20 Tammuz happenings

- better late than never, eh? -

5671 - Reb Meir Itkin was born in the little town of Nevel. He lived through the trials and tribulations of Jewish life under the Communists, and persevered, b"h. He "celebrated" his birthday with family and friends in Crown Heights. Although I myself am not a Neveler, I feel like I have some sort of connection to that little BeloRussian town. [ I did recently learn that Rav Shlomo Freifeld, on the other hand, WAS a Neveler. How about that? ]

5701 - The entire male population of the town of Telshe, Lithuania, including the Rov and Rosh Yeshivah Reb Avrohom Yitzchok Bloch (1941), brother of Rav Eliyahu Meir Bloch and 2nd son of Rav Yosef Leib Bloch, and Yeshiva Bochurim, were marched out to the forest outside town and murdered by the Nazis with the help of their Lithuianian collaborators, neighbors, and supposed friends. (That's like the super of your apartment building today helping a local gang or invading military murder your family and then moves into your apartment.) The Yeshiva's end in Europe began in the summer of 1940, when the Soviets, who had occupied Lithuania, ordered the Yeshiva closed. The Nazis entered the city on Rosh Chodesh Tammuz of 1941. After three terrible weeks of torture, on 20 Tammuz the Nazis massacred the male population of the city, including the Yeshiva's administration and student body. The women and children of Telshe were killed on 7 Elul.
(With help from Yarzheit.com) The Telsher Yeshivos commemorate this day by having a special shmuess, and finish the summer Zman on this day, starting again on the 20th of Av, instead of Rosh Chodesh Elul like all others.

5751 - My maternal grandmother passed away on this day in her home in Brooklyn, New York. Born in Nirmada (Maad in Yiddish) A woman who lost her husband and child during WWII, she rebuilt after the war, and worked hard to raise a good frum family, all the while trying to make life as good as possible for others, especially her husband, children, and grandchildren. In her later years she suffered greatly at the hands of the dreaded Alzheimers' disease, but did it with great dignity. She was a true "Eishes Chover," making life for my Zeide, a true Chover, as good and as comfortable as possible, so that his learning can continue uninterrupted.

Yehi Zichroh Boruch.