A young JFK celebrating the State of Israel's 10th anniversary

So here's where JFK answered the Loyever Rebbe's call - and then some! Nice white kippah on Congressman Kennedy's head. He came to speak to a crowd gathered at the 10th anniversary celebration in what seems to be a shul in Chelsea, Massachusetts. Behind him we see the 10th anniversary banner. Next to him we see the Loyev-Mirapoler Rebbe, Reb Menachem Nochum Yosef Twersky. There is a picture way up high, on the Aron Kodesh; it's hard to make out who it is. Looks like Shazar, but probably isn't. [ reader "JR" says it is then-President Yitzchak Ben-Zvi. Thanks.] [ Interesting side note: Ben-Zvi's wife was a descendant of the מאור עינים - through his son Reb Moshe] There are also Israeli and American flags in the background. This picture is in Yitz Twersky's book: מלכות טשערנאבל, and we bring this with his permission. Was he fishing for votes? well, 1958 was an election year, and he was a politician. But we're not really interested in the JFK angle of this picture, it's more the Chernobler angle that we seek.

The Loyev-Mirapoler Rebbe of Chelsea, Mass. and his connection to JFK

Once upon a time not all frum Jews were Republicans. And once upon a time Rebbes were proud Zionists. Some of them, anyway. At least in Boston. Looks like Jack didn't learn much from his old man. He loved his Jews and their State. This Rebbe was a great-great grandson of Reb Aron, son of Reb Mottele Tchernobeler.

Matzeivoh Photo Source: Ivelt

אוצרות מהרשת

Harav Chaim Berlin, son of The Netziv, Rov of Moscow, and later in Yerushalayim. A hadras ponim for the ages, don't you think?

I guess one of the shortcomings of being famous - for any reason - is to have pictures you may not want the Oylem to see appear in the papers, and these days: online in seconds. You need the press when it's good for you, and you hate them when they show things you're uncomfortable with. Which is why people get VERY excited when they come across "good stuff," pictures of Rosheshives from days gone by, and of Rebbishe families way back when. It makes them feel good about themselves - here's this big Rosheshiveh or Rebbe, and look at him - or her... They also posed for family pictures. That goes tenfold where Lubavitch is concerned; Lubavitch deserves it because they stick their faces out there for all to see, or so I'm told, so they shouldn't complain when people research their history and publish "juicy" stuff! Ultimately what happens is that family members publish these pictures, much to the dismay of the rest of the family, whether in book form or on the internet, and we all benefit from it eventually.


Reb Boruch Epstein, author of the "Torah Temimoh" and of Mekor Boruch (aka "My Uncle the Netziv") He was the son of Reb Yechiel Michel, (the Aruch HaShulchan and Rov of Novardok,) and a נהנה מיגיע כפיו, working as a banker in Pinsk.


Wife and sons of Reb Itzikel Twersky of Skver-BP. Reb Itzikel was a son of Reb Mordche of Skver, who was a brother of Reb Yaakov Yosef of New Square. We discussed him at length. He passed away some 25 years before his uncle, who didn't live a very long time either... l-r we have Reb Duvid'l of Boro Park, Gedalia Aron and Reb Mottele from Flatbush. The Rebbetzin, Mirel Twersky, was the daughter of Reb Pinchas Rabinowitz of Manestritz.


Wife and kids of Reb Chaim Twersky of Tchernobel-Loyev, who passed away in exile, in 1943. Rechil Devorah was the daughter of Reb Shayelle Tchechoyver, youngest son of the Divrei Chaim, The Sanzer Rov, zt"l. The Tchernobler Rebbe of Bnei Beraq, Reb Meshulam Zishe is seen top right. He was a talmid of the underground Lubavitch Yeshivos in the USSR, and managed to escape in 1934, IIRC. The little boy is presumably a brother, Yechiel, who passed away a short time ago in his 90's.


Reb Meshulam Zushe in his later years

There's a lot more where this came from...