‘My Encounter’ Preserves a Frierdiker Rebbe Memory

A story is told that in 1929, when the Previous Rebbe made a trip to Israel, his vehicle broke down on the road to Tzfat, and was warmly welcomed in to someone’s home and was served tea. Who was this family? Did this incident really happen? The Encounter with the Rebbe team found this person!

The My Encounter with the Rebbe project is constantly receiving new leads about people to interview. They average about 10 new leads a week!

A few months ago, Zusha Wolff (the lead interviewer for My Encounter in Israel) received an interesting phone call from a yeshiva student who told him about an older man that he recently met, who claimed to have met the Previous Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Y. Schneersohn, in 1929!

At that time, the Previous Rebbe was on an international trip to raise Jewish awareness, strengthen Jewish communities and raise much needed funds for European Jewry. While in Israel, he made a point to visit the “Holy Sites” of the land, i.e. the resting places of our holiest sages, etc. A story is told that the Previous Rebbe’s vehicle broke down on the road to Tzfat, and he was warmly welcomed in to someone’s home and served tea. Who was this family? Did this incident really happen?

The yeshiva student insisted that he met the man in whose home the Rebbe stayed! This led Zusha Wolff to contact 92-year-old Aviv Klar. Over the phone, Zusha was impressed by the clarity and details of Mr. Klar’s recollection, and the obvious authenticity of the encounter.

So immediately after the phone call, the My Encounter crew in Israel set out to meet with Mr. Klar in the small village of Rosh Pina (which is on the road up to Tzfat) at the home where Klar grew up, and where the Previous Rebbe stayed. Mr. Klar, who was 10 years old at the time described the entire episode with specifics, details and great spirit! He also told over how the Previous Rebbe gave him a brocha for long life and sure enough 80 years later, BH, he is in great shape!

In a break from the norm, Zusha and the My Encounter crew seized the opportunity to record Mr. Klar outside of the interview chair. In a documentary style, the My Encounter team filmed on the street and inside the house as Mr. Klar pointed out where different parts of the story took place, such as where the car broke down, where the Previous Rebbe slept, ate and davened.

They plan on using the footage in a future project and are very happy to add this piece of oral history to their archive of testimonies. As the subjects get older, and the memories shorter, this recording of a youthful and healthy 92-year-old at the scene of the historical event, was a truly a unique and special opportunity.

This interview was sponsored by an anonymous donor, who asked not to publicize his name.

There are so many other people out there to interview!

The My Encounter with Rebbe project is asking for your help to get involved in the project by sending in leads about individuals who have had special and meaningful encounters, in order to preserve these stories for posterity and to share them with the world.

Send your leads to: interviews@jemedia.org or visit them online here.