Historical Backround of Rabbi Gershon
Chanowitz
Part 1 unedited
Reb Gershon Chanowitz
was born in Glubocke, Poland on Chanukah around 1922. (There are conflicting dates
in the documents, and during the war it was difficult to keep track.) Glubocke (written Glubokoe or Hlybokaje) is
in northern Poland close to the Russian Border and in the Vilna Guberna
(County). Glubocke (which means the low
land) belonged to Lithuania, Poland and Russia at various times. (When I asked Zaidy in which country Glubocke
is, he would say, “It depends when.”)
Glubocke,
although it was a small village, housed the regional government. It had some electricity during the 1920’s and
later on had some factories. Yet by and
large, it was an old backward shtetl.
The Jewish people lived in the center of the town. A number of rich non-Jewish people had large
estates in the outskirts of town.
Glubocke boasted a market for the farmers to sell their wares.
Glubocke
was an old Jewish town mentioned in the Vaad Arba Ha-Arotzos some 300 - 400
years ago.
There
were around 5,000 Jewish people in town, about half were Chassidim. There were a number of shules in town
associated with various Chabad Chassidic offshoots. The Strasheler Shule, Der Liadier Minyan and
Der Lubavitcher Shul including a Chabadnitzeh ( a Cheder Sheni for those who
wanted to daven B’Arichus).
(Glubocke
was also a stronghold of religious Zionists, Reb Shmuel Mohiliver was a Rabbi
in town circa 1850.)
Reb
Gershon’s parents were Reb Ben Zion and Elka.
Reb Ben Zion was a well-respected shochet. In those days the shochet’s position was
respected and as influential as the Rov’s position. Reb Ben Zion was also known as a “Forshtay-er” representing the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe,
Reb Yosef Yitzchok OB’’M. Reb Benzion
inherited his Shechita position from his father Reb Yisroel who arrived in
Glubocke from Sloboda (a Chassidic town with many Kopuster Chassidim).
The family was known to hide Chassidim who had jumped the border from
Russia illegally. Glubocke was close but not that close to the border. Disna
(or Dzisna) was very close to the border, Dukshitz (or Doksycy) was a little
further. Both were considered too dangerous to hide people. One of the people
that they smuggled out of Russia was Reb Berel Kurnitzer (later on the
Mashgiach in Otvock) A"H.
Elka
was the daughter of Shmuel Avrohom Hellman from Liepla, Russia. Her brothers were Reb Chaim Meir Hellman, the
well-known, highly respected author of The Bais Rebbe and Reb Moishe, The
Druyer Rov. The family boasted a yichus
as eineklech of Rebbi Yayva (one of the older Talmidim of the Baal Shem Tov.) Elka was very smart and a Bas Zekunim of her
father. She was also quite a lemdanis.
Reb Itche Masmid said that he spoke with her in learning and Reb Yossel
Wineberg said that she was known as a Lamdanis.
Most women at the time as well as many men were illiterate. When they needed to write a letter to the
Rebbe, they would ask Reb Ben-Zion to write it for them. If he was busy then he
would ask his wife Elka to write, which she did quite often.
Reb Gershon was one of ten children. In his younger years, Reb Gershon
learned from the famed Melamed Yossi Tishes (who passed away when Reb Gershon
was 12 years old.) Reb Yossi was an
excellent Melamed who also taught him Nach thoroughly, which remained with him
throughout his life. Afterwards his father sent him to Dukshitz, because he
felt that the Melamed there would be better.
Glubocke
to Dukshitz is about 30 Km or 20 miles.
Yet in those days, the trip took about a half a day by horse and buggy.
The roads were probably not the most direct or paved so it was a difficult
trip.
Reb
Gershon learned in Dukshitz through Bar Mitzvah age. During his Bar Mitzvah his family was
quarantined because of the Typhus disease, so he could not come home. His mother prepared a large fluden (kugel of
sorts) and his father sent some money to buy schnapps, cake and other goodies.
I imagine that much of the food was not used for the celebration. The poverty
was such, that the Melamed needed to keep the money for his regular expenses.
At Dukshitz, his Rebbe promised him a reward if he would learn Uva L’tzion Go-el
by heart. He mastered the T"fileh,
though I’m not sure if he received the reward.
A
few months after his Bar Mitzvah he traveled home and then left to Vilna (after
Pesach) to learn at the Lubavitcher Yeshiva there in the Apotov Shul. His name
appears in the list of Talmidim (in the second class) on the 25th of Sivan
5696. His Rebbe was Rav Gustman and Rav
Ushpal (and the famous Reb Yudel Eber, author of Shaarei Yehudah).
In
the following year (for Tishrei 5698), he traveled to Warsaw and from there to
Otvock (a suburb of Warsaw about 30 km-20 miles away) to learn at the
Lubavitcher Yeshiva there. The
Lubavitcher Yeshiva at Warsaw had recently relocated there (in summer
5695). The previous Lubavitcher Rebbe,
Reb Yosef Yitzchok lived about a half mile from the Yeshiva (the address was
Prussa Zeks [6].) The Yeshiva was in a
country-like atmosphere with trees and a few bungalow style buildings on
Slowacka 1 (their address).
Rev
Gershon started off learning in the Kita’s (the younger classes) where he received
a daily shiur from Reb Yudel Eber and Reb Boruch Friedman.
Later
on he learned in Zal where he also received a shiur from Reb Dovid, who
eventually became the Kotzker Rebbe.
Reb
Gershon did not go home at all during his years in Vilna and in Otvock from
1936 – 1940. He would say that the
reason that he did not go home was because his uncle lived there. This uncle Reb Moishe Leib Rodshtein (or Reb
Zushe Shifrin) was the secretary to the Rebbe and as such lived in close
proximity to the Rebbe. During the Yomim
Tovim, the Rebbe would have a minyan eating by his seudois. Reb Moishe Leib was part of the minyan – so
Reb Gershon decided to stay at his uncle and aunt's house. It would seem though
that he did not have the money needed to travel home (even though most of the
bochurim went home).
Since
he was a nephew of Rabbi Rodshtein, he was able to come to the end of the
Rebbe’s sederim during Pesach. Reb
Chatshe Faigin would allow him to come into the Rebbe’s minyan more easily
because of his connection. He was also
friends with Reb Chatshe Faigin’s son as well as the Rebbe’s grandson,
Berka. Since he hung around the shul he
merited to observe various older Chassidim (including the Mashpia Reb Itche
Masmid – a relative) and participate in their farbrengens. At his own sedorim,
Reb Gershon used to repeat some of the Toirois that he had heard from The Rebbe
at the seder during those years. He used to repeat them verbatem, with the same
niggun every year.
In
Otvock, Reb Gershon learned to have a Geshmack in learning both Nigleh and
Chassidus, and he developed a close kesher with his Rabbeim and Mashpiim.
Towards
the end of the summer 1939 the peace and harmony was rudely disrupted by the
German planes dropping bombs in their midst.
As soon as this happened, the Yeshiva dismantled. Many of the bochurim from Poland went
home. Those from America returned there
as soon as possible. Reb Gershon went
with the horse and buggy that was carrying the Rebbe’s possessions to
Warsaw. The Rebbe told the bochurim to
go up north, so Reb Gershon started traveling north.
The Germans had already captured
Poland, and were in the process of enforcing their dictatorship all over. Once
during his travels he was locked in a church along with many other Jews for two
days. The people were starving there and very very thirsty. Finally the Germans
ym"sh gave each person a cup of water. Reb Gershon took the one cup of
water that was alloted to him, and used half of it for negel vasser! Certainly
a super-human act that we simply cannot fathom. A while before he was trapped
in the church, his aunt had given him a Kichel to use in case of starvation. He
kept it in his pocket for a long time. Now the starvation was unbearable, so he
took it out to eat. An older man saw him holding the Kichel, and he begged him
for a piece. Reb Gershon gave him a piece. He then asked for each of his
children who were all starving. At first he tried breaking off small pieces.
Eventually when there was little left over, he could not see himself eating any
of the Kichel while the little chidren were starving. So he gave him the rest.
Afterwards Reb Gershon tried to dodge the German troops. He went to the
town of Druyer where the Rov (his uncle) helped him find someone to smuggle him
over the river.
Eventually,
he made his way to Vilna (after stopping at his parents’ house in Glubocke.).
The borders were somewhat fluid, and it was easier to go through them in those
days. On Jan. 31, 21st day of Shvat 5701, he is listed as a Bochur in
the Yeshiva in Vilna. He learned there from Reb Yehoshua Aizik Baruch and
others.
In
Vilna the Lubavitcher refugees gathered to learn in the Lubavitcher Apotov
shule (that had housed the Yeshiva earlier.)
Reb Chaim Oizer was in charge of the Vaad Hatzalah in Vilna, and he
helped the Yeshiva exist during those months. When it came time for Pesach, he
allowed them to buy new Keilim, out of respect for the Chabad minhag of not
Kashering Chometzdiker Keilim for Pesach. During those months Reb Boruch Ber
was niftar as was Reb Chaim Oizer. It
would seem that Reb Gershon was at both levayas and possibly served as a shomer
for Reb Chaim Oizer.
Reb
Gershon had come from a family of shochtim, and was quite familiar with
shechita. In Otvock, though it was not
usual for bochurim at that age to learn Hilchos Shechita, he started learning
it (with an older man) during his free time.
In Vilna he started learning it in earnest (together with Rabbi Yossel
Wineberg. See Igros Koidesh of The Rebbe Rayatz.)
In
1941, things had gotten worse for the Jewish people in Vilna, and miraculously
he found out about Sugihara. Mr. Sugihara, the Japanese ambassador to Kovna,
was signing visas that saved around 2.000 lives. Reb Gershon miraculously
procured visa # 1785 for himself, # 1836 for his oldest sister Fruma, # 1841
for his brother Shmuel Avraham, and #2027 for his brother Yisroel. The last
visa was # 2039! Ud Mutzal M'Aish! An ember saved from the raging fire!
He
even smuggled his way to his parents, begging them to join him on his trip to
Kobe, Japan. He offered to find a forger to change Yisroel’s visa to a family
visa, but they did not agree; they were too scared. While at home, he also learned shechita from
his father and he borrowed his father’s Pischai Tshuva. He also took his
father’s Sefer Torah to try to smuggle it out. The Sefer Torah was confiscated
by the Russians at the border. The typewriter which was used to type many
Maamorim, made it through the borders and later on reached New York City.
Reb
Gershon boarded the trans-Russian train and traveled across Russia to
Vladivostock (arriving the 2nd of Shvat 5701- Jan. 30th). From there he took a boat to Japan the next
day. In Japan he learned in the
Lubavitcher Yeshiva that was there for a few months until they were deported to
Shanghai. Though it was tough to live in
Shanghai, they still overcame all of the obstacles in order to learn B’Hasmada
Uvishkida. Incidentally, the Chinese food that we enjoy today, in no way resembles the meager
subsistence upon which they lived!
While
in Shanghai his brother Shmuel Avraham got sick, and Reb Gershon worked very
hard with the doctors and hospitals. The
Amshinover Rebbe got involved. He once walked with Reb Gershon the long
distance to the hospital, in order to insist that Shmuel Avrohom eat on Yom
Kippur. Rebbitzin Rishel Kotler was asked to translate. It seems that the doctors in the hospital
could not communicate in Yiddish or Polish, and she was able to translate into
a language that they would understand. Reb Gershon also raised money for food
for his brother, who was not in Yeshiva during his illness, and did not receive
a food stipend. He did the same for his sister until she was married. It would
seem that he felt that it was his personal responsibility to take care of his
siblings as his dear parents would.
His
uncle and aunt had also gone to Kobe, Japan (they left Riga 19th of Elul 5700,
arrived in Vladivastak on the 27th and then in Japan the 4th of Tishrei. Since
they had received American visas, they immediately transferred to USA. They
travelled by boat to San Francisco and then to New York on the 30th of Tishrei
5701). Chabad had received nine more
visas to Canada, which were given to the oldest nine bochurim. His older sister Fruma roomed with (the
future) Rebbitzen Kotler, who was engaged to Rabbi Shneur Kotler at the
time. During their stay in Shanghai, Reb
Gershon helped find her a shidduch.
Since the Lubavitcher bochurim were much younger, and the Mirrer
bochurim were much older, a shidduch was made with an outstanding bochur, Reb
Michel Berenbaum (who eventually became the Mashgiach in Tiferes
Yerushalayim.) The wedding seudah took
place in Reb Chetzkel Levenstein (the Mirrer Mashgiach)'s house on Shabbos. There were very nice interchanges between the
Lubavitcher bochurim and the Mirrer bochurim during those days. Reb Gershon spoke during the Sheva Brochos.
Reb
Gershon helped his brother Yisroel, who had contracted an eye disease due to
malnutrition, and did as much as he possibly could to help him recover. He also
received semicha from Rabbi Ashkenazi in Shanghai. During the war days, the information that was
received in Shagnhai was very limited.
After the war, Reb Gershon wrote to friends and relatives repeatedly
asking where his parents were. Eventually
he realized that they were all murdered around the 19th day of Menachem Av,
1942 by the Germans, YM’’Sh.
On
the ship ride to San Francisco, (the future) Rebbitzen Kotler became very
sick. Reb Gershon made sure that she had
proper foods and meds. The Rebbetzin was always very thankful to Reb Gershon
for this. After the war, Reb Gershon came over to America without most of his
family and started a new life for himself.
The previous Rebbe had sent Rabbi Wineberg to welcome him and the others
at San Francisco, as well as a large delegation who welcomed them at the train
station in N.Y.C.
Reb
Gershon went to Lubavitcher Yeshiva in 770 Eastern Parkway. During those years he went out to make
various appeals for Lubavitcher Yeshivas for Rabbi Gurary (The Rashag). Reb Gershon was blessed with oratory skills,
which he used these skills often to speak at various shuls about the importance
of chinuch and living a life of Yiddishkeit.
He also started working in Shechita in Rock Island, Illinois and other
places.
As the years progressed, it became the time for Shidduchim. It was rare to find bochurim in general,
because of the War. It was much harder
to find a frum Chaddishe Bochur with a full beard. To add on to all this, Reb
Gershon already had a job at Shechita. He too was very careful to find an
ehrliche frum girl from a good family.
In 1950, Reb Gershon got engaged to Lea
Goldwurm. The Chassuneh was on the 11th
of Kislev, 5711, 1950. Since it
was during the year of Aveilus, the Lubavitcher Rebbe did not attend. Reb Shmuel Levitin was M'sader
kiddushin. The Rebbe spoke during the
farbrengen on Shabbos about the “Oifruf” of the chosson.
Shortly
after the Chassunah, Reb Gershon purchased his first house on 1007 President
Street, near Franklin Avenue. Later on
he was instrumental in helping (his Uncle Rodshtein) build the Mikva at the
President Street Shule, nearby.
Reb
Gershon, together with (Tibadel L'Chaim Toivim) his wife, Mrs. Lea Chanowitz
were Baalei Hachnosas Oirchein (welcoming guest). He was also involved in one
of the first Lubavitcher G'milas Chassadim (free loan society) with Reb
Yochanan Gordon and later on with (Yibadel L'Chaim Toivim) Reb Shimon Goldman.
In
general he was very close to Reb Yochanan, because the Gordon family came from
Dukshitz. The family had a close Kesher going back a few generations, and they
were neighbors in Europe. He also worked with Reb Yochanan in Shechita in
America. He enjoyed doing a toiva to
another Yid, and was especially kind to his family.
Reb
Gershon used to get up very early each morning (a trait that he had inherited
from his father.) Before he would leave
to shechita (around 5:00 AM) he would chazer over (review) Hilchos
Shechita. On his days off, he would also
get up early to continue other learning.
Even after retirement he would continue getting up early to learn. It would seem that he felt that these were
his best hours of learning.
Reb
Gershon was a “Yodea Sefer” who learned all of his life. He went through Shas a number of times. He learned Torah Ohr and Likuttei Torah of
the Alter Rebbe regularly. He would
chazer (repeat by heart) various maamrim publicly at different times and would
regularly go to the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s farbrengens. He remembered a lot of Tanach verbatim from
his “Girsa D’Yankusa” (younger years learning).
He would also regularly quote large parts of Gemara by heart. He would always enjoy a Geshmake vort found
in the various sefarim that he was learning.
Reb
Gershon especially enjoyed farhering (testing) his children and grandchildren,
and speaking with them in learning. He
loved giving them a “chayus” a Geshmack in learning. He cared deeply about each child’s progress.
Reb
Gershon was close with Reb Zalmen Shimon D’vorkin, the Lubavitcher Rov, Rabbi
Berel Rivkin as well as Reb Moshe Feinstein, the Tzelemer Rov, Rabbi Teitz, and
the Bobover Rov, and the Novominsker Rebbe.
As
mentioned previously, Reb Gershon had tremendous skills as an orator. He spoke very powerfully. When he would speak, it was often about der
Alter Heim, recounting stories of various Tzaddikim and older Chassidim. He
also spoke in front of a crowded auditorium of 800 students at Boulder,
Colorado together with Mr. Sugihara's son. During the event, aside from
thanking Mr. Sugihara publicly, it brought out his memories of being saved from
the inferno of Europe. This opened a
floodgate of emotions which was palpable at the speech. Many participants
walked away visibly moved, and were inspired to grow in their Yidishkeit. Many
a time he would be extremely instrumental in inspiring another Yid to find his
way back to Yiddishkeit. In this way, he was involved in the Chabad work of his
children.
Hearing
him speak, one would feel as if he was living in another time and place. It sounded like he was describing a scene
that was unfolding in front of his eyes.
He was merely recounting to us what he saw.
His
stories made a deep impression on those who heard him. He was not a lecturer, he would not tell
others what to do, rather the stores themselves were lamplighters, illuminating
beautiful paths in life.
Reb
Gershon together with his wife were zocheh to raise a large family KA"H
including Elky Elbaum, Boro Park, Moshe Chanowitz, Montreal, Shifra Kohl, Boro
Park, Ben-Zion Chanowitz, Monticello, Esther Fishman, Boro Park, Simie
Schtroks, Surrey, British Columbia, Yisroel Chanowitz, Monsey, and Chany
Scheiner, Boulder, Colorado.
Reb
Gershon was always very financially responsible. He never wanted to take anything from anybody
else. The family lived a simple life in
order to live within their means. Later
on in life, Reb Gershon got involved in selling insurance (and mutual funds for
a few years).
During
this period some of his clients lost some money on an investment. Reb Gershon took upon himself a number of
difficult side jobs in order to make his clients whole.
Reb
Gershon stayed far away from machloikes.
It there would be a discussion about shule or community politics, he
made sure to stay far away from this discussion. He was well-respected by his friends and
colleagues. He was known as an honest,
straightforward, kind, caring and ehrlicheh Yid.
Later
on in life, Reb Gershon started giving a shiur in the local shul in Daf Yomi
and other topics. He also helped others
prepare for their shiurim.
Reb Gershon had a knack for respecting and gaining respect from people
in many types of communities. He had a special way of connecting with people of
the Litvish, Chassidish, Poilish, Hungarish, Yekki, Sefardi and those who were
starting their path in Yiddishkeit. He'd often have a story about their
mentors, that they themselves had not yet heard. Reb Gershon was asked to
Chazer Chassidus (repeat a maamor) in all kinds of Shuls, and was highly
respected for this. Everybody respected his sincerity, his Yiras Shomayim, his
Chassidishe Geshmack and his love for all people.
During his short Levaya- funeral (as minhag Chabad is not to have
Hespedim eulogies), the funeral home was packed with a cross section of the
Jewish Community. Each person felt like they had lost a personal friend, a
personal mentor.
Burning fire is usually a destructive force. Yet when steel is put in
fire in a certain way, it becomes tempered and is much stronger. The horrible
fires of the holocaust caused so much internal destruction even to the
survivors! Reb Gershon though, was able to turn the negativity into his
tremendous personal strength! For years
he could not bring himself to face those brutal memories. He once said " I
am afraid to open up the windows after the flood, and breath in the air, after
such tragedy". Perhaps he was worried whether he would ever be able to
stop the pools of tears from his own personal losses. Yet in his later years he
struggled with the fact that his own dear Father had never been Zoicheh to
be at the wedding of even one child, while he was Boruch Hashem able to
celebrate so many beautiful simchos in his family!
Reb Gershon lived his life without excuses, trying to accomplish as much
as he possibly could. He was a driven man, perhaps driven to make up the
tremendous loss of the previous generation. Perhaps his perseverence and his
positive demeanor masked the silent pain that he was experiencing. Surely his
life can serve as tremendous inspiration to those who open their eyes and soul,
that no matter what we are dealt with in life, we can pick ourselves up and
rise to tremendous heights!
Yesoimim Hayeenu V'Ain Av! We have
been orphaned and are left without a Father! Reb Gershon left
this world when the whole Jewish community cries out these same starkly
powerful words! The loss to the family and close friends is tremendous!
Reb Gershon passed away on the second day of Menachem Av. May we be Zoicheh
to experience the real Nechama which will come from Avinu Sh'Bashamayim our
dear Father in heaven, as we say Anoichee Anoichee Hu M'Nachemchem with the
coming of Moshiach! May it be speedily in our Days! Amein!
Y'hi Zichroi Boruch May his memory serve as a blessing
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