New Haven, CT – Kiddush Hashem: Mesivta Rebbe Returns $98K Found In Secondhand Desk

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    Rabbi Noach Muroff displaying the 98K cash he found in the desk he bought on CraigslistNew Haven, CT – A Connecticut Rebbe received the surprise of his life when he discovered a shopping bag full of cash in a desk that he bought on Craigslist.

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    New Haven resident Rabbi Noach Muroff had been searching the online classified listings for a desk for his office, finally finding one that met his needs several days before Rosh Hashana. Folding down the rear seats in his minivan, R’ Muroff went to pick up the desk, which he purchased from its original owner for $150.

    “It fit perfectly into my van but when we got home, it was about a quarter of an inch too big to fit into my office,” Rabbi Muroff told VIN News. “It was crazy that it didn’t fit by such a small amount. We tried taking the hinges off the door, but it didn’t work.”

    Instead, R’ Muroff unscrewed the top of the desk, and after doing so, noticed a white plastic shopping bag wedged in behind one of the desk’s side filing cabinets.

    “We took out the bag and we could see that there was money inside,” said R’ Muroff.

    In fact, the bag was stuffed with neatly bundled stacks of one hundred dollar bills.

    “We brought it to the table and counted it out and there was $98,000,” said R’ Muroff. “It was me, my wife and a friend who was here and we looked at it each other and said, ‘this can’t be real. This only happens in the movies.'”

    There was never a question about what to do with the money.

    “My wife and I both knew immediately that we would return it,” explained R’ Muroff. “When I was picking up the desk, the lady, who wasn’t Jewish, told me that she had bought the desk at Staples and put it together herself. We knew the money was hers and she was speechless when we called her to tell her we had found it.”

    According to R’ Muroff, the original owner of the desk, a middle aged woman identified only as Patty, knew that she had hidden her nest egg in the desk but was unable to locate it when it fell behind the filing cabinet. Assuming the money had to be somewhere else in her house, the woman sold the desk, never once suspecting that it still contained her life’s savings.

    “If we hadn’t had to take the desk apart we never would have found it,” observed R’ Muroff.

    R’ Muroff, a ninth grade Rebbe at the Yeshiva of New Haven, returned to the woman’s house the next day with his wife and four small children.

    “We took the kids along because we thought it was a good opportunity to teach them about emes,” said R’ Muroff.
    The Thank you note Rabbi Muroff received from the desk seller
    R’ Muroff consulted with his own Rebbe on what to do should a reward be proffered and while he was uncomfortable accepting anything in return for doing a mitzvah, he did so at the insistence of the desk’s original owner who also refunded the purchase price of the desk.

    “Originally, she thought I only had two kids because that was how many car seats she had seen in my van the day before. When she saw that I had four children, she went back into the house and added more money to the gift bag she gave me.”

    R’ Muroff admits that he struggled with the decision of whether or not to go public with his story for several weeks, finally agreeing to do so after discussing the matter with R’ Shmuel Kaminetzky at the Torah U’Mesorah convention in Boston several weeks ago.

    “He told me that by coming forward it would be an opportunity to make a Kiddush Hashem and it was the right way to go.”

    A heartfelt note from the desk’s owner thanked R’ Muroff for his honesty and integrity and praised him for his actions.

    “I do not think there are too many people in this world who would have done what you did by calling me. I do like to believe that there are still good people left in this crazy world we live in. You certainly are one of them.”


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    76 Comments
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    ShmutzVesh
    ShmutzVesh
    10 years ago

    Beautiful!!!! This is what a real Rabbi is!!!! why doesn’t everyone stand up and shout the way they do when we hear something negative about a Rabbi?

    NYCESQ
    NYCESQ
    10 years ago

    Very Nice. Im not so sure I would have passed the test like this Rabbi did. I’m sure he will have much bracha from this event.

    Bigshorty
    Bigshorty
    10 years ago

    Attn parents: You want Rabbi Muroff as your kids rebbe!!

    OyGevald
    OyGevald
    10 years ago

    חזק ואמץ

    10 years ago

    Great story. However, I’m sure every Torah-true Jew would do the same….I would (but only after I took a picture of myself surrounded by it all, just like Rabbi Muroff did!) Not only did the Rabbi make a Kidush Hashem, I’m certain he & his family will receive many Brachas in the future. Maybe not financial windfalls, but where it really counts…in good health & nachas. thanks for sharing this – I think it will make a very good topic for my class today.

    onlyonea
    onlyonea
    10 years ago

    KOL HAKOVOD. His mind is stronger then his heart, a true MELECH!

    Liepa
    Liepa
    10 years ago

    I’m glad he found the money and not someone else, too big of a nisayon (for me and many others) to return it !

    Aron1
    Active Member
    Aron1
    10 years ago

    Beautiful story.

    ChachoMoe
    ChachoMoe
    10 years ago

    Kol HaKavod to him!
    May HaShem bless him with many more than found!

    puppydogs
    puppydogs
    10 years ago

    Mi K’Amcha Yisroel !!!!

    10 years ago

    How much did she give him?

    Different
    Different
    10 years ago

    Certainly a breath of fresh air – ashrecha

    NewsBoy
    NewsBoy
    10 years ago

    Such kiddush hashem! Hashem is certainly proud of him and the rest of the jewish nation when we do good deeds

    white_socks
    white_socks
    10 years ago

    wow what a kiddush hashem

    CountryYossi
    CountryYossi
    10 years ago

    Wow..what a neesoyen…learning now the parshes with all nisyones are fathers had to go thru this store is really inspiring….the kidish hashem is so great that i am sure it will make other people think to do the same…

    Erlich
    Erlich
    10 years ago

    Sadly, we don’t see much kiddush Hashem in the Haredi world. In performing this great mitzvah, may Rabbi Muroff be blessed with Hatzlacha and Kol Tuv.

    itzik18
    itzik18
    10 years ago

    i am sure stories like this happen often among our people but they keep it quiet – a big yasher koach to the rabbi for publicizing this – i have often told people who make a kiddush Hashem to publicize because we have so much negative press it is perhaps a bigger mitzva to publicize this than it even was to do the mitzva of hashovas aveida – i remember a friend of mine, a satmar chossid, saved the life of an african american man who was shot – i told him to publicize but he didnt want to

    MonseyLuke
    MonseyLuke
    10 years ago

    Stories like these are great and there are many of them we never hear about. It really restores my faith in humankind. 🙂

    Luke.

    10 years ago

    As several of the prior posters have noted, we sadly have too many news stories where the world see frum yidden as a bunch of alleged or convicted fraudsters and ganovim like Dwek, SMR, etc. and fails to understand the large percentage of true bnai torah are 110 percent honest. Rav Muroff should have much hatzlacha in the years ahead.

    Mishelanu
    Mishelanu
    10 years ago

    My initial thought was like all the comments here: wow, what a kiddush hashem!
    But after giving it some thought i came up with a few questions.
    A. Why didnt he consult with a rabbi if the money is his or not?
    B. Who keeps 98k in a desk?
    C. What answer will this lady have for the IRS when they will knock at her door soon?

    onlyonea
    onlyonea
    10 years ago

    KOL HAKOVOD. His mind is stronger then his heart, a true MELECH!

    Ahuvah54
    Ahuvah54
    10 years ago

    Ya’asher koach to this mentsch who did indeed make a big Kiddush Hashem. I do not know if I could have stood up under that temptation. It saddened me, when I read the story in the secular press, that some commenters had figured out a way to hate us anyway.

    murray059
    murray059
    10 years ago

    did he buy any lotto tix with part of the reward $$ ?

    DRSLZ
    DRSLZ
    10 years ago

    Wow! I wonder if this will go viral or achieve a wider audience.

    10 years ago

    Excellent!!! A kiddish Hashem indeed. He and his doiress will benefit from this huge mitzvah.

    10 years ago

    amazing kiddush hashem ( this is actually a case in the gemora)
    kudos to rabbi muroff and yes just by returning the money he taught us all a lesson on how a jew should act

    Balaboos
    Balaboos
    10 years ago

    We’re finally beginning to see a trend of Yiddishe positivity in the press. Last week, the guy who allowed an AA to nap on his shoulder on the train – and now this beautiful story.

    May he be blessed with nachas from his kinderlach – this is the definition of a role model father. His children can say with pride: “Avi, Mori”

    10 years ago

    He did a mitzvah, but this doesn’t compensate for the brutal things our other rabbonim have done to our kinder.

    finewine8
    finewine8
    10 years ago

    It’s a great story, but money HEFKER. I would’ve kept it.

    10 years ago

    In Nyc its illegal to pick up a lost wallet to return it. You get arrested if you see a lost wallet and decide to return it. This is the law my friends in our city of sodom. Conn may be different. The liberal skunks running ny are busy with corrupting our city. Crime and terrorism will climb sky high as our new mayor does away with stop and frisk as well as the spying on moslem terrorists. Be ready for a crime hurricane.

    10 years ago

    Reb Yosef Chaim Zonnenfeld Z”L, once saw a Non-Yid drop a valuable Aveido, and he did not return it. He explained that there is no Chiuv to give it back to Eino Yehudi, only a Lifnim Mshuras Hadin for Kiddush Hashem. So he felt that he has no right to be a Machmur on the Cheshbon of his own wife and children.
    I just never understood it, because the Eino Yehudi who lost his money, also has a wife and children who might be starving at home.
    I must congradulate this Yunger Man for a truly wonderful deed.

    10 years ago

    There isn’t really the need for much analysis here. It would be Larceny under CT law for him to have kept the money. So, while I agree that this was a kiddush Hashem, at the end of the day he could have been arrested and charged with Larceny if this lady ever woke up and realized where the money went.

    Mikerose
    Mikerose
    10 years ago

    Does any one have connections to the press? Maybe you guys with the APP plates?? The post the daily news let them print such an article for the world to see and make a kiddush hash-em

    Stickpick
    Stickpick
    10 years ago

    To Mishelanu #21 :
    My initial thought was, WOW! Such a nisayon to overcome. But I thought deep into it and into you query. I would omit question b & c, that’s totally not your business nor your problem. And I admire this REAL Rabbi for returning the money rather than keeping it, because I would b afraid it was a sting operation.

    curious
    curious
    10 years ago

    So happy to see this story.
    I once had an letter delivered to my home. The post office mistook a 5 for a 3 and so it came to my door. Not bothering to even check the front, I opened it. It had 3 one hundred dollar bills in it. I realized it was a mistake and realized it was intended for an Irish woman (judging by the name) who lived about a mile away. I got in my car and drove over with the letter. Her thank you, and the kidush Hashem were worth much more than 300 dollars. It turned out to be a woman living on a fixed income who received regular envelopes from her daughter. I imagine she was too old to deal with checks. In our times, it is so important to be migadesh shem shamayim. Tizku limgyitzvos!

    savtat
    savtat
    10 years ago

    Maybe he has redeemed us. Kol hakavod. May he and his family be showered with bracha.

    Mishelanu
    Mishelanu
    10 years ago

    Im not so sure if this women wants all this publicity in the media. I think he shouldnt have told her point blank that he found this money. Of course she will say “yes”! If by a yid you need to ask for simonim…
    Also, how could someone just forget about a large sum hidden? This story stinks “ad l’rokia”!

    MarkTwain2
    MarkTwain2
    10 years ago

    Today I backed out of a parking spot very slowly and knocked into another car’s bumper, damaging it. I left a note on the windshield with my name and number. The owner called me and kept asking why I left the note and didn’t just drive away. He couldn’t believe it. By chance my wife and I had interacted with him inside the building at which we were all parked. He was there servicing some equipment. So, he saw my yarmulke and Jewish identity.

    wollenberg
    wollenberg
    10 years ago

    to #21 He IS a Rabbi – so why would he need to consult a Rabbi? What a strange comment…

    Godol-Hador
    Godol-Hador
    10 years ago

    While this is certainly an amazing story and kiddush hashem, this Rebbe is surely an amazing person and his reward will surely be paid to him 1000 times more from heaven.
    I respectfully wonder:
    1) how did he know it was her money? Maybe she also bought or received the desk

    Godol-Hador
    Godol-Hador
    10 years ago

    While this is certainly an amazing story and kiddush hashem, this Rebbe is surely an amazing person, he asked his Rov a Shaala and listened! His reward will surely be paid to him 1000 times more from heaven. In all aspects
    Especially with so much negative stories out there.
    However, for “pilpul” sake….
    I respectfully wonder:
    1) how did he know it was her money? Maybe she also bought or received the desk from another?
    Did he ask for some identifying aspects? (amount, denominations etc) honestly I don’t buy for a minute that she knew about the money….

    2) those that comment above re the law and how he could’ve been charged with larceny etc are being ridiculous. How could anyone even begin to prove it? Even assuming she woke up one day and realized she left the money hidden in the desk. Go prove it

    3) to those that say above that after the bank crisis, many people withdrew their money, right. But they didn’t keep it in cash in a trash bag hidden in a hidden panel in a desk.

    In any case, I didn’t have this particular nisayon, but I too have had the inner pleasure of making a similar kiddush hashem numerous times. Be it when I got too much change at a store or in one memorable instance when I returned to the bank and gave the teller ( who was very annoyed at first that I cut into her current customer) an extra $100 bill she mistakenly gave me. It is a very special feeling. But I don’t know how I would’ve acted in this case.
    He should be blessed

    k9hara
    k9hara
    10 years ago
    10 years ago

    I heard the story on 770 am as a major national news item

    10 years ago

    This is a very good example of how one man and family’s actions bring hope and healing to the world. B’H!

    10 years ago

    I am really amazed at the amount of people who said that they would not be able to withstand the nisayon of keeping the money. What’s wrong with you??? It’s clear in this story who this money belongs to.

    janda3
    janda3
    10 years ago

    my son is in yeshiva in israel & goes there through an american program where he gets college credit. He recieves financial aid that goes to the yeshiva. last year instead of sending the payment directly to the yeshiva they sent it directly to my son, making the check out to him. It was for several thousand dollars. We are very strapped for cash & would have been able to use them money in different ways. However we both agreed that the only thing to do is to tell the college their mistake as well as the yeshiva. We both agreed that parnasa comes from H*shem & this money didn’t belong to him.

    Smokey
    Smokey
    10 years ago

    It might not have been such a good idea for the rabbi to publicize his actions. There are going to be people who will refrain from putting money in the shul pushka because they will assume that the rabbi received a substantial reward for his honesty, and that, after all, the shul doesn’t need any more contributions for a while.

    MarkTwain2
    MarkTwain2
    10 years ago

    11-13-13 feature story on yahoo.com (at top of homepage as one of the sliding pictures). Yahoo story quotes vosizneias.