Weekly Story: The Frierdiker Rebbe’s Efforts To Help Russian Jewry

by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon

Being that this Tuesday and Wednesday, Jews all over the world are commemorating the Frierdiker Rebbe’s release from prison, ninety one years ago, I am posting some insights I recently realized about his efforts to help Russian Jewry. Your feedback is always welcomed and appreciated.

At the same time, I am pleased to inform you that the first 500 pages of the two volumes have already been written. Also, bezras Hashem the second printing of the biography on the Mitteler Rebbe is arriving this Monday.

It is well known that in 5689-5690 (1929-1930) the Frierdiker Rebbe made a ten month journey to America to raise funds for Russian Jewry, and before that while he was in Riga he raised money for baking and shipping matzos as well as continuing to pay the melamdim of young children etc. Therefore I assumed that the purpose of his trip was to try to raise as much as possible, and the more money that he has, the more he would assist.

However, while going through numerous Igros (in Vol. 2 of his letters) as well as Rabbi Berel Levin’s excellent book about Lubavitch in Communist Russia, I realized that this is somewhat a false narrative.

Raising money was a necessity and the Rebbe put tremendous efforts in this. However, he understood that at the end of the day, that is not resolving the problem, it may relieve it for those who he is able to help, but the problem is still there.

The Rebbe’s main effort, something he continued to try to achieve for close to ten years, was to resolve the problem.
According, to the Communist Russian constitution, it was permissible for a father to teach his children about religion, privately. The only think that was forbidden was running a religious school/cheder. This was established in a court case in 5682 (1922) when the Rebbe was still in Russia

The problem was that the Yevsektzia, (irreligious Jews who embraced the atheistic philosophy of the communist party and created a Jewish division of the Communist party) denounced every person that maintained his religious standard as a counter-revolutionary. Once a person was accused of such a severe accusation, then the person was dealt with in a harsh manner.

Therefore the Rebbe was trying to get influential individual to impress upon the central government, to keep the local chapters of the Yevsektzia in check, and proclaim that the local council’s should adhere to the constitution.

This effort as noted began in Russia in 5682 (1922), but gained momentum almost immediately after the Rebbe arrived in Riga.

Although the doctors told the Rebbe he must rest in order for his body to heal and for his strength to recuperate, the suffering of Russian Jewry gave him no rest and he immediately threw all his strength in helping them.

While he was in Russia, he had already established a committee in Berlin to assist Russian Jewry monetarily. When he arrived in Riga, the headquarters of that committee transferred to Riga.

In the following days and weeks, there were numerous meetings in Riga and one that demanded that the Rebbe travels to Berlin.

One of the meetings took place on Tuesday and Wednesday of parshas Chaya Sarah, the 20th & 21st of Cheshvan. The attendees were the Rebbe, the Rogachaver Goan, Reb Yosef Rosen, the Chief Rabbi of Riga, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Zak, Rabbi Dr. Hildersheimer of Germany, and the parliamentarian Reb Mordecai Dubin. Additionally, there was the Rebbe’s son-in-law and his future son-in-law, Reb Mendel Gurary, Rabbi Y, Landau, Reb Avigdor Valanshak, Reb A. Reinin and the recording secretary was Reb S. Widenberg.

The Rashag (Rabbi Shmaryahu Gurary) opened up the session mentioning what is presently being done in Russia to strengthen Yiddishkeit. The establishment of Chadorim for children, as well as groups for teenagers and older people who are participating in their free time in groups of Tiferes Bachurim, to learn at least the halachos that are applicable. Assisting Jews to legally obtain House Work, thereby enabling many to gain an income, while remaining Shomer Shabbos. Fixing or building mikvoas, shuls, and training shochtim. He concluded if we have the funds, all of these programs will grow tremendously. For example, while we are presently teaching 4200 children, there are another 12.000 children that would like to be enrolled in our chadorim.

Our Rebbe then spoke. He explained that this battle is being fought on three fronts. We are dealing with an anti-religious government, but one that allows religious instruction by the parents. Then there is the local ordinances and finally, the Yevsektzia that makes up its own laws. We have already succeeded in a court case that the higher authorities stated that a parent can teach his own children what he wishes to. And in some cases, the judges angered the Yevsektzia by freeing a father who was accused of a crime, merely because he was teaching his own child.

Rabbi Dr. Hildersheimer said that means we should get the governments of Rome France, Germany and others to convince the central government of Russia that the Yevsektzia are acting out of hand. He was given that responsibility.

The Rebbe then wrote numerous letters to Rabbonim and prominent individuals pleading with them to join and participate in these efforts

A few months later the Rebbe sent the Rashag, to Berlin, France, and England to discuss the plan with influential rabbonim and lay leaders.

While much is not known about these efforts and what they accomplished, we do know a few points.

The Frierdiker Rebbe writes that already in 5682 (1922) when he was still in Russia, in the city of Homil, the Yevsektzia decided that the old cemetery should be turned into a horse stable and they began uprooting the graves. The Rabbinic committee that he established there hired lawyers and succeeded beyond their expectations. Trotsky himself came to Homil to see what is going on and ordered that the two hundred graves that were removed should be returned to their eternal resting place.

Additionally, the primary purpose of the Rebbe’s visit to America in 5689 (1929-1930) almost ten years later, was to convince some American Jews that had a relationship with the Communist regime to bear pressure on them to stop the Yevsektzia from imposing its own will over the guidelines of the Communist constitution. If the Rebbe didn’t see any results from this effort, it is doubtful that he would have made the demanding trip to America.

Finally, it did come to a point when the central government dismantled the Yevsektzia.

Rabbi Avtzon is a veteran mechanech and the author of numerous books on the Rebbeim and their chassidim. He can be contacted at avtzonbooks@gmail.com