הר"ר עקיבא עהרענפעלד ז"ל

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Lakewood Local: Son of Mattersdorfer Rov found lifeless this morning

I was especially shocked to see the news about his sudden passing. Allow me to share my experiences with you all, for just a moment. Please understand that I mean only to highlight his achievements in life, not ח"ו anything else. (and if you can't believe me you're welcome to leave.) Kivi Ehrenfeld was the youngest son of the MR. While his older brothers were leaning heavily towards Chassidus and were more aware of their role, I guess, as the Rov's children, he was a normal kid. [That's not to belittle his other sons. They are very fine and eydeler yungeleit, great Talmidei Chachomim in their own right.] Kivi played ball with the rest of the Ch'san Sofer boys, and was VERY good at it. Notice how I highlight and put "very" in CAPS.I would imagine that was the way his parents wanted to raise him. Normal, like the other kids in their מוסד, and I don't think I'm going out on a limb by saying that he enjoyed being just one of the guy, not anybody special. I even believe he got a High School Diploma in YCS' very fine and NYS Regents Board accredited Secular Studies Dept. Then one day, a few years after his Bar Mitzvah, Kivi became very serious, started learning with a tremendous Hasmodoh, and never looked back. I don't think any of us had ever seen such diligence. It was as if he had received a new neshomoh, a נשמה that was כולו תורה. And it was all very much in a way of הצנע לכת, without benefiting from it in any way. We were all in awe of him, and it taught us a tremendous lesson, that all it takes is a little will to change. ( I guess זכות אבות didn't hurt either, but that only goes so far...) It's been a while since I've seen or heard from Kivi. Not that we were every buddy, buddy. I may have seen him in London - I don't remember. And to hear this piece of news right at the beginning of the work week is absolutely terrible. I knew that he had gone off to learn in Eretz Yisroel, to Ponovizh, maybe, but since he was no longer part of YCS in Boro Park (at least not in the period soon after he left, I don't know about today, but I would assume that since he lived in Lakewood that he wasn't there every day) [now I hear that he would drive in from Lakewood and learn with יבלחט"א his father every day in Yeshiva...] I knew very little of what was going on with him, and now I know... What a terrible update on a young Talmid Chochom's life!

May his family know no more צער !