Mourners Gather For Funerals Of 2 Satmar Jewish Leaders

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Mourners are remembering two Satmar Jewish leaders who drowned while on vacation at a beach near Miami.

Members of the religious community were in shock by the sudden deaths of Isaac Rosenberg and Chaim Parnes.

"Like the sun went under," one mourner told 1010 WINS' Darius Radzius. "The sun is gone."

Hundreds gathered at Rosenberg's funeral Wednesday morning in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where he was the president of the Satmar congregation.

The casket arrived just before 10 a.m. Satmar men stood surrounding the casket while mourning women stood behind barricades -- separate, but united in grief.

"It's a loss that cannot be described in words," said Satmar member Isaac Abraham. "The pain, the shock."

The funeral for Parnes, a respected rabbi from upstate Kiryas Joel, is also set to be held on Wednesday.

"My friend told me and I said, 'don't tell me,'" said Satmar member Joseph Goldberger. "I grew up together with both of them."

Both were on vacation when they drowned Tuesday after being caught by strong currents at a beach north of Miami with no lifeguard, authorities said. An off-duty police officer on his way home tried to save them, but couldn't.

Chaim Heller saw Rosenberg right before he went to the water, and still can't believe he's gone.

"His charity, his heart, his warm heart -- the charity he gave for people to help," Heller said. Doesn't make a difference what and who."

In addition to being religious leaders, Rosenberg and Parnes were also wealthy businessmen who always gave back, CBS2's Andrea Grymes reported.

"It's a loss for the community. Two big people like that in one day. Such a tragedy," Heller said.

Rosenberg was described as a "founding father" in the community.

"He is, of course, an institution in the Jewish community with his good works, the educational institutions he founded and all the social services and ancillary religious services he funded," said Satmar spokesman michael tobman.

"Mr. Parnes , same thing. Moved out to Orange County, was involved in just about every charitable thing that is out there," said Abraham.

Both men will be buried in Orange County.