My Machberes,Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum

Chassidishe Rebbes Visit Ancestral Homes In Eastern Europe

During the summer, several chassidishe rebbes visited their ancestral homes in Eastern Europe. Notably the Tosher Rebbe, the Munkaczer Rebbe, and the Lisker Rebbe visited the cities and shuls where their forebears reigned as spiritual guides for thousands upon thousands of chassidim. Other rebbes, such as Satmar, visited the gravesites of their predecessors in preparation for the upcoming marriages of their children. Customarily, one invites deceased ancestors to the wedding.

The visits to Tosh, Munkacz, and Lisk included discussion or actual acquisitions of kehilla properties. With the fall of the Iron Curtain and easier access to Eastern European countries, visits have been increasing yearly, both by chassidishe rebbes, as well as individuals. Most remarkable is this year's upcoming visit to Uman, Ukraine, where an anticipated 30,000 people will be there for Rosh Hashana. These visits foreshadow increased visits to gravesites of ancestors as well as shuls and buildings that once housed great Torah leaders of yesteryear.

Tosher Rebbe Returns from Tosh, Hungary

Rabbi Meshulem Feivish Segal Lowy, octogenarian Tosher Rebbe of Montreal, together with more than 1,000 chassidim, visited Tosh, Hungary and prayed at the gravesites of his ancestors. The Rebbe was born and raised in Tosh. The day of his visit was the yahrzeit of the Rebbe's grandfather, Rabbi Meshulem Feivish Lowy, zt"l (1821-1873), founding Tosher Rebbe. The visit was a celebration of the thriving of the Tosher dynasty, despite the Holocaust and the difficult times afterwards. Kehilla facilities have been returned and rededicated.

Tosher Rebbe (Portrait by allartdirect.com)

Munkaczer Rebbe Returns From Munkacz, Ukraine

Thursday, July 27, 2006, saw JFK Airport's Terminal Four in New York bustling with hundreds of chassidim returning from their historic journey to Mukachevo, or Munkacz, Ukriane. The trip began on Sunday, July 23, with Munkaczer chassidim accompanying Rabbi Moshe Leib Rabinowitz, Munkaczer Rebbe, aboard an AeroSvit Airlines jet bound for Kiev, capital of Ukraine. Upon landing at Borispil International Airport in Kiev, the Rebbe was met by several groups of chassidim who came from Israel and Australia, as well as several Europe countries. They continued aboard special coach buses to the town of Berditchev, burial site of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Dravrimdiker, zt"l (1740-1810), revered Berditchiver Rebbe and author of Kedushas Levi. After a stirring call to prayer, the Rebbe led the group in the recitation of the first section of Tehillim.

From Berditchev, the Rebbe and his entourage continued to the historic town of Mezibush, home of Rabbi Yisroel Baal Shem Tov, zt"l (1688-1760), founder of the chassidic movement. The group had the merit of praying at the historic shul that was recently refurbished. It is hard to describe the emotions that came to the surface upon standing in the same place where the Baal Shem Tov once stood to daven, a gadol whose very name makes one tremble just at its mention. Following Shacharis, the entire group converged at the gravesites of the Baal Shem Tov and his disciples, where the second section of Tehillim was recited.

Munkaczer Rebbe conducting tisch in Munkacz, Ukraine.

(Photo by Dov Gefen, London)

The group boarded two chartered planes and flew from Kiev directly to Uzhgorod, the town neighboring Munkacz.

Wednesday morning, Rosh Chodesh Av, will forever remain etched in the minds of the chassidim who merited being in Mukacz that historic day. The first stop of the day was the historic hoif (courtyard) of the previous Rebbes of the Munkacz dynasty. The three-building complex that comprised the hoif prior to the Holocaust, served as the home, beis midrash, and yeshiva of the Rebbes of Munkacz. Millions of tefillos were said here. Tens of thousands of pious Jews found comfort and inspiration in the holy words of the Shem Shlomo, Darkei Tshuva and Minchas Elazar.

During World War II, the complex was used as a military hospital. At the war's end, Munkacz fell under Soviet rule. The complex's regal buildings were used by the Soviets to serve as a military intelligence base. During that time, it was impossible for one to even catch a glimpse of the courtyard, as it was heavily guarded and barred to civilians. After the collapse of the Former Soviet Union, the complex continued to serve as a military base for the Ukrainian military. After years of quiet diplomacy and considerable Divine Intervention, the complex, with all of its buildings was returned, piecemeal, to the Munkaczer chassidishe dynasty. Munkaczer chassidim immediately set about rebuilding the shul that would serve as a spiritual oasis for the remaining Jews still residing in Munkacz as well as for the thousands who flock there yearly to pray at the gravesites of the Rebbes of Munkacz.

And now, almost 65 years after Jews were banished from the complex, it bustles with chassidim again. The almost 1,000 visiting chassidim were joined by nearly 200 local Jews. Together, they celebrated this great day. Being with the current Munkaczer Rebbe in the courtyard where his ancestors presided was an inspiring privilege. Participating in the rededication of a shul in the Carpathian Mountains was also a special honor. Shacharis was followed by a soul-stirring Hallel, led by the Rebbe marking Rosh Chodesh. Closing one's eyes was unnecessary to see and feel what Hallel was like for Jews generations ago praying with their Rebbes in Munkacz in this very shul.

At the conclusion of morning prayers, the entire assembly joined in the chanukas habayis ceremony. Meir Yosef Frankel served as chairman for the event, and eloquently verbalized the emotions and feelings of all the Chassidim, who, after so many years, finally had the merit of sitting at a tisch in Munkacz led by the Rebbe.

Rabbi Shlomo Wilhelm, chief rabbi of Western Ukraine, who traveled from Zhitomir to partake in the festivities, presented the mayor of Mukachevo with a silver menorah as a symbol of friendship and gratitude from the Munkaczer kehillos worldwide, for his considerable efforts in preserving the Jewish heritage in Munkacz. The Rebbe then spoke, describing the building of a shul in the month of Av as the beginnings of rebuilding the Beis Hamikdash.

The group then proceeded to the gravesites of the holy Rebbes of Munkacz. The entire crowd stood under the specially-erected huge tents at the ohel and listened to the Munkaczer Rebbe as he beseeched Heaven to have mercy on Klal Yisrael, and especially our brothers and sisters in Israel. Local journalists noted that they have never seen older men, youths and even children praying tearfully, weeping like infants. Following the recitation of Tehillim, the Rebbe read the thousands of kvitlach, handwritten petitions for Divine blessings that were given to him.

The group then traveled to the Star Hotel, in the center of Munkacz, to rejoice in the bar mitzva of the Rebbe's grandson, Chaim Elazar Tzvi Rabinowitz. The festivities lasted until late into the night. At dawn, the group reassembled in the beis midrash where the Rebbe placedtefillin, for the very first time, on his grandson. Shacharis was followed by a L'chayim tisch, after which the journey home began.

Lisker Rebbe Returns from Lisk, Poland

The village of Lisk, Poland, witnessed the visit of Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Friedlander, Lisker Rebbe, on Tuesday, 14 Av, August 8, marking the 132nd yahrzeit of his ancestor, Rabbi Zvi Hersh Friedman, zt"l (1790-1874), author of Ach Pri Tevuah and founding Lisker Rebbe. The visit was the first time since the Holocaust that one carrying the mantle of leadership of the Lisker chassidishe dynasty visited the town. For more than 100 years preceeding World War II, the Rebbes of Lisk played an integral role in chassidishe and Torah observance.

The Lisker Rebbe (second from left) and chassidim in the ruins of the Lisker Shul.

The impetus for the trip came from Yossi Leifer, grandson of Rabbi Yozef Friedlander, zt"l (1918-1971), previous Lisker Rebbe. Yossi Leifer is the indefatigable CEO of Travelers's Choice. He along with several prominent Lisker chassidim suggested that the Rebbe embark on a pilgrimage to Lisk in commemoration of the 132nd yahrzeit of the founder of the Lisker chassidus. The request was successfully impressed upon the Lisker Rebbe. Indeed special recognition is due Yossi Leifer and his staff of Traveler's Choice, who arranged and coordinated the trip on behalf of the Lisker kehilla. Needless to say a lot of hard work went into planning and executing an effort of this magnitude.

The previous Lisker Rebbes were famous and respected for their towering Torah scholarship, and renowned by the seforim that they authored: Ach Pri Tevuah, Hayosher V'hatov, Tal Chaim V'brocha, Tal Chaim al HaTorah, and Shaarei Hayosher, among others.

As the Lisker Rebbe and entourage arrived in Lisk, they were formally met by the mayor who respectfully welcomed the group by stating that he was deeply honored to meet the grandson of the last Rebbe to preside in Lisk. The Rebbe then proceeded to the cemetery. As he entered the ohel, the Rebbeemotionally proclaimed, "Who am I to stand here at this holy site...? We are here to request der zeida (the grandfather) to beseech Heaven on our behalf," and he elaborated on the grave situation in Israel. He then proceeded to recite Tehillim for close to two hours. Upon conclusion, the Rebbe mentioned aloud every one present by name and in detail, citing their personal requests.

The Lisker Shul in Lisk, Poland, before World War II.

Before proceeding to Town Hall where the mayor was waiting to receive his visitors in his official chambers, the Rebbe visited the site of the last remaining wall of the shul in Lisk. At the meeting, the mayor discussed his predisposition to transferring control of the shul to the Rebbe, proclaiming that he wanted to do everything in his power to preserve the glorious heritage of Jewish life in Lisk.

The Rebbe, upon leaving Lisk, went to daven at theohel of Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum, zt"l (1759-1841), author of Yismach Moshe. The Yismach Moshe was rav in Lisk almost 200 years ago and later became rav in Uhel. Today's leaders of the Satmar dynasty are descendants of the Yismach Moshe. The Lisker Rebbe also visited Lizensk and Crakow before returning to the United States.

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