"Was he Lubavich?"

Ruchel ↓

Thu, Sep 14 2006, 9:01 am

A few months ago, my dad had workers come to our house to fix some stuff. They were frum guys, and noticed from the start that we were Jewish (name, mezuza, books...). While working, they noticed we had family pictures on the fireplace. They were really "in awe" in front of one of them, and asked who that person was. My father said it was no one well known, just his grandfather. Then they started being all excited, saying that they didn't know there were Lubavich followers in Poland at that time (1937), that he was dressed like one of them, that it was impressive, and so on. After my father told them that he (grandfather) had done 15 years of military service in Russia, Ukraine... they said he must have met the Lubavich there.

The thing is, we never heard of him being Lubavich. We knew he was very frum and "chassidish", that's all. Can you see anything for or against this on his picture? It was in 1937, he was exactly 80 years. His service years (= possibilities for contact with Lubavichers?) would have been ended before his marriage in 1892, but the contact would probably have happened in the 1880's. Anything interests my father. Thanks.
http://i115.photobucket.com/al.....z.jpg

TzenaRena

Thu, Sep 14 2006, 9:34 am

Sure there were Lubavitch followers in Poland in 1937. The Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok moved to Warsaw in 1934, and established a branch of the Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim in Otwock a suburb (?) of Warsaw. Many great, famous Chassidim taught at this Yeshiva, such R. Yehuda Eber etc.

As a matter of fact, the famous chassunah of the Rebbe and Rebbetzin took place in Warsaw on 14 Kislev, 5669 (1928), with many Chassidim of note attending. (At that time, his father in law, the Previous Rebbe was living in Riga, Latvia and had founded a Yeshiva there.)

Motek

Thu, Sep 14 2006, 11:39 am

It would help if you contacted some old-timers who might have more of an idea.

see how his coat is buttoned right over left, not the usual way for men but the way chasidim do it (chesed over gevura)

sarahd

Mon, Sep 18 2006, 8:05 am

Your grandfather looks like a typical Polish chassidic Jew. I don't know anything about how Lubavitcher chassidim dressed in those days, and how/if it was different than other chassidim, but he was definitely dressed chassidish.