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Listen to noted Tour Guide, Lecturer and Yad Vashem Researcher of Jewish History Yehuda Geberer bring the world of pre-war Eastern Europe alive. Join in to meet the great personages, institutions and episodes of a riveting past.
For speaking engagements or tours in Israel or Eastern Europe
Yehuda@YehudaGeberer.com
Episodes
Jun 23, 2020
Jun 23, 2020
54 min
In the snowy Canadian north, a large Jewish community flourishes. Unique in many ways, Montreal boasts an old and well established infrastructure, with a diverse Jewish population that includes Chassidim, Modern Orthodox, Sephardic, Yeshiva community and more.
Great personalities left their imprint through the decades. Rabbis like Rav Yudel Rosenberg, Rav Pinchas Hirschsprung, Rav Mottel Weinberg, the Tosher Rebbe, the Pupa Rov and many more. Other personages such as Leonard Cohen and Charles Bronfman made their mark in other ways. With the French language becoming dominant, it led to an exodus of certain parts of the community, yet brought an influx of Moroccan Jews. With lots of Hungarian background, French language and even some Alter Mirrers, Montreal has quite a story to tell.
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You can email Yehuda at yehuda@yehudageberer.com
Jun 20, 2020
Jun 20, 2020
39 min
Among the great builders of Torah of the twentieth century were Rav Shneur (1918-1982) & Rebbetzin Rishel Kotler (1923-2015). At times overshadowed by his illustrious father Rav Aharon, Rav Shneur's accomplishments were wide ranging and impressive in their own right. As a young refugee, he lived by his grandfather Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer in Yerushalayim, arriving in the United States after the war. With his characteristic simplicity and modesty, he'd go on to preside over the exponential growth of the Lakewood Yeshiva following his father's passing. This was in addition to his myriad communal responsibilities, along with his own initiatives such as the opening of a string of Kollels across the fruited plain.
The Friedman family was among the most prominent Torah and mussar families first in Memel and later in Kovna. Young Rishel would be exposed to the leading Rabbinical scholars of the day through her parents hospitality. Fleeing to Shanghai while her fiancee was on the other side of the world, they finally married after the war. Surviving her husband by more than three decades, she oversaw the growth and expansion of the Yeshiva, while monitoring its activities behind the scenes.
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You can email Yehuda at yehuda@yehudageberer.com
Jun 17, 2020
Jun 17, 2020
36 min
Here's another installment of enjoyable stories from the book Making of a Godol by Rabbi Nosson Kamenetsky along with related stories.
We'll travel through pre war Europe and hear about how the Kovna Kollel was founded, the Yeshivas of Minsk, Rav Meir Shapiro's visit to Litvish Yeshivas, challenges of secularization, Rav Tzvi Hirsh Rabinowitz of Kovna, how Rav Chaim Brisker's sefer came to be printed and more.
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You can email Yehuda at yehuda@yehudageberer.com
Jun 13, 2020
Jun 13, 2020
34 min
Two siblings who were high achievers and shared similar life paths. Yet the two couldn't be more different. Nechama Leibowitz (1905-1997), with all of her academic positions, saw herself as simply a teacher. One who strove to encourage the study of Tanach with its diverse range of commentary. Coupled with her love for the Hebrew language and her desire to teach and reach others wherever they may be, made her a beloved figure and teacher for generations of students.
Her elder brother Yeshayahu(1903-1994), having grown in the same home in Riga, took his academic career early on in Germany towards a host of sciences - organic chemistry, biochemistry, neuro physiology and others. What gained him renown however was his radical views in philosophy, political philosophy and the philosophy of religion. Fearless in promulgating provocative ideas, he was wont to stir controversy in many circles for his political and religious beliefs.
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You can email Yehuda at yehuda@yehudageberer.com
Jun 10, 2020
Jun 10, 2020
45 min
With the growth of the steel industry, Pittsburgh became home to a sizable and prestigious Jewish community. While the Pittsburgh Platform of 1885 gave the city an association with Reform, and Jews had an impact on the local sports scene, immigrants from Eastern Europe along with some impressive Rabbinical and communal leaders laid a solid foundation for the traditional Jewish community.
Early Rabbis like Rav Moshe Shimon Sivitz, Rav Aharon Ashinsky and Rav Wolf Leiter, and later luminaries like Rav Sholom Posner the chinuch pioneer, the Pittsburgher Rebbes, Rabbi Bernard Poupko and many others. Nearby Mckeesport had a sizable Jewish community as well, with Rabbi Yitzchak Chinn leading the Gemilas Chesed shul for over a half a century.
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You can email Yehuda at yehuda@yehudageberer.com
Jun 7, 2020
Jun 7, 2020
45 min
Several factors came together which forced the great Yeshiva of Volozhin to close its doors on a cold winter day in 1892. The Yeshiva had been under close scrutiny from the Czarist government for decades, with various attempts at meddling with the Yeshiva's internal affairs, including attempts at implementing a general studies curriculum for Volozhin.
The aging Netziv, seeking a successor who would help alleviate the crushing financial burden of the Yeshiva, brought in his son Rav Chaim Berlin as his replacement. The ensuing turmoil as a result of the succession dispute, led the Czarist officials to the conclusion that anarchy reigned within the Yeshiva and Volozhin must be closed. Although later attempts were made to reopen the legendary doors of Volozhin, the glory days were over for the "mother of the modern Yeshiva".
This final installment is part 5 and not part 6 as was mistakenly said on the recording.
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You can email Yehuda at yehuda@yehudageberer.com
Jun 4, 2020
Jun 4, 2020
39 min
At the northern tip of Manhattan, Washington Heights is a city neighborhood while distant enough from the hustle and bustle of Midtown. Already with a Jewish presence at the turn of the century, it rose to prominence with the arrival of Yeshiva College/RIETS uptown from the Lower East Side in 1929. This was immediately followed in the 1930's with the huge influx of German Jewish refugees fleeing Nazism. A small group, together with the newly arrived Rav Dr. Joseph Breuer, founded K'hal Adath Jeshurun thus firmly establishing the neighborhoods reputation as "Frankfurt on the Hudson".
Here we'll explore the varied institutions of this Kehilla, the rise and growth of the YU campus, as well some of the additional shuls and shtibels of the area. We will encounter personalities like Rav Breur, Rav Shimon Schwab, Dr. Raphael Moller, Rav Revel, Rav Soloveitchik, Rav Hershel and Rebbetzin Shoshana Schachter, Henry Kissinger, Lou Gherig and many more. Traveling through time and hearing about about the schools, kashrus, the eruv, shiurim, vacation, migration trends and other exciting anecdotes of Washington Heights.
Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites
You can email Yehuda at yehuda@yehudageberer.com
Jun 4, 2020
Jun 4, 2020
38 min
At the northern tip of Manhattan, Washington Heights is a city neighborhood, while distant enough from the hustle and bustle of Midtown. Already with a Jewish presence at the turn of the century, it rose to prominence with the arrival of Yeshiva College/RIETS uptown from the Lower East Side in 1929. This was immediately followed in the 1930's with the huge influx of German Jewish refugees fleeing Nazism. A small group, together with the newly arrived Rav Dr. Joseph Breuer, founded K'hal Adath Jeshurun thus firmly establishing the neighborhoods reputation as "Frankfurt on the Hudson".
Here we'll explore the varied institutions of this Kehilla, the rise and growth of the YU campus, as well some of the additional shuls and shtibels of the area. We will encounter personalities like Rav Breur, Rav Shimon Schwab, Dr. Raphael Moller, Rav Revel, Rav Soloveitchik, Rav Hershel and Rebbetzin Shoshana Schachter, Henry Kissinger, Lou Gherig and many more. Traveling through time and hearing about about the schools, kashrus, the eruv, shiurim, vacation, migration trends and other exciting anecdotes of Washington Heights.
Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites
You can email Yehuda at yehuda@yehudageberer.com
May 31, 2020
May 31, 2020
31 min
Meticulously researched and 1,400 pages long, the monumental work "Making of a Godol", contains a wealth of stories about great Jewish leaders of yesteryear. In honor the first yahrtzeit of the author Rav Nosson Kamenetsky, whose decades long research produced this masterpiece, a selection of choice anecdotes from within its pages are presented here.
From the great city of Minsk to the hallowed halls of Volozhin Yeshiva to the small shtetls of Lithuania, from Rav Boruch Ber Leibowitz to Rav Yisrael Salanter and Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky and many more. The tapestry of Jewish life that goes on display through these timeless stories, can serve to continually educate and inspire.
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You can email Yehuda at yehuda@yehudageberer.com
May 28, 2020
May 28, 2020
35 min
With most of European Jewry decimated and the Red Army advancing in the east, the Hungarian Jewish community remained the last great center of Jewish life on the continent. Following the German invasion of Hungary in March 1944, senior SS officers were dispatched to Budapest to organize the deportations, which were to commence immediately and with terrifying speed.
Legendary rescue activist Rabbi Michael Ber Weissmandel had years of experience at various rescue attempts by dealing directly with the Nazis from occupied Slovakia. He, together with his fellow members of the Working Group such as Gisi Fleischman, now turned to make a last ditch attempt at saving Hungarian Jewry. He did this in three ways: 1. The time tested efforts at bribery and ransom. This included closely following the negotiations that took place in Budapest between the Nazis and the Relief & Rescue Committee. 2. Beseeching the Allied Powers to bomb the crematorium at Auschwitz and the railways leading there. 3. Warning Hungarian Jewry what was in store for them. Though largely unsuccessful, his valiant efforts at rescue are a testimony to the greatness of this heroic individual and to the story of that tragic period of time.
Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites
You can email Yehuda at yehuda@yehudageberer.com