The vort and wedding of Reb Refoel Shmulevitz, ע"ה

Grey hat at the vort, black hat at the wedding. source
Reb Refoel was the son of Reb Chaim. That made him Reb Lazer Yudel Finkels' grandson. He passed away less than a year ago after suffering from a debilitating disease. He was married to Reb Avrohom Farbstein's daughter.

מימין לשמאל: הג"ר אברהם שמואלביץ, הגרא"י פינקל, הגר"א פרבשטיין, הג"ר דניאל פרבשטיין

מרן ראש הישיבה ר' לייזר יודל (וסב החתן) נכנס לאולם! ימים על ימי מלך תוסיף....

אבי החתן הגר"ח שמואלביץ מגיע לאולם

תמונה נדירה של רבי חיים שמואילביץ - אבי החתן - עם משקפיים

נראים הגרא"ק, ר' לייזר יודל, החתן, ר' חצקל סרנא, רבי משה חברוני ור' מאיר חדש
 - עומד אולי רבי אברהם פרבשטיין

רבי חצקל סרנא משמאל עם המשגיח רבי אלי' לאפיאן זצ"ל

"Torah Links" wants you to know that they're "ABSOLUTELY" not a Litvishe version of Chabad...

פון "מאמענט" מאגאזין

At first I thought that the interviewer was asking a loaded question, setting up the answer. But after seeing the full answer I'm not quite so sure anymore... It seems like these people would find some way to knock Chabad and their mivtzoyim. Just because. Then they kind of overstep their boundaries. Like, they're going too far is to distance themselves from Chabad. Only Torah קען באלייכטען א אידישע הארץ? Mitzvos can't do anything? What about a big shtreimel with the shpitzen blown into place using half a can of hairspray, can that באלייכט א אידישע הארץ? מי שמך לאיש Mr. Torah Links?Who told you that the point of being mekarev yidden is to גענצליך overturn a Yiddishe hartz? Who died and made you the boss of Torah and Kiruv?

We expect better journalism from מאמענט - you guys come out looking juvenille.

AND as far as Torh Links is concerned, I'd refer them to their mission statement. See below.

היו ימים - ר"ח כסלו תשנ"ב אין זיבן זיבעציג

Democratizing Xenophobia in Outremont

From a Liberal Ivory Tower

Seems like we've arrived. We're now a part of the greater minority community. At least in Canada. In NY we're not. They need to be nice us because if not they're xenophobes. I'm not sure that's where we wanna be, our needs are simply different.

זכרונות של הרב יצחק טובי' ווייס - גאב"ד העדה החרדית‎

Memoirs from the current Rov of the Edah HaCharedis, HaRav Yitzchok Tovia Weisz. Rav Weisz was a friend of Lubavitch and had many interactions with them. He is currently was married to the widow of haRav uriel Zimmer o"h. Most of what is brought here is "in-line" with Lubavitcher sources, although it does lose a bit of the flavor when put into the drippy Jerusalem Heimishe style. Also, surprisingly, there is much respect shown here to the Rebbe, זצוקללה"ה נבג"מ זי"ע

About the Chassidim of Outremont and the Goyim who want "their neighbourhood back"

Apparently they don't like shuls in their Outremont (Quebec) neighborhood and they've been working hard to stop the opening of new ones. The old ones they can't shut down. At first they made some local ordinance, but then they were convinced to make a community-wide referendum. That didn't work out. The referendum passed. So no more shuls there. I'm not really בקי in Montreal or Canadian politics, but I was of the opinion that many of those who were for the ban on new shuls were also very Liberal and loved their French Canadian PM Trudeau. I asked: who is for this referendum, is it the Liberals or Conservatives And is all about keeping Jews out? Also, did any national politicians speak out?

Here's what I received via email: "It's not a Liberal Conservative issue, no one spoke up. (no national politicians.) No it's definitely to block Jews.  It's an upper class French white neighbourhood - business titans - government ministers, they wouldn't be happy with any ethnic group. The tensions are not as explosive as Monsey or Lakewood. It's as if Hasidim moved to White Plains - you would have the same situation. Outremont doesn't want any Mosques or Buddhist temples either."
עכ"ל

  See Here
  And Here
  Here Too

Montreal Hasids threaten lawsuit over ban on new houses of worship
Old article about tensions in Outremont
CBC Article
More Reading
Globe and Mail: Just call them anti-Semites

So I guess there are two ways to approach this. 1) You can accept the fact that you're not wanted and either move on  - we're not talking a 100 miles away, just a few blocks) or make due with the shuls that you have. If you're a Vizhnitzer and the main shul is כלל חסידי just hum the Vizhnitzer shtiklach to yourself when you need to. That's what you would do if you lived in any other town and you couldn't make your own style minyan. If you're a Mendelist and the Vizhnitzer shul is either Monsey or the other Bnei Berakker then just stay home. Just kidding. Basically all of the shtreimlach can daven together. Maybe they'll rotate; one week Vizhnitzer guy is baal tefillah and the next week a Vizhnitzer and the next week a Belzer. The Satmarer are pretty easy going when it comes to such issues. מ'איז אין גלות און מ'טאר נישט אנרייצען די גוים. If they don't want us here or want us to sit quietly we do as they say. We're the minority and we're guests here. That's the old-time approach, before we became very comfortable here in North America. The previous generation would've done that. Maybe for the wrong reasons, but that's how it would be done.

2) You can לערן זיך פון די גוים and demand you rights. Make referendums. If that doesn't work out go to court. If the first level court won't side with you take it to the next level. Eventually you'll win. Maybe. And along the way you'll make lots of enemies - who may hate you anyway! Because you're different and make their neighborhood look bad. But now they have good reason to. But in the end you'll be able to daven with the other Vizhnizers and Sanzers who have the same Rebbe as you. SO that when your Rebbe comes to Outremont he'll have his shtiebel to daven at and won't have to go the other guys. Until what? Until he passes away (c"v) and then his sons fight? I'm not chas vesholom wishing death on any Rebbes. I guess the Lubavitchers avoided the issue by staying in the old neighborhood?

But hey. I live in Rockland County. I have no right to talk about others.

a Machnivker walk through old Tzfas

I say Machnivker not because I don't acknowledge his claim to Belz, but rather because I belive it's the Chernobler in him that allowed for him to take the tour and see the sights and hear the sounds, and yes, smell the scents of the holy city.

from here

"I'm asking for a friend"

Moderated by the very talented @srulibesser

I've never had the pleasure of listening to R' Elefant, but he makes זייער א גוטען איינדרוק. Seems like a calm and collected man of discipline, without the Yeshivishe shtick. They say he's a Gerrer Eynikel by mariage, by way of Farbstein, Heine, for those in the know.

אבידה גדולה שאין לה תמורה! הגאון החסיד ר' אלימלך צוויבל ע"ה

There isn't much someone like me can say about Reb Meilech. Yes, I spent some time at the Yeshiva in Morristown and attended his farbrengens, but there was so much that the average bochur / yungerman didn't "get" about Reb Meilech. How BEYOND any of us he was. 

Despite being the kindest, most gentle man you'll ever meet I was afraid to approach him, such was the awe one (me) felt for him. But even that average guy can know that Reb Meilech cannot be replaced. That he was a חד בדרא ממש. His vast knowledge of ALL facets of Torah. ALL means ALL, not just Yeshivishe mesechtos or popular topics in Halochoh or Aggadah. ALL means ALL of Torah. Nigleh, Chassidus, Kabbolloh. And most of all his Chassidishe bittul.  He was in his own mind a simple Jew, a chossid of the Rebbe. Nobody special. He did all he could to avoid the spotlight. You had to twist his arm and beg him to come farbreng in places like BP or Monsey. He simply didn't believe that anybody wants to hear what HE has to say. He just sat in his office and learned. And during seder chassidus he sat in the beis medrish and learned. That's all. Thankfully he did agree to work on חסידות מבוארת these last few years, and they say that there is much Chiddushei Torah from him, written anonymously or under pseudonyms in various קובצים.

[You might say that Lubavitch is at a disadvantage because of people like him... i.e. that the velt doesn't realize and recognize what Chassidus is.]  You won't see obituaries on YWN and VIN because וואס פארשטייען זיי אין א מיילעך צוויבל? But here and there - especially during farbrengens in Yeshivah "נאך משקה", and if the situation called for it - he'd reveal a little bit. Like repeating קצות word for word by heart. They just don't make yidden like that anymore. Here was a bochurel from a Galitzyaner home who "by mistake" fell into Lubavitcher Yeshiva in Lod, because they lived nearby and his father, a Bobover Chossid, wanted a "Chassidishe Yeshiva." but he became one of the greatest. If that's not a lesson in Hashgochoh Protis what is? I'm rambling. Sorry. חבל, חבל מאד, על דאבדין. 

Below we see Reb Meilech (during his sheva brochos, perhaps?) with his wife's zeide, his shver's father, the venerable Karliner Chossid Reb Avrohom HaCohen Blesofsky o"h.

Shturem
COL beings המבשר article
תמונות מחייו
פרופיל - מיוחד בדרא
Neve Chabad
An obituary from Lubavitch.com, Chabad.org
BeChadrei

נפטר געווארען דער גרויסער מנגן ר' בנציון שענקער ע"ה

I too was lucky enough that my choshuv'e father zg"z raised us with Modzitzer nigunnim as well as Reb Ben Zion's own tapes. The ones he made in Eretz Yisroel on the cheap. And I try to pass that over to my children, as much as that's possible...I was surprised to see, however, that the levaya was not as well attended as it should be. But that's another story. I guess people didn't know or were just too busy. Agudah convention and all...I never did attend one of his זיצען, at least that I can remember. He has a great zechus and Modzitz probably owes their existence to him. Anyway, so we'll do what we try and do here at Circus Tent, we'll try and bring something unique. First two pictures of RBZS receiving a dollar from the Lubavitcher Rebbe זצוקללה"ה נבג"מ זי"ע on 2 Cheshvan 5751. Then we bring you 2 recordings - possibly unknown - of RBZS singing at different ocassions. I believe the Modzitzer Rebbe Reb Shmuel Elya (d. 5744) is also heard on the first second recording (named: Modzitz Fastag) as well as the baal menagen Fastag. Those who are a bissel bakant with Modzitzer Niggunim will recognize that some of the shtiklach that were composed - or at least recorded - for one piyut are interchanged here. One example is ובשופר גדול sung here for melava malka zemiros.

ח"י חשון: שלושים שנה לפטירת הגאון ר' נחום פרצוביץ זצ"ל

Here's what I received via email from someone who knows. The words are his entirely, I have added nothing:


 בשנת תש"ל נסע רבי נחום לארה"ב לצורך טיפול רפואי למחלה הקשה שהתגלתה בו, ידיד נעוריו רבי יעקב משה לייזרסון שלמד עמו במיר ובשנחאי, ואח"כ נהיה חסיד חב"ד, שכנע אותו להיכנס לאדמו"ר מליובאוויטש זצ"ל, רבי נחום והרבנית ע"ה ישבו אצל האדמו"ר ביחידות למשך כמה שעות, ----- שיחי' אמר לי שרבי נחום התבטא אח"כ ואמר שעוד לא ראה איש חכם כמוהו ושיבח מאד את פיקחותו. בפגישה הפציר הרבי ברבי נחום שיוציא את חידושי התורה שלו בספר. הקשר נמשך גם אח"כ והרבי מליובאוויטש היה שולח אגרות ברכה לרגל נשואי צאצאיו של רבי נחום, יש גם מכתב ברכה שכתב הגר"נ לרבי כמדומני בשנת תשל"א. למעשה רוב הפרטים על הקשר בין רבי נחום לאדמו"ר מליובאוויטש זצ"ל כבר התפרסמו, למשל בספר"שמן ששון מחבריך" ומשם בחב"דפדיה. במשפחה מאשרים פחות או יותר את העובדות, אם כי זה לא תמיד נעים להם כל כך. מספרים שהרב שך סירב להספיד את הגר"נ בהלוייתו עקב הקשרים שהיו לו עם חב"ד. ר' משה הבלין מקרית גת שהיה תלמיד של רבי נחום בישיבת מיר יש לו סיפורים על הקשר של רבי נחום עם הרבי מליובאוויטש זצ"ל.

Reb Nochum with dark hat sitting next to his shver Reb Chaim Shmulevitz

At his wedding, speaking to Rav Herzog (c) and Reb Reuven Katz, Rov of Petach Tikvah

With Reb Betzalel Zholti, Rav HaRoshi of Yerushalayim

לכבוד היא"צ של "הגאון הראי"ש קרליץ שליט"א" - קבלה מישיבת "אחי תמימים" ליובאוויטש ת"א

It's hard to tell who signed this receipt, but I had heard in the past that the great Chossid Reb Shaul Bruk, who was a Rosh Yeshiva and Mashpia there, would go to him for money - and already red in lernen. I've tried to figure out how much that would be in today's money, but to no avail. This was a year or so after the Ponovizher Rov founded his yeshiva and took some of the good bochurim from Achei Tmimim with him, including the R"M Reb Dovid Povarsky. Some of the notable talmidim at that time were none other than the great Reb Yoel Kahan, zol gezunt zein.

I have too much to say about the election and can't contain it within the pages of this blog...

... It would take until next week to finish writing it

Who is this man and what is this strange coat that he's wearing?

Staszow, May 20, 1923. Portrait of Yisrolik Szyldewer, a Hasid and ba'al darshan, wearing a striped coat.

See Here for more info

Carlebach Family

Rabbi & Mrs. Naftali, Shlomo, Eli Chaim and sister Shulamis Levovitz.

(credit: Here and Rosen Private collection)

ITZHAK FREY & SON (We had this on the blog in 2006)

 Here's what we wrote Back in 2006 when we posted it:

 "A heartwarming "interview" with an elderly אויבערלענדישע איד אין מאה שערים 

 Includes nice footage of present-day Meah Sheorim Dovid Frey introduces the documentarian to his elderly father, "the oldest cashier in the Middle East". R' Yitzchok Frey was the son of HaRav Meir Yehuda Frei, Rov of Surany (שוראן), Hungary. He passed away on 6 Shvat of this year. He tells the interviewer his opinion about everything from President Roosevelt to the current lack of world knowledge on the part of young people, and was not afraid to tell the interviewer his opinion about the people of his native Switzerland. He reminds me of my Zeide."

 

דרשת הגאון רבי חיים שמולעוויטש אצל חתונת כ"ק אדמו"ר מאמשינאוו שליט"א

נפטר געווארען ר' שמעון גאלדמאן ע"ה פון די לעצטע "תמימים" פון שאנגהאי. שעדליץ - שאנגהאי - ניו יארק

Reb Shimon may have been the last of the Polish tmimim. was one of the last Tmimim. I think one of two left. He escaped Shiedlitz by himself, soon after the Nazis entered and attached himself to the group of Lubavitcher Bochurim who fled to Vilna and then to Japan and China. Ultimately, he was the only one of his family to survive. His story was documented in his book "From Shiedlitz to Safety" In America he married to the daughter of the Russian Chossid Reb Yochonon Gordon, gabbai of the 770 shul and secretary of the GeMach, a document of which is featured below. That's like $5M in today's dollars.

See More Here

What we wrote about Reb Shimon and Shanghai some years ago

מאמר ד"ה מים רבים מאחד מבניו הקדושים של כ"ק אדמו"ר הצמח צדק זצוקללה"ה נבג"מ זי"ע

  מאמר מים רבים נח by Hirshel Tzig on Scribd

Box.com Link for non-Scribd users