Hertzberg Family Gifts Judaic Collection To Lubavitch
Family and close friends of the late Rabbi Arthur Hertzberg convened for a private reception at Lubavitch Headquarters this past Sunday.
The event celebrated the gift of a Judaic collection by Arthur Hertzberg and his siblings to the Central Chabad-Lubavitch Library of Agudas Chsidei Chabad. Speaking at the reception, Rabbi Shiya Hertzberg—brother of Arthur—thanked the Lubavitch library—one of the most prestigious private Judaica collections in the world, for receiving the Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech and Nechama Shifra Hertzberg Judaic Collection. “Our aim was that the library should be housed in tact,” he said about the family’s wishes for his father’s library. He spoke of the passion his father had for Jewish education, and the love of Torah scholarship that he cultivated in his children.
The event was also an opportunity to memorialize Arthur Hertzberg, who facilitated the transfer of his father’s library to Lubavitch prior to his own passing two months ago, on April 17. His daughter Susan noted that while many were celebrating Father’s Day on Sunday, her father always made the point that Judaism enjoins children to honor their parents 365 days a year. In this and many other ways, Arthur was remembered for his love of Jewish values.
Master of Ceremonies, Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, Vice Chairman of Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch, recalled hearing Rabbi Hertzberg speak at a Chabad House dedication in New Jersey. “He offered wonderful insight to the verse, ‘charity saves from death,’” said Rabbi Kotlarsky. “Arthur said that these words mean that when you care about something, the tzedaka you give for that cause or that idea, saves it from dying.”
Many spoke of his commmitment to Jewish scholarship nurtured in the warm, open, Chasidic home of his parents, and his ancestry of Belz Chasidim. Hertzberg was remembered as a contrarian, outspoken and often controversial in his opinions. But, said Eli Epstein, a friend who spoke at the reception, “all the values he embraced in life came from his parents,” who were devout in their Judaism.
Rabbi Hertzberg was a close friend and confidant of Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky, Chairman of the Lubavitch educational and social services division. The relationship began, Rabbi Krinsky recalled, when Rabbi Hertzberg’s grandchildren began attending the Chabad school in Fresno, California. “Arthur was deeply appreciative of the close rapport that developed between the Chabad Shluchim in Fresno and his young grandchildren,” Rabbi Krinsky said. Over the course of a ten-year friendship, “Arthur spoke longingly of his parents and the yiddishkeit he grew up with,” said Rabbi Krinsky. During one of their last conversations Rabbi Hertzberg conceded ruefully that, “in my heart of hearts, I am a Chasid with a beard and frock,” said Rabbi Krinsky.
While Arthur regretted that he never met the Lubavitcher Rebbe in person, said Rabbi Krinsky, he was not shy about expressing his respect for the Rebbe and the work of Lubavitch. In an interview he once gave to the New York Times about the Lubavitch movement, he was quoted: “Lubavitch has made an enormous change in the Jewish world,” leaving him , he said, “absolutely staggered with admiration.” Rabbi Hertzberg went on to credit Lubavitch for giving impetus to the outreach activities of most of the other branches of Judaism: Lubavitch, he said, “are the ones who in a sense have shamed the rest of us.”
These deeply personal but perhaps lesser known affections for Lubavitch were most publicly confirmed by Rabbi Hertzberg’s desire to see the library of his beloved father go to the Central Chabad-Lubavitch Library. The reception was planned while Rabbi Hertzberg was yet alive, “and he set the date and wrote letters of invitation,” explained Rabbi Krinsky, “expecting to be here to celebrate with his family.“
Though saddened by his absence, said Rabbi Krinsky, ”We and the Hertzberg family are gratified that we succeeded in honoring his wishes.”
anonymous
Beautiful, absolutely Beautiful!
Rabbi Krinsky did a wonderful job!!
Zalman
We remember Arthur fondly.
Josh
While i sympathize with the desire to give the library to a major J org. it seems like the Lubavitch library, which all bibliophiles know is of limited research value, is a bad choice. Few scholars are able (or even want to) use this often closed and often uncooperative library. Worse yet, the Lubavitch library was described by one scholar in Jerome Mintz’s Hassidic People as mostly chapbooks and other worthless stuff. Those of us who care more about research than about the supposed holiness of some library or another should be dismayed that this eminent Jew’s family chose to give his seforim to a place with few if any serious students. Far better if it would’ve gone to JTS, YU, NYPL’s Dorot division, the Center for J History, California’s UJ or to form the kernel of a new, out of town library that seems sorely needed for American Jewry. Alas, instead the books will languish with the messianist ignoramuses.
Leo
JOSH above bemoaned the choice and all the typical rantings of a very unhappy fellow. The message reeks of jealousy and disdain for anything positive. I sure hope you find a meaningful life and favorite times from now on, as you dearly need it.
Itzik_s
Josh, get a life. Maybe you can share one with your buddy Failed Shmaryahu – your message of jealousy and "loserkeit" is the same as his.
Shmarya
As a genealogist I have had occasion to use the library and have found the staff very co-operative and helpful. Joshs’ comments sound like sour grapes to me.
Joseph
How can someone get access to the library is there a website…tours…times? Please advise.
Thanks
Mikeeee
Josh you are just another low life browsing the net.
Get a life, would you.
yisroel
josh dont you think arthur hadent thought about giving
the books to yu were i thing he was a proffesor
he obviously knew what there is around and wanted to put the his and his fathers books in the best place
which is 770
whos the real ignoramus?
Josh, for the record the library is not run by the "messianists" quite the contrary….. not that it matters.
critic
As someone that worked in lthe library, I partially agree with Josh. The fact is, The library does not recieve tha attention, or is franly looking for it, that it desrves. I can’t speak to the sources of your quotes, but the library has a very impressive collection of judaica. You can see for yourself in the online cataloge ( sorry, don’t remember the exact address, I think chabadlibrary.org)
The library’s main advantage is it’s collection of archives of the rebbeim and irems related ot Chabad history. Outside of that, it has little by way of interest to Jewish history researchers. The also have a very intersting collection of haggadahs and books in ladino.