Speaking about the Twerskis I realized this.
As a kid I heard (from Bobover circles) that the Twerskis were banished from their home in Bobov by Reb BenZion of Bobov hy"d for being too involved with secular studies, or something to that effect. That, in turn, made them leave for America, where the rest is history. What's my point?, as TA would ask, (as if him regurgitating Liozhna and BG has a point?) The point is as follows:
Lubavitchers have a problem keeping their mouths shut, they'll do anything to hurt their adversaries, even if it means hurting the Rebbe as well. We have seen that from conversations in cyberspace discussing everything from the Rebbe, the Frierdige Rebbe, the extended family, and Chassidim, distinguished Chassidim too. Strangely enough, the same "mindset" that makes them so proud of their Chabad heritage and affiliation is what allows them to speak so freely and openly. ביי אונז איז אלעס אפעןthey say in Chabad, and many times too open. If that would've happened in Lubavitch there would be books "exposing" the fact, as well as cries of coverups and propaganda.
Getting back to the issue at hand; to those who say that Lubavitchers have covered up their shortcomings I say this: You don't know the half of it,and you have no idea what others have covered up, not even the tip of the iceberg. I wish I didn't need to write this, really I do, and I'm sorry if I sound like a whiner. There was no intention to ch"v defame the Twerski family, not that I did anyway.
Rabeysai ! I think the story goes a bit different. The daughter of the Bobover rebbe R. Ben Zion I HAYAD married R. Twerski. Being from Russia (in general Russian chasidm were more liberal than their galicianer counterparts see the various descriptinos of Twerski's marrying into the Belzer family veyn kaan hamakom...) he could not go back to the Ukraine. they decided to go to America. That ticked the Bobover ruv off. as he along with most rebbes and frume Yidden were opposed to emigration to America (am reika) unless absolute necessary.My late mother from Lithuania told me that her father and friends were dead set against going to the states the am reika !
ReplyDeleteThe rebbe felt that this was no place to raise children. I understand that only the Old Rebbetzin of Reb Ben Zion (she survived and lived on teh Upper west Side until her daeth in the late 1970's with her son Rav Chaskel David) kept communications open with the Milwaukee branch. Of course after the war R. Twerski was instrumental in bringing the whole family to the U.S.
So there was siyata d"shmaya in all their children beingg frum and chasssidic.
Kurnitzer you are right .. I never heard of any banishment..
ReplyDeleteAbout Belz and ... I guess you read the affair of the Belzer (Reb Yisucher Doiv)Rebbe's son in law of Rava Ruska ...R. Nuchem Twersky הי"ד and the letter that was found written to a maskil in Warsaw ;-)
Yosef
ReplyDeleteit was a looong time ago, so maybe it wasn't banishment. The point remains, however, that they were cut off from the rest of the family. However, to go from "being from the Ukraine" to sending kids to Marquette University is still a long way, even for a Ukranian, no?
Hirshel. Let's consider the context. Rabbi Twerski along with several hundred other Banshaks (Boyaner ,3 difft Skverer 3 difft. Talner, Rimonover, Zidichover, Brezner, Monoshtritzer, Kossoiner, Makarover, Bostoner, Kobriner, Koidenover, 2 Novominsker, Stoliner etc etc ) came to the states after WW1.MOst of these (not all) were refugees from the USSR. Most of these peoples kids were lost in the US.By 2000 they had assimilated. Some remained Modern Orthodox and a select few like the Bostoner and the Twerski Milwaukee clan remain Chassidic in America ad hayom vI"YH ad bichlal.
ReplyDeleteThe old Newpinsk rebbe in Williamsburg was a zaddik and gaon adir - mamsoh meiredik from all accounts. Not one of his desc. today is Jewish ,Hashem yerachem !
The Talner rebbe of Boston Reb Meshullom Zusia supposedly close to the Rayaatz sent his kids to Secular schools and one grew to be Prof. Isadore Twersky of Harvard Z"L son in law of the Rav.This rebbe said that with him the dynasty is over .
Google the name Halberstam , Brandwein , Twersky, etc and you will find all sorts of accomplished people outside of the frum world.
So I think that Reb Yankev Yisroel Twerski of Milwaukee did not too abd with hsi children as they say tzu G-tt und zu layten.Reb Shlomo ZT"L was a great thinker, Prof. Aaron is a leading legal scholar, R. Michel is a fine spiritual leader, Reb AJH is a good writer and mental health pro and the late Reb Motel was a fine CPA and erliche yid. Not bad.
Am I missing something but how does the success of this family diminsih anything Lubavitch has done ?
Kurentitzer
ReplyDeleteMany 'banshakim' went off the religous path in 'der alteh heim' too.
About the Lubavitch connection:For some reason anybody who is succesful raises the ire of Lubavitchers,unless they were/are mekabel malchus.Childish.
nobody is raising anybody's ire here, Rabbi Twerski is asset to Klal Yisroel and a gem of a Yid.
ReplyDeletewat does this mean "tzu G-tt und zu layten" please
ReplyDelete"Tzu G-tt un tzu layt" means literally to g-d and to people, basically to say that although he's someone who serves g-d and g-d is a integral part of his life, he still is מעורב בין הבריות , someone who works well with people.
ReplyDeleteYou neglect to mention the tremendous Kiruv work and openness to Ba'alei Teshuva that the Milwaukee-Denver etc. Twerski family has done over the years! Without the tremendous financial backing that Chabad has, they have done some fine work with Ba'alei Teshuva, both in Denver & Milwaukee.
ReplyDeleteRebbe Shloime's son, Rebbe Mottel, went from being a good accountant to a fine family therapist, as well as the Rebbe of his Shul in Flatbush.
And don't forget that they're also Chabad einiklach as well - since the Cherkasse Rebbe, from whom they are descended, married the Mittler Rebbe's dtr. Devora Leah. And that Reb AJH's niggun, Hoshia es Amecha, has become a Chabad standard!
Just to clarify some things that were written (to make sure that history does not become revised:
ReplyDelete1. R' YY Twerski lived in Bobov with his father-in-law for about one year during which time he had several run ins with the Gaboim of the Bobover Rebbe zt"l. This (thru the fine efforts of these same Gaboim) led to his estrangement from his father-in-law.(Nothing to do with anything "secular". Strictly political and cultural.
2. About a year after his wedding him R' YY Twerski and the Bobover Rebbe had a "parting of the ways" and R' YY Twerski moved to Cracow where he bacame a Melamad and Tutor.
3. Approxoimately 3-4 years later (having no means of making a living in Cracow for his wife and (by now) two sons, he explored leaving Cracow to either Israel or America.
4. His Uncle, the Monistricer Rebbe, who by then had settled in New York, procured the necessary papers for R' YY Twerski to emigrate to America.
5. Arriving in American in 1926 he spent some time looking for a Rabbinic position. About 11 months later he was offered the position in the "Russisha Shul" in Milwaukee (Which had a fairly large Russian Jewish population at that time).
There was nothing "secular" about his moving to either America or to Milwaukee.
Thank you.
2.