Our Heroes: Reb Chaim Halevi Hurwitz (1902-1999)

Part 2: Horav Hachossid Reb Chaim Hurwitz, fondly known as Reb Chaim Tashkenter, was born to Hachossid Reb Moshe Avrohom Halevi and Mrs. Masha Liba on Shushan Purim 1902 in Suraz, Russia. Suraz, north of Vitebsk and 40 km. from Horodok, was a genuinely chassidishe city.

An Eventful Yud Tes Kislev Farbrengen

After Reb Chaim experienced a rash of incidents with an informer who constantly reported him to the KGB, things began to calm down.

A few months later, during a Yud Tes Kislev Farbrengen, Reb Chaim met this individual who pretended to be a friend of chassidim. Reb Chaim recognized him, and began screaming, “Thief! What do you want from the pure children? Why does it bother you if children study Torah?” The informer was shocked. He did know that the chassidim were aware of his activities against them. The chassidim present told Reb Chaim, “How can you speak to him like this? He will certainly report you.”  But Reb Chaim continued, “I am not afraid! I am registered as an employee.”  Reb Chaim was shortly thereafter called in for interrogation. He displayed his employee certificate and was released.

Correspondence with the Previous Rebbe

Over the course of the years, Reb Chaim would correspond with the Previous Rebbe and would send the letters, written in code, to someone else’s address. The Previous Rebbe’s responses were written similarly. The Previous Rebbe’s secretary, Reb Yechezkel Faigin, once wrote “How are the brothers?” referring to chassidim. He signed the letter “In the name of the father”, referring to the Previous Rebbe.

WWII broke out. Reb Chaim thought about the situation and realized that someone with his skills would likely be sent to the military front to evaluate the ground and whether it was suitable for constructing bridges and building army bases. He found out where the chassidim were planning to find refuge. Upon learning that the Jews hoped to avoid the war by running to Samarkand, he traveled there, one of the first to do so. As soon as he arrived in Samarkand, he went into hiding. After a month, when he felt secure enough, he began working again as a surveyor.

In Samarkand, Reb Chaim met Reb Rafael Chudaitov who helped him find a place to live and a parnossa making mashke, vodka. On Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur Reb Chaim served as the baal tfila, chazan, baal koreh, and baal tokea; davening, reading from the Torah, and blowing shofar.  After Yom Tov, an informer reported on all who attended the shul including Reb Chaim. Once again he needed to escape. This time he headed for Tashkent.

Reb Chaim’s Home in Tashkent

Acting upon the Previous Rebbe’s instructions, Reb Chaim purchased a relatively large house of two floors in Tashkent, to include a study hall and a mikva for the Chabad refugees.

In this part of the country everyone had a ditch or a small reservoir of water in their basement. Reb Chaim enlarged the opening to enable the building of a mikva.

On the ground floor people would sit and learn. When the KGB came the Jews would go down to the basement, placing a cabinet in front of the door to obscure it.

Once, the KGB came looking for students to draft into the army. Everybody disappeared into the basement and Reb Chaim and his wife were the only ones left in the house. The KGB agents asked him why he needed such a large house and he responded that his house served as a hotel. They began going through all the rooms. When they asked Reb Chaim about the mikva, he told them that this was where the drinking water was stored. Seeing the dirty water, the KGB agents said, “If this water is designated for drinking, let us see you drink it”. Reb Chaim without any hesitation filled a cup and drank from it, saying, “It’s wonderful”. The KGB did not know what to tell him and went on their way. This is how the students were saved from the KGB.

Helping War Refugees

Many of the war refugees who arrived in Tashkent had difficulties settling there because they lacked official documents. Reb Chaim and his wife devoted themselves to the refugees. Every day Reb Chaim would go to the train station to find Jews who had arrived, helpless with nowhere to turn, and would bring them back to the house. The first stop for the refugees in Tashkent was Reb Chaim’s home.

Reb Chaim and his wife also forged papers for the refugees. Mrs. Hurwitz was particularly expert in this area. She would forge citizenship papers for refugees giving them rights according to the laws of the government.

One day Reb Chaim was walking with some of these papers and was caught by the KGB. They took him to the station and asked if he had any additional forged documents. He answered that he did. Reb Chaim suggested that he return to his house to pick up the rest of the papers and bring them to the station. The investigator agreed. He did not know that Reb Chaim was planning to escape immediately. When Reb Chaim came home he immediately took all of his belongings and drove away in a wagon with his wife and daughter.

Reb Chaim “Tashkenter”

In total, Reb Chaim lived in Tashkent for less than a year. Many of Anash remembered him from Tashkent and thereafter he was referred to as “Reb Chaim Tashkenter”.  When Reb Chaim recalled his experience in Tashkent, he said, “Tashkent was an important period in my life. I merited to assist in saving many lives.”

Reb Chaim returned to Samarkand. To be careful and to avoid capture, he changed his name from Dawgopolsky to Hurwitz. He stayed in Hachossid Reb Abba Pliskin’s home and after a while, he   bought a house of his own. Although his house was near a bar where many KGB came to drink, Reb Chaim continued hosting the Jewish refugees and assisting them with documents.

As a result of the widespread hunger in the city, disease spread and many people became ill and died. People were literally dying in the streets. The doctors in the hospitals would dump the seriously ill patients into the street in order that they not pass their illness to others. It became a necessity to bury the many Jews who were among the fatalities. Reb Chaim together with Hachossid Reb Osher Sussonkin and Hachossid Reb Aharon Yosef Belinitsky dedicated themselves to this sad task.

Reb Chaim worked as a painter and manufactured soap to support himself, as well as the refugees and the yeshiva. For three months the yeshiva did not have a dormitory for fifty students.  Reb Chaim took them into his house and made them feel at home. Reb Chaim once came home to fetch a certain document. One of the bochurim, who did not know him asked, “What are you doing here?” The other bochurim rebuked him. “He is the owner of this house       !” The bochur immediately asked forgiveness from Reb Chaim, to which Reb Chaim said, “I am happy that you are protecting my house from robbers.”

Mrs. Shaina Hurwitz was an exceptional woman who worked hard to help the refugees. She became weak from hunger but continued assisting the refugees.  In 1944 she contracted an illness and never recovered.

Mrs. Chava Hurwitz

A shidduch was suggested for Reb Chaim. Miss Chava Zaslovsky was the daughter of Reb Shmuel of Odessa and a grandchild of Reb Boruch Zaslovsky, the dayan in Yekternislav prior to the appointment of the Rebbe’s father, Horav Levi Yitzchok. Mrs. Hurwitz was an expert physician who worked at the Samarkand Hospital and saved many people. It was said that she would sacrifice herself to save others, even an infant or an elderly person whom the physicians had given up on. She did her part and fought for their lives until they were either cured or succumbed to their illness.

Reb Chaim married Miss Chava in Elul 1944 and the wedding was attended by all of Anash in Samarkand. The unterfirer, leading the chosson to the chupa was Hachossid Reb Mendel Futerfas and the Rav who was mesader kiddushin, officiating at the wedding, was Hachossid Reb Eliyohu Plotkin.  Reb Osher Sussonkin was honored with the reading of the kesuba.

After the wedding, Mrs. Hurwitz committed herself to save many of the refugees who were ill. Many Anash families owe their lives to her.

When she would purchase food, on the way home from the store people would call out to her begging for something to eat. She would have pity on them and give away the food she had just bought. All her life she was not overly concerned for herself but for others plight.

A Mohel in France

In 1947, Reb Chaim and many Anash left Russia and after a short stay in Poking, Germany came to France. Reb Chaim became a Mohel and would perform brisim for many of the Jews of Sefardi ancestry who came to France from North Africa. Mrs. Hurwitz assisted the Sefardic women and was mekarev them to Torah and Mitzvos, in addition to hosting the many guests.

When Reb Chaim lived in Paris, the Previous Rebbe instructed him to study shechita (of cattle) with the goal of traveling to Dublin, Ireland to work as a shochet. He received kabala, certifying him to practice as a shochet, from the Chossid and Gaon Horav Mendel Dubrawsky. Reb Chaim stayed in France and began to shecht chickens supplying kosher food for the local community.

The Rebbe assumed the nesius in Shvat 1951. Reb Chaim yearned to travel to the Rebbe in Brooklyn and exerted great efforts to make it happen but in the early 1950’s was unable to obtain a visa. In 1958 he was finally able to travel to the United States. Chassidim at that time did not customarily travel to the Rebbe every year besides not having the funds to do so.  Reb Chaim felt that there were chassidim who had merited to see the Rebbe RaShaB and the Previous Rebbe but he had not. Therefore, he really needed to see the Rebbe. His trip to the Rebbe brought him a special pleasure and pride.

Reb Chaim’s Meeting with Horav Levi Yitzchok Schneerson

When Reb Chaim came for Tishrei 5718/1958, the chossid Reb Zalman Duchman urged him to describe to the Rebbe in Yechidus his meeting with the Rebbe’s father, Horav Hagaon Reb Levi Yitzchok, in Chili, Russia. When Reb Chaim entered the Rebbe’s room the Rebbe asked, “You are Reb Chaim Tashkenter?”

Reb Chaim related to the Rebbe that in 1940 he was standing in the train station. A person with a heavenly image and a royal appearance approached him and asked, “Are you a Lubavitcher?” to which Reb Chaim answered yes. Reb Levik continued, “Do you know who I am?” When Reb Chaim answered that he did not. Reb Levik said, “I am the mechutan of the Rebbe [Previous Rebbe].

When Reb Chaim told the Rebbe that his father looked like a prince, the Rebbe commented, “Why not like a king?”

The Rebbe wished to hear additional details about his father. Reb Chaim described to the Rebbe how Reb Levik poured his heart out, speaking of his great difficulty in fulfilling Torah and Mitzvos. “Here there are no tzizis, no Tefillin, no Sefer Torah.” Reb Levik spoke with Reb Chaim for 15 minutes, during which he told Reb Chaim that every activity of his was achieved with “greena verim”, great difficulty. He had many obstacles in obtaining flour for matzo, tzizis and taleisim, and the KGB constantly followed him. Even as they were conversing, Reb Levik said that he was being watched.

When Reb Chaim said the words “greena verim”, the Rebbe became emotional and tears gathered in his eyes.

Reb Chaim also told the Rebbe that Reb Levik requested that when he met chassidim he should tell them that he would welcome their assistance in obtaining religious articles. Reb Chaim later learned that Reb Levik had come to the station to find a Lubavitcher chossid with whom he could discuss his ordeal and send a message to chassidim.

At the conclusion of the Yechidus, the Rebbe blessed him with many brochos, including a blessing for long life.

An Emissary for Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim & Bais Rivka

In his sixties, Reb Chaim became a shadar, an emissary, for Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim and Bais Rivka in France. He continued doing this until 1989. When he would travel by air he would look for Jewish passengers in order to put on Tefillin with. He never met a Jew who refused to put on Tefillin.

A third of the funds he raised he would send to the Rebbe. The rest he would distribute to the mosdos, leaving a certain amount for his personal use. When he received a very large amount of money, he would give it all to the Rebbe. Wherever he went he was graciously invited by the Jews to stay in their homes. On one occasion he came to a city, and everyone assumed that he was set up in a house. He ended up sleeping in the shul. On Shabbos at mincha they learned that he had not been placed in any home.

In 1978, Reb Chaim and his family relocated to Crown Heights where he involved himself with Mivtza Tefillin and all the mitvzoim which the Rebbe had initiated.

Even after he was elderly and weak he was particular in attending a Torah shiur on a daily basis. He would fulfill Mitzvos with a hidur, an enhanced manner. For example he would not eat Seudas Shabbos until he had completely reviewed the parsha, the chumash twice and the targum once. He would immerse himself daily in the Mikva during all seasons, winter and summer.  Once in Paris during a very cold day Reb Chaim requested that the mikva attendant should break the ice in the mikva so that he could immerse himself. Reb Chaim offered to pay him. Years later this person recalled with excitement, telling Reb Chaim’s son, Hachossid Reb Shmuel, “Not only was your father particular in immersing himself in an ice mikva, he was even ready to pay for breaking the ice.”

A Chassidishe Image & Role Model of Hiskashrus

Reb Chaim had a chassidishe image and was role model of hiskashrus to the Rebbe with liveliness and excitement. While living in France and then in Crown Heights, he was a legend and a symbol of a genuine and complete bitul to the Rebbe.  He always had a smiling face, glowing with true chassidishe joy.

Reb Chaim was a Yid of regesh. When he first moved to Crown Heights, he would often cry from emotion, so excited that he merited to live near the Rebbe.  Tears would flow whenever he wrote a pidyon.

He named all of his children after the Rebbe’im, beginning with the Baal Shem Tov.

Reb Chaim was nifter on the 26^th of Teves 1999 in his 97^th year.

Reb Chaim left behind, his wife Mrs. Chava Hurwitz; and may they live and be well, his daughter, Mrs. Masha Lieba, the wife of Horav Sholom Ber Budnow, of Melbourne, Australia; his daughter, Mrs. Brocho Hurwitz, the wife of Hachossid Reb Shmuel Hurwitz, of Crown Heights; his son, Horav Hachossid Reb Shmuel Halevi, author of halachic sforim, of Crown Heights; his son, Reb Moshe Avrohom Halevi, of Israel; His son, Horav Hatomim Reb Sholom Ber Halevi, of Flatbush; his son, Horav Hatomim Reb Yosef Yitzchok Halevi, of Crown Heights; his daughter, Mrs. Shterna Soro, wife of Horav Hatomim Rev Aharon Blesofsky, of Crown Heights; his daughter, Mrs. Chana, wife of Horav Hatomim Sholom Ber Goldstein, of Crown Heights; his son, Horav Hatomim Reb Menachem Mendel Halevi, active in the Rebbe’s Mivtzoim Campaign, of Baltimore, Maryland; his sons, Horav Hatomim Reb Yisroel Halevi and Horav Hatomim Reb Schneur Zalman, of Crown Heights; and grandchildren serving as the Rebbe’s Shluchim worldwide.

We should speedily witness “The ones who dwell in the dust will awaken and rejoice” with Horav Hachossid Hatomim Reb Chaim Hurwitz Halevi among them.