This past Shabbos I spent a wondrous weekend in Omaha, Nebraska by my cousins, Rabbi Jonathan Gross and his wife, Miriam, and their three lovely kids. I left Chicago on Thursday, May 23, 2013 at 6:00 PM and arrived in Omaha at 3:30 AM. I let myself in their house and went to sleep.
Relationship:
1) Jean Sklar – Morgenstern Shirley Sklar-Maza
2) Mitchell A. Morgenstern Zlat (Sandy) Maza-Gross
3) Rabbi Jonathan Gross
Today is the Yahrzeit of my mother’s grandmother, (Alta) Chana Henya Sklar , who left this world on the first of Iyar, April 27, 1933. (Alta) Chana Henya Sklar was the mother of my Zeidi, Reb Sholom Sklar. She was known as the Yunge Bubbe (young grandmother).
The Alte Bubbe (older grandmother) was the mother of Archik Tikotsky. Archik
Tikotsky was married to Beilke, the oldest sister of my Zedie. She and her husband brought the family to America in the early part of the 20th century, with my Zeide coming last in 1924. Beilke is buried in the old Krinker cemetery, which I cannot find. The Alte Bubbe lived by my Zeide because her kids were no longer Orthodox. My mother told me that she died in my Zeide’s arms. Continue reading “The Yunge Bubbe’s Yahrzeit and Family News”
I would like to wish everyone a holiday that is joyous, festive, and inspiring. Mazel Tov to Daniel and Chayala Glenner of the birth of a son, and to Menachem Mendel and Shoshana Janowski on the birth of a son. Daniel and Chayla named thier baby Yehoshua Nissan, after Chayala’s great – grandfather and a great-great grandfather. Menacham Mendel and Shoshana’s baby’s Circumcision should, God willing, take place on Shabbos, 3/24/13.
(Mazel Tov – the baby’s name is Itamer Yaakov. This is indeed a great Simcha and the name Itamer Yaakov is after my father-in-law, Itamer Yaakov Janowski.)
Mazel Tov to Yossi and Elisheva Chase on the birth of a daughter, this past Tuesday. The baby naming and Kiddush is this Shabbos at Bais Chaim Dovid East, Rabbi Menachem Fine.
I saw this Vort from the Kotzker mentioned in Harry Maryles’s Blog, Emes V’emunah, by a commentator named Ephraim. I have not seen this Vort in a sefer, but it is true to the Kotzker and keeping with the feeling of his responsibility to the entire nation of Israel. Continue reading “The Kotzker Rebbe and the Crimean War:”
Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Morgenstern, TZL
1858 – 2/18/1920 – 29 Shevat 5680
This Shabbos was the 83rd Yahrzeit of my great Grandfather, Admor Tzvi Hersh Morgenstern of Lukav. Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Morgenstern was the great grandson of the Kotzker. The Kotzker Rebbe was his Sandek. Continue reading “Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Morgenstern, TZL”
Family e-mail:
January 26, 2011
It is now 7:44 PM and I have just finished for the day. I did go to Sidney for Mincha and Maariv.
I gave the Daf Yomi Shiur last week and enjoyed it. To prepare I used the Daf Yomi shiur on ou.org, the most widely listened to Daf Yomi in the world. It is given by Rabbi Moshe Elefant. His 45 minute Shiur turned into a 1.5 hour study session for me.
On 2/1/11, just 6 days from now, registration opens for the 2011 Chicago marathon. A ray of sunshine in this bleak winter. Walking the miles and miles of 2010 Chicago Marathon, I was in terrible agony, and told myself that I will never do this again. However, the sights, sounds, and smell of the marathon keeps beckoning to me and I am going all in.
Tonight and tomorrow is the 152st Yahrzeit of the Kotzker Rebbe. I like to write something novel or something that I did not know about the Kotzker every year. Continue reading “Kotzker Rebbe’s Yahrzeit 2011”
This Shabbos is the Kotzker Rebbe’s 154th Yharzeit. Everyone is invited to the Glenner residence for a Yhazeit seudah this shabbos after minchah. Years ago my father sent me a Cantor Paul Zim tape of Yiddish songs that included the song Takeh – Kotzk. A beautiful song which captured Kotzk, its reverence, its holiness, and its greatness. I received Cantor Paul Zim’s phone number from Seamach Records and called him. Cantor Zim told me although he sings Takeh-Kotzk, it is not his song. The person who knows the song and has “ownership “ is Chazzan Moshele Kraus who lives in Ottawa, Canada. Continue reading “Kotzker Rebbe’s Yharzeit 2013”
January 17, 2013 – January 24, 2013
BRS Shabbos Bulletin – Parshat Bo
Yeshiva Week – noun.
Celebrated to its fullest in Florida.
You’ve heard of New Year’s break, mid-winter break, and even Spring Break… but what about Yeshiva Week? This is the week when Jewish schools have off and it usually falls around mid-January – this year, it falls around the week of January 19th – January 29th.
Mr. K_____ is 80+ years old. He lives in a nursing home and attends our Synagogue, Mishna Ugamorah, every Shabbos and Sunday . He is important as we are happy to get 10 men for the Minyan. He comes at 9:30 AM and stays all day. He will eat either at my house or the Rabbi’s house. He worked all the years for Milt Gershowitz on the Montreal pop truck, delivering cases of pop in glass quart bottles, 12 to a case. I first met him when he was still able to live alone. He has since moved to the nursing home. He has only one or two living relatives and is not in contact with them. He talks about politics and only watches Fox news.
This past Shabbos, January 4, 2013, he ate at my house. During the meal he is contemplating his life and says, “I never earned a man’s wages. As a result I could not get married and have my own kids”. He repeated himself a number times, “I never earned a man’s wages. I never earned a man’s wages. Nothing ever went right for me.”
I spoke to the Rov and what we surmise was that in the 1940s, he was in the Marines. He was issued a general discharge. The Rov was a Chaplain in the US Army and told me that in the 1940s and 1950s, in society a man was judged by his military service and if he was dismissed under a general discharge, it was held against him. I sense that his entering the Marines was almost by accident and not really what he wanted or a stupid decision. Life often hinges on one act, on decision, one moment.
There was nothing I could say or that could be said. My response was that we appreciate your effort in coming to our Synagogue and that there is huge merit waiting for him from God. He is able towards the end of his life to come to pray, be called up to the Torah, participate as one of the guys. This alone will pay him great dividends in the next world.
I have said this many times in the past. This is one of the purposes of the Synagogue, to give everyone a place, a sense of belonging. I love Synagogues that are robust, full of life, people talking, full of Torah. Rabbi E. once told me that I would love his Synagogue. He has no rules. He knows me quite well. I detest Synagogues with “Hakpodos”, heavy handed rules.
The movie Back to the Future opens up with Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly with his family. His father lives in fear of his boss, they have a very modest home, and are losers in life. At the end of the movie after Marty McFly goes Back to the Future, history has changed, and his family now lives an upper middle class life in a gorgeous home and are winners in life. What changed? In the movie there was a pivotal scene which changed his father’s life. His future boss was the school bully. Originally, in the pivotal moment, his father does not stand up to the school bully and as a result lived his entire life in fear, downtrodden. When Marty McFly goes back to the future, he changes that moment of truth. His father stands up to the bully. His father now sees himself differently, as a winner, and his entire future changes.
Mr. K____ ‘s moment of truth did not turn out well for him. As a result a Man’s Wages . . . a Man’s Wages . . .
Good Shabbos
How is everyone? This is the last weekend of the year. I hope 2012 was at least a decent year and let us hope for better things in 2013. As we go from then end of one year into a new year, so this week’s Bible portion of Vayichi is the end of the opening chapter of the Jewish nation. The last of the Avos – (our forefathers) dies, along with his twelve sons. Next week we start with a new chapter of the Jewish people, the slavery in Egypt.
I do not know what I will focus on this week, Shabbos morning. I am thinking about the blessings Jacob gives to his twelve sons. The first three are rebukes. Why not couch it in positive terms? Yet Yehuda is blessed by Jacob to be the leader of the Jewish nation – despite being the one who may have done Jacob the most damage, as Yehuda was the ringleader in the selling of Joseph and causing 22 years of agony for Jacob. Did Jacob even know the Joseph was sold ? And if he did, was Yehuda forgiven? It appears that Jacob did not know because Rashi says that when it came time for Yehuda to receive his blessing, Yehuda started to turn away out of fear of being rebuked over the incident of Tamar. Rashi does not mention the selling of Joseph. I have to look at the Midrash. We were not there so we do not know how the family handled everything. It is interesting that after Jacob dies, the brothers were afraid that Joseph would turn against them.
Great stuff.
Last Shabbos, I walked to Anshe Sholem for morning services. I love speeches, especially Rabbi’s sermons. I wondered what Rabbi Lopatin would focus on and what his message would be. There is a great deal of excellent Torah on last week’s Bible portion that is relevant to us, that we can learn out great lessons, especially the words, “I am Joseph, is my father still living”. Rabbi Lopatin in his words captured the emotions and feelings of the congregation and us Jews in the lesson of Sandy Hook. He mentioned that last week’s Torah portion started with “Viyagash Alov Yehuda”, as the Targum translates the words, Yehuda came close to Joseph. Rabbi Lopatin said that to influence people, we have to come close. It appears that the Sandy Hook killer was not abused, not bullied, no one may be to blame. Talk to people, don’t let people be isolated. It may not help or the person may want their privacy, but we must try. Rabbi Lopatin talked about his trip to Israel, walking the streets of Bnei Brak, meeting with Rabbi Shteinman and Rabbi Keneivsky, the two great Cheridei leaders. Rabbi Lopatin is reaching out to all different parts of the Jewish people. He also met with Rabbi Melchior and Rabbi David Hartman. He was warmly received by all these leaders. He said that Rabbi Hartman although weak, is full of life and about to publish a new book. Rabbi Lopatin talked about Achdus – togetherness – in Israel and the Jewish people.
I also talked to Jack Berger, the super Jew. He was in Israel for the Likud primaries. I asked him if he saw our Rebbe (teacher) Rabbi Nachman Kahana. He had breakfast with Rabbi Kahana at the Inbal hotel in Jerusalem. I told Jack Berger a great – great story that Chazzan S. told over at Kiddush a few weeks ago.
Chazzan Silber. has a daughter who is Chereidei and lives in the New York area. She has a son who volunteered for the IDF. Chazzan Silber,’s daughter called up her parents and tells this amazing story.
Their son served 2.5+- years in the IDF and was released about 4 months ago. Since he was an American, he was not in the reserves. About 2 months ago his unit was called up to Gaza. The kid called his commanding officer (CO) and wanted to come back. His CO told him that if he decides to re-enlist, the CO will make sure the kid ends up with his unit on the Gaza front. The kid re-enlists and makes it back to his unit. The kid is on the Gaza front with 70,000 other soldiers. The Lubavtichers were there handing out Titzis and putting on Tefillim. The kid told his parents that he was able to see with his own eyes the holy sparks of holiness ascending from the soldiers to the heavens.
Jack Berger told me that the spirit of the IDF has never been better.
Contrast this Holiness of the Jewish people, Mi Kamacha Yisroel, with the nonsense coming out of the Cheredei community. My nephew pointed out a Cheredei website that has an audio of a Yeshiva student going to a recruiting office and telling them he will not serve. I do not know if this audio is true because it is so infantile, but I do believe this mentality permeates Cheridei society. They do not have the decency or the humility to recognize what others are doing for them. I do not believe that the leaders of Chereidei society agree with this type of behavior, but they have yet to stand up to this boorish behavior and indirectly encourages it. It is tragic that they do not realize they are clowns and unfortunately this type of infantile behavior is applauded. This Cheridei website just does not get it and does not even know to be embarrassed. This is not the first time that they published something I considered wrong and when I e-mailed them they defended their position.
Exploring Kotzk 