Group of 8 interesting letters about the Kamenetz Yeshiva during the Holocaust & the period afterwards. Signed by the Rabbonim the Gaonim Rabbi Naftali Zeev HaKohen Leibowitz, Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Zimmerman, Rabbi Moshe Bernstein, Rabbi Reuven Grozovsky & Rabbi Yehoshua Klavan.
The Gaon & Tzadik Rabbi Naftali Zeev HaKohen Leibowitz [passed away in 1954], student of the Alter of Slobodka. Son-in-law of Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Zimmerman, Av Beit Din of Krementchug. Served as mashgiach and spiritual leader of Yeshivat Kaminetz, headed by his brother-in-law, Rabbi Baruch Ber Leibowitz. When his bother-in-law, the rosh yeshiva, traveled to the United States, he ran the entire yeshiva. During the war years, he ran the yeshiva with dedication in its exile in Vilna and Rasayn. He arrived in the United States and established Yeshivat Kaminetz in New York.
The Gaon Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Zimmerman was born in 1873 (according to his naturalization documents, but 1879 according to his marriage record), in Hlusk, where his father was the Rav. He was named for his maternal grandfather, R’ Yaakov Moshe Yerushalimsky. He studied under Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik of Brisk, and then in the yeshiva of Rabbi Baruch Ber Leibowitz, his brother in law (married to his sister Feige). After his marriage to Esther Gittel Weiman, daughter of R’ Aharon Chaim Weiman, he became the Rav of Konotop in Ukraine. He came to the United States in 1930 with one son, followed by the rest of his family.
The Gaon Rabbi Moshe Bernstein (1892-1956), was born in Lusha, (a suburb of Minsk), and learned in the Slutzk Yeshiva under Rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer and in Knesses Beis Yitzchok in Slabodka under his future father-in-law, Rabbi Baruch Ber Leibowitz. After his marriage, he served as R”M in the Kosovo Yeshiva, where he learned together with the Chazon Ish. In the 1930’s, he was appointed R”M in the Kaminetz Yeshiva. During the war, he emigrated to Yerusholayim, where he re-established Yeshivas Kaminetz together with his brother-in-law Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Leibowitz. Rabbi Yitzchok Scheiner, the current Rosh Yeshiva, is a son in law of R. Moshe Bernstein.
The Gaon Refael Reuven Grozovsky (1886- 1958) was a leading Orthodox rabbi, Jewish religious leader and rosh yeshiva ("dean") known for his Talmudic analytical style.
He was the son of Rabbi Shimshon Grozovsky, the leading dayan (Halachic judge) of Minsk. He attended Yeshiva Knesses Yisrael, known as the Slabodka yeshiva, and studied under Rabbis Moshe Mordechai Epstein and Nosson Tzvi Finkel. In 1919, Rabbi Grozovsky married the daughter of Rabbi Baruch Ber Lebowitz, whose analytical method of textual study continues to be extremely influential in modern-day yeshivas.
After his marriage, Rabbi Grozovsky moved to the Vilna suburb of Lukishuk. Later, he moved with his father-in-law to Kaminetz and continued to learn at the yeshiva there (Knesset Beit Yitzhak) under the tutelage of his father-in-law, whom he considered his main teacher. Rabbi Grozovsky had two sons and two daughters. He eventually became the dean of the Kaminetz Yeshiva.
Rabbi Grozovsky was known to lead a simple and sparse life. Sometimes he and his wife had to borrow money from his students. They shared a cramped apartment with his wife’s parents, both because of Grozovsky’s modest way of life and his desire to learn as much as possible from his famous father-in-law.
During World War II, Rabbi Grozovsky escaped Europe and the Holocaust with a group of his students and arrived on the west coast of the United States. He then journeyed to New York City where he joined Rabbis Aharon Kotler and Avraham Kalmanowitz in leading the Vaad Hatzalah’s efforts to save Jews from the Nazi Holocaust, including lobbying and fundraising. In the process, he also brought 110 members of the Kaminetz community to safety in America.
Rabbi Grozovsky was extremely active in the Agudath Israel of America organization. However, he preferred to work behind the scenes. His concern for the spiritual state of affairs in Israel was well known. He read many magazine and newspaper articles about Israel and asked students to translate articles written in English. As a result of his knowledge, in May 1951 he organized a public demonstration protesting the unilateral action of the Israeli government in involuntarily sending religious refugee children to anti-religious kibbutzim ("communes").
Rabbi Grozovsky was asked by Rabbi Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz to head the Yeshiva Torah Vodaas located in Brooklyn, New York. There he earned a reputation for incisive analytical reasoning combined with vast Talmudic knowledge and a humble and modest personality. Although he spent less than a year in this position, his influence on the Yeshiva belies the relatively short time he was associated with it.
He was survived by his sons, Rabbi Chaim Grozovsky and rabbi Shamshon Grozovsky and his sons-in-law, Rabbis Don Ungarischer (Rosh Yeshiva of Beth Medrash Elyon) and Levi Krupenia.
Harav Grozovsky was a fierce opponent of Zionism and the State of Israel. He wrote several essays attacking the Zionist movement and describing how Haredim should deal with the State. These essays were later collected and published in the book Ba’ayos Hazman. In one essay he stressed that Agudath Israel differed from the extreme anti Zionist Neturei Karta only in tactics, not in ideology. He also participated in demonstrations against various actions of the Israeli government, and spoke against it in strong terms.
Harav Reuven said that Jews love Eretz Yisroel is due to the holiness with which Hashem sanctified it – "but all of this is only when it comes from belief in Hashem and His Torah."
The Gaon Rabbi Yehoshua Klavan. In his early youth Harav Yehoshua studied in nearby yeshivos, and became a disciple of Rabbi Aaron Walkin known as the " Pinsker Rav", a distinguished Rav and the author of the " Zekan Aaron" as well as other seforim.
Upon reaching the age of 17 he enrolled in the world famous Rabbinical College, Keneseth Bais Yitzchak- Slabodka, near Kovno, Lithuania. There he studied under Rav Chaim Rabanowitz (better known as Reb Chaim Telzer), whom he considered himself a talmid muvhak of. After Reb Chaim’s departure to Telz, Shea Yanishker, as he was referred to in the yeshiva world, together with a group of eltere bachurim, was instrumental in bringing Rav Baruch Ber Leibowitz to serve as the Rosh Hayeshiva of Keneseth Bais Yitzchak.
He formed a very close relationship with Reb Baruch Ber that lasted throughout his lifetime. During Rabbi Leibowitze’s visit to the U.S. in the early 1930’s he made it a point to go and visit his Rebbe. In addition, he felt a strong sense of "hakoras hatov" to his Rebbe and the yeshiva and whenever possible he would raise funds to help support the yeshiva, even many years later when it had moved to Kaminetz.
In 1907 he married Feiga Devora Sheifer of Zezmer, Lithuania. She was the daughter of Reb Avrohom Shmuel Sheifer, one of the most respected citizens of the Zezmer community. Immediately following his marriage his rebbe, Reb Baruch Ber Leibowitz, as well as Rav Moshe Danishevsky, the Kovno Rov and a lecturer in the Slabodka Yeshiva, ordained him. Thereafter he continued his studies at the famed Yeshiva of Volozin then under the leadership of Reb Rephoel Shapiro, a son-in-law of Reb Chaim Voloziner, and the author of "Toras Rephoel". While there he received semicha from Reb Rephoel Shapiro.
His first position as Rabbi was in the small town of Zaskevitch, near Vilna, Lithuania. He served the community until the outbreak of World War I in 1914 when he and many members of his community were forced into Central Russia. They finally established residence in the city of Kursk, where he devoted his energies to helping refugees in the area.
In 1921 after they finally departed Russia He was appointed as the Rov in Gilvan, Lithuania a city near Kovno. He remained in that position until his departure to the U.S. three years later.
In September 1924 on the advice of his mother he emigrated, together with his entire family, to the U.S. In the years to come he would repeatedly praise his mother for this sagely piece of advice.
Upon their arrival in the U.S. they settled in the Bronx on the lower east side of New York City. They remained there until 1926, during which time he served as the Rov in one of the local shuls. In 1926 he was appointed as a Rov in one of the local shuls in Burlington, Vermont. He served in this capacity until 1936
In 1936 he was appointed as the Rov of the larger Southwest Talmud Torah Congregation as well as the head of the Agudas Hakehilos of Washington D.C. He was to remain in this position until his passing 17 years later.
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Lot #176