He was the Abba of the girls he would drive to school when they couldnt get a ride. On the morning of a Brachos Bee, he spent the ride to yeshivah calming down a young today without Abba. Prospect Park Yeshiva employed a non-Jewish janitor. Abba would greet him with his famous smile, ask how he was feeling, even help out with difficult tasks like schlepping a piano. The janitor once said, Rabbi, youve got a white mans face, but a black mans heart. I would be remiss if I did not say that we all owe a huge debt of hakaras hatov to our Tante Leah, our Mommy, our Savta, our Morah, Mrs. Price. She stood beside Abba every day, especially when the going got tough. Abba would not have been Abba without her. He was the Abba of Flatbush Hatzalah, of the Brachos Bee, of chinuch as a creative and innovative profession. He was the Abba to the many people who turned to him for guidance. He was the Abba to anyone who needed a kind word, a smile, a burst of simchah to light up their day. contestant, assuring her that she would do fine. On the way back, she recalled, he was so proud of her performance. She doesnt remember if she won. She remembers how Abba made her feel. He was my grandfather, my Saba, but he was my Abba. He was our Abba. Yehi zichro baruch.

Abba was a father to old and young, man and woman, frum and non-frum, Jew and non-Jew. A non -frum woman would come in to speak with him. He didnt see the A version of this article appeared way she was dressed; he saw her on page C48 of the weekly edition neshamah. She later said that she of Hamodia, October 17, 2012. doesnt know if she would be frum