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Greeting

Greetings to you, nobles of the Torah, masters of Mishnah and Gemara. Warriors who do the will of the Creator, wise men of the yeshiva, fathers and teachers of Israel who direct the Jewish nation on the proper path.

Our rabbis and teachers who dwell in the thick heavenly cloud, each and everyone in accordance to his G-d given gifts, in the hidden mysteries and the Divine shade he rests. Happy is their lot are those who followed the ways of the Creator and to worship Him with all of their hearts and soul. You brought merit to the masses. You taught correct statutes and laws. In peace and honor may you enjoy eternal rest. And may the Almighty awaken you quickly from your slumber to new life. From strength to strength you may go, rising higher and higher with the other righteous folk, the Holy Martyrs who gave their lives in sanctification of the Divine name.

In their merit and as a merit to them, may it be the will of our Heavenly Father to grant us long life, lives of peace, of blessing and of goodness. That we shall be saved from disgrace, from brokenness, from deceit, from fear and confusion, from unusual death and from bad times.

May He send his blessing onto the work of our hands. May He heal us and save us, because He is our glory and may He send good tidings and not end our lives prematurely.

May Hashem unite our hearts to love and fear His name also our children and grandchildren and may He bring peace in the land and eternal joy to its residents.

In memory of:

Rav HaGaon the righteous Rabbi Binyamin Zeev z”l, the son of Rabbi Shmuel Mandelbaum z”l

HaRav HaGaon the righteous Rabbi Yehuda z”l, the son of Rabbi Yehoshua Falk Greenwald z”l

HaRav HaGaon the righteous Rabbi Eliezer David z”l, the son of Rabbi Amram Greenwald z”l.

HaRav HaGaon the righteous Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum z”l, son of Rabbi Hanania Yom Tov Lipa z”l.

May they all be righteous advocates for all of Israel.

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HaRav HaGaon, the righteous Rabbi Binyamin Mandelbaum z”l

The first Rabbi of the Satmar Kehilla, taf tzadi vav 5496 (1736)

Rabbi Binyamin Mandelbaum z”l was one of the prominent rabbinical personalities of his time. Because little is known about his life, I write from my memories of what I heard spoken during the 23-year period that I lived in Satmar and from other sources I cited earlier in this work.

Rabbi Mandelbaum z”l was born in taf kuf ayin hey 5575 (1815), in the city of Bonyhad in the Tolna district, to his father R. Shmuel z”l. It is interesting that until recently, I believed that Rabbi Mandelbaum was born in Lithuania and here is an authoritative source that states that he was from Hungary.

Regarding his education, he attended two yeshivot, the first in his hometown of Bonyhad and the second was the yeshiva of the Hatam Sofer in Pressburg.

His Torah education was of the highest level qualifying him to serve as a Rabbi. Before he came to Satmar, he lived in the city of Kraly and was a close friend of Rabbi Meir Perls z”l the Rabbi of Kraly. Following his marriage he moved to the town of Batiz near Satmar. His wife, Rebetzin Tzipora Zelda z”l, was the daughter of R. David Hollander z”l, one of the wealthiest men in the town. When he arrived in Batiz he was appointed the local rabbi. At the time, the Jewish community of Batiz consisted of 15 Jewish families.

Eventually he was invited to Satmar to serve as the rabbi. At that time the Satmar community lacked the resources to pay a salary to its rabbi. Rabbi Mandelbaum held the position without pay for 15 years. His father-in-law supported him financially .

Rabbi Mandelbaum was known as a cheerful person who enjoyed a good laugh. They say that once during one of his sermons he said with a straight face, “You did not make me into a Rabbi. I made you into a Kehilla.”

When the Satmar municipality began to pave the streets, Rabbi Mandelbaum lowered his head midway through his sermon and said, “Look where we are. They are paving the road because you don't deserve to have the earth carry you on its back because you didn't follow my instructions to repent.”

Around 1860, Hungarian Jewry became embroiled in a conflict. The Haredim were pitted against the Reformers, both sides competing for control of the Kehillot. The Reformers wanted to introduce changes in the liturgy and in synagogue customs such as rabbinical robes and sermons in foreign languages, cantors and mixed choirs. The Haredim objected fiercely and rejected these innovations which they regarded as a threat to the continuation of traditional Judaism.

Eli Mandelbaum z”l the son of Rabbi BZ Mandelbaum z”l who was the first Gabbai of the kehila, for many years

Leading the battle was the Ksav Sofer of Pressburg z”l, and among them was the Rabbi of Satmar. At the conference the Haredim decided to create a separate Orthodox organization and Rabbi Mandelbaum z”l

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was among its first members. In this way, Satmar became an Orthodox Kehilla.

Emperor Franz Josef supported the new Orthodox organization. Rabbi Mandelbaum's z”l wisdom, his humility, his pure heart, his shining face, and his personal charisma held the community together throughout the 55-year period that he served as Rabbi. He was very well-loved throughout the community. Even the Reformers were deeply connected to him, but immediately after his death, which followed Rosh Hashanah taf reish nun het 5658 (1898), when he was over ninety, the Reformers began to plan to break from the Orthodox.

Rabbi Mandelbaum had a large family. His son, R. Shmuel z”l serves as the Rabbi of the Kehilla of Marosvasarhely. His son, R. Eliyahu z”l was a liquor merchant and for many years served as the community gabbai (he is buried near his father). His daughter married the great Rabbi Moshe Winternitz z”l who headed the Rabbinical Court. Winternitz married his wife's sister after his wife died. One of Rabbi Mandelbaum's daughters was nearly 90 when she was taken to Auschwitz. One of his daughters was Shteier Neni, the wife of the religion teacher, R. Shteier z”l (the parents of Dr. Jeno Shteir z”l). A few of his articles and Torah thoughts are printed in the book by the Rabbi of Ovoda, Rabbi YY Gros z”l. Rabbi Mandelbaum's grave is located in a mausoleum in the Jewish cemetery of Satmar, along with his wife Rebetzin Tzipora Zelda z”l. May their merit protect us.

Graves of Eliyahu Mandelbaum z”l and Rabbi Mandelbaum zt”l and his Rebbetzin z”l

Rabbi Yehuda Greenwald was a rabbi's rabbi and a genius among geniuses. His patriarchal appearance, his aristocratic demeanor, especially in his later years, and his aura of holiness made an unforgettable impression on all who knew him. His sons became great rabbis serving in many places in the world. Anyone in his presence felt a sense of spiritual renewal. His love for other Jews was boundless as was his empathy for the pain of others. His calming words were a healing balm.

Rabbi Yehuda Greenwald z”l was born in the year taf reish pay (1920) in the city of Barzova, to his father, R. Yehoshua Falk z”l. During his youth, he studied in the Barzova Cheder with the melamed R. David Seredheli z”l who recognized his

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great potential. After that, he attended the well known yeshiva of Rav Dovid Deutsch z”l in Dyarmat, the yeshiva of R. Dovid Shick z”l in Steshin, and in the yeshiva of the Ksav Sofer z”l, where he developed his mastery in all areas of Torah. Upon his arrival in Pressburg, he was immediately recognized as a great genius. The best students befriended him and listened to his lectures. These students later became well-known rabbis in Hungary.

Already during his youth it was apparent that G-d blessed him with a kind heart and a great love for the Jewish people. His father was a wealthy man and sent him large sums of money. The money never went into his pocket. Right away he distributed it to poor yeshiva students. The fact that he came from a wealthy background didn't impress him. He was so deeply involved in his studies that he sometimes forgot to eat, and even then, he ate only the minimum.

Rabbi Yehuda Greenwald z”l

Every place he served, he built and organized yeshivos and charitable organizations. Hundreds of yeshiva students from Hungary and other lands became his students. They regarded it a privilege to be among his students. Happy was the eye that saw him and happy was the ear that heard his lectures, teaching of the Talmud with all of its commentaries and the responsa literature.

He had an impressive appearance, a bright face, and eyes full of charm and love. When he looked around at his audience, he wanted to know them all personally. He saw them all as his children especially since he did not have children of his own. He especially loved his relative the Rav HaGaon R. Abraham Hanoch Friedman z”l who became a rabbi and teacher in Satmar.

Another student who was like a son to him, was Haim, the son of Yehoshua Fisher z”l, who stayed by his side constantly. He moved with him from Bonyhad to Shoren and from there to Satmar. The soul of the student was intertwined with the soul of his teacher.

Rabbi Greenwald's primary concern was for the ritual baths, the Torah, charitable institutions, and various Torah classes. He also was concerned with matchmaking for the children of the poor, and he was involved in taking care of kashrus in the city. The ritual slaughterers and mashgichim were of the best quality in his period. He made Tefillin and tzitzit, and matzo bakeries. One of the rules he introduced was that the butcher shop should have two separate locks. One lock for the butcher and the other lock for the mashgiach.

Graves of Yehuda Greenwald z”l and his wife Reisel

The people of Satmar loved him very much. When he arrived in Satmar to assume the rabbinate, the townspeople hired a special train to transport him from Kraly with many people accompanying him. When he died on 19 Adar, taf reish pay 5680 (1920), they mourned him as they would mourn a father.

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A massive crowd from all over Hungary attended his funeral, and he was eulogized by the greatest rabbis of his time. He is buried in the Orthodox cemetery in Satmar. Many Jews traveled large distances to be at his grave on his Yahrzeit.

Rabbi Yehuda Greenwald z”l didn't want his writings to be published while he was still alive. His books published posthumously were, A Tribe from Judah, Sheilot Uteshuvot (Halachic Questions and Answers), Chasdei Avot (The Good Deeds of the Fathers) and Zichron Yehuda (A Memorial to Judah).

His wife, Rebetzin Reisel z”l, passed away 17 years after her husband's death. She is buried next to him in the mausoleum. May their memory protect the people of Israel. Amein.

The Rav Hagaon Rabbi Eliezer Dovid Greenwald z”l was regarded as one of the greatest rabbinical geniuses in all of Hungary, and his opinions were highly regarded. He was born in the year taf reish kaf zayin 5627 (1867) in the city of Tshorna in Hungary. His father was a great scholar, Rabbi Amram Greenwald z”l. His father's younger brother was Rabbi Moshe Greenwald, the Rabbi of Chust z”l, known as the Arugas Habosem.

Already in his youth, Rabbi Eliezer Dovid was nicknamed HaHarif, the sharp one, and everyone predicted a brilliant future for him. Those who knew him as a young man predicted that he would grow to be one of the greatest rabbis of the generation. He studied with his brother in Huszt and later in Mattersdorf in the yeshiva of the Hatan Sofer.

Not long after his marriage to Pearl Rappoport of Bardiov, he received rabbinical ordination from his brother, the Rabbi of Chust. He was also ordained by the Rabbi of Sighet, the Kedushat Yom Tov z'l, the Rabbi of Simahali z”l and others. He had a strong bond with the Chassidic Rebbes of Shinova and Belz, and he learned much of Chassidic teachings from them. His brother appointed him a teacher in his yeshiva.

In the year taf reish nun zayin 57 (189657), he was accepted as a rabbi in the city of Dona, Serhaly. There he ran a Hassidic yeshiva. In tuf reish samech vuv 5666 (1906), he was appointed the Rabbi of Tzelem. From there in the year taf reish ayiin bet 5672 (1912), he moved on to a rabbinical position in Falsho-Visho. As the Rabbi of Visho, he suffered greatly during the First World War. When the Russian army got close to Visho he had to leave the city with some of his congregants. For a while he found respite in a nearby community and there he spent the Succoth holiday. During his period of wandering he was prevented from desecrating the Sabbath.

In the year taf reish pay 5680 (1920), following the death of Rabbi Yehuda Greenwald z”l, Rabbi Eliezer Dovid z”l was appointed to fill his position as the Chief Orthodox Rabbi of Satmar.

The Great Rabbi Eliezer Dovid Greenwald z”l

He organized a menza (a dining hall for the yeshiva students) where the students consumed good meals six days a week. The students spent Shabbos with community members as guests in their homes. Because he didn't have children, Rabbi Greenwald z”l regarded his students as his family, and he referred to them as his children. He never got angry at his students even if they did something wrong or if their actions hurt him.

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Once one of his students dropped his etrog causing the pitom to break. The students who witnessed this held their breaths waiting for their Rebbe's reaction, but the Rebbe's face showed no outward signs of distress. His only reaction was to quietly state, “It seems I was not worthy of that etrog.”

On holidays and on most Shabboses he attended prayer services at the main Synagogue on Par Street. He also gave seasonal lectures at the Great Synagogue, but on weekdays and sometimes even on Shabbos he prayed with his students at the Bais Medrash located in his home.

He emphasized the importance of providing Jewish children with a deep and thorough education in his lectures. It bothered him when Jewish children were sent to non-Jewish schools. He believed this endangered their future as Jews.

In 1928, the Rabbi penned an open letter in Hungarian which he called the Black List. It was aimed at 28 Jewish storekeepers who opened their stores for business on Shabbos. The Rabbi appealed to local residents to boycott these businesses. Most of the storekeepers were members of the Status Quo community and they objected to what they regarded as meddling by the Orthodox Rabbi into their private lives, to which the Rabbi answered, “I care because all Jews must honor the Shabbos.”

Graves of Rabbi Eliezer Dovid Greenwald z”l and his wife Perel

Rabbi Greenwald z”l passed away suddenly causing great sorrow to all. On erev Shabbos Parshas Bamidbar, the Rabbi was busy with communal matters and with the yeshiva. As was his practice, he led the third meal on Shabbos. All of a sudden, during the verse in Shabbos mincha the afternoon prayer, “You are one and Your name is one,” he felt unwell. Then he lost consciousness and never regained it. The following day, the first day of Rosh Chodesh, Sivan taf reish pay het 5688 (1928) at 7:45 in the morning, he returned his soul to his Creator.

When the news spread through the city, everyone wept at the great tragedy. The Rabbi was only sixty-one years old when he passed away. His funeral took place the following day after purification. He was eulogized in his Bais Medrash by his adopted son, Rabbi Yosef Greenwald z”l. After that, his body was brought to the Great Synagogue where he was eulogized by the Rabbis of Yoka and Margareten. His coffin was taken to the courtyard of the Synagogue where dozens of Rabbis from Rumania, Hungary and Czechoslovakia, eulogized him. A large crowd was present at the burial where he was buried next to his predecessor, Rabbi Yehuda Greenwald z”l.

Every year on his Yahrzeit, crowds prayed at his grave. His wife, Perel z”l, passed away several years later and was buried next to him in the mausoleum.

The Greenwalds z”l, who served as Chief Rabbis, were not related and both were childless.

Mausoleums of the two Rabbi Greenwalds z”l. In front the graves of Rabbi Yeshaya Kleinman z”l, dayan and Rabbi of Tarnovo

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The Great and Righteous Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum z”l

A righteous man is fruitful like a date palm, says King David in the Psalms, and Teitelbaum means date palm. Rav Yoelish z”l was in full flower throughout his life. He was like a king in the Hassidic world, the king of rabbis.

Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum z”l

As a child, Yoelish was educated in his parents house where he learned the path of Torah and Hassiduth. In those days, Sighet was full of holiness and purity and he soaked in this atmosphere. It's no wonder that he emerged as a Rebbe and a leader. His love for other Jews, for the Torah, and the Holy Land was limitless.

Older Hassidim turned to him in his childhood, kissing his hands and requesting his blessing. In the year taf reish samech 5660 (1900), he was bar mitzvahed and people spoke about the Talmudic section he analyzed in his bar mitzvah speech.

Not long before his father's death, he married Chava Horwitz z”l who died in Satmar in the year taf reish tzadi vuv 5696 (1936). The daughter of the Rabbi of Plantash R. Avraham Chaim z”l, Chava was intelligent and kind and a fitting match for Rav Yoel. Rebetzin Chava z”l gave birth to three daughters who looked like angels. Sadly they all passed away and the Rebbe was left without descendants. Esther z”l, at age 14 was buried in Satmar. Rachel z”l, the young Rebetzin from Sighet, passed away a year after her marriage, and Chaya Roiza z”l, the wife of Reb Lipaleh z”l, is buried in Tiberias.

Following the death of his father, Rav Yoelish didn't feel that he had a place in Sighet and he moved, leaving the city where his older brother Rabbi Haim Tzvi z”l, known as the Atzei Haim, served as the local Rabbi. He moved to Satmar with his mother and his young wife.

The Satmar community was based solely on Ashkenazi customs. At that time, the local Rabbi was Yehuda Greenwald z”l who warmly welcomed the Rebbe to the city. Rabbi Greenwald z”l was mesmerized by Rav Yoelish's brilliance and the breadth of his knowledge. He also saw him as a counter to the riffraff that had settled in the city and didn't show proper respect to the local Rabbi.

With the passing of Rabbi Greenwald z”l, Reb Yoelish became a serious contender for the position of Chief Rabbi, but he wasn't chosen. After several years he was appointed the Rabbi of Orshova in the Bereg district, where he established and ran a yeshiva there. Sadly, he had to leave because WWI began, and Russian troops were near the town. He returned to Satmar temporarily.

After the town was liberated from the Russians, Rav Yoelish returned to Orshova until the year taf reish pay hey, 5685 (1925), when he moved to Kraly to take the place of Rabbi Shaul Brach z”l who left to become Rabbi of Kaschau. Rav Yoelish's arrival in Kraly changed the atmosphere of the city, turning it into a center of Chassidus. At that point the Rebbe began his war against Zionism. He had been known since his youth as an anti-Zionist.

In the month of Siva taf reish pay het 5688 (1928), Rabbi Eliezer Dovid Greenwald z”l died suddenly. For the second time, Rav Yoelish was offered the position of Rabbi of Satmar, but many Ashkenazim and Hassidim objected to his appointment. The fights continued for several years until a Din Torah ended the dispute. In the year taf reish tzadi dalet 5694 (1934), two days before Purim, the Rebbe became the official Rabbi of Satmar. His appointment changed many facets of life in Satmar even before his appointment, in this city known as a center of Torah and Chassidus.

Everyone acknowledged a change. Many Hassidim streamed into the city on the eve of the Sabbath and holidays to pray with their beloved Rebbe, to hear his words of Torah and to sit at his

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tisch. Their presence gave work to the poorest Jews in town who rented beds to the Hassidim and fed them. Many of the city's poor were aided financially by the Rebbe. He helped them to pay for Shabbos, for holidays, and for dowries to marry off their daughters. He also helped to purchase prayer shawls and phylacteries for the needy, and to redeem captives. In all of his actions, he was a Hassid and a righteous person. In the year taf reish tzadi vuv 5696 (1936), his wife Rebetzin Chava z”l passed away. Approximately one year later, the Rebbe married a woman from Poland. She lives in Monroe, New York.

Grave of the Rebetzin Chaya z”l

As a result, the Rabbi was pursued relentlessly by the authorities and hooligans and he was forced to leave the city. He left for Klausenburg together with his wife, his gabbai, R. Feibish z”l, his son R. Yosef z”l and the Rebbe of Biksad z”l. Afterwards they attempted to cross the border into Rumania, near Turda, but they didn't succeed. They were caught and sent to the ghetto in Klausenburg.

At the same time, the “Bergen-Belsen Group” was organized and headed by the son-in-law of the Rumanian Parliament member, Dr. Josef Fischer z”l. After many discussions with a Nazi, who was killed in Israel (may his name, Adolph Eichman, be blotted out), they made a deal to allow several hundred Jews to travel from Hungary to Switzerland. The Jewish group from Klausenburg included 383 people, including the relatives of the organizer, Rudolph Kassner, and his close associates from Klausenburg. Among them were community leaders, leaders of the Zionist movement, sportsmen, and the great Rabbi Akiva Glaner z”l.

A group organized to try to include the Satmar Rebbe in the group, but the organizers of the Bergen-Belsen group objected vigorously. Kassner's son-in-law, Dr. Fischer intervened, and said, with witnesses present, that his mother came to him in a dream and told him, “My son, if the Satmar Rebbe is not among you, you will all be lost.” With that story, and a large sum of cash paid to the organizer, a place was secured for the Rebbe.

I must point out that the stories suggesting that the group organizer saved the Rebbe's life are incorrect. The opposite is true. G-d saved the group in the merit of the Rebbe.

It is interesting to note that for the duration of his stay in the ghetto and in Bergen-Belsen, the Rebbe never removed or lost a hair from his beard or his sidelocks. He never ate forbidden foods and he never stood for a counting (appel). It's hard not to see the hand of G-d in this.

After many wanderings and many dangers, the group finally crossed the border into Switzerland in two transports, three months apart. The Rebbe was in the second transport and he arrived in Switzerland at the start of the winter. Upon his arrival in Switzerland, the Rebbe's first journey was to visit Dr. Fischer z”l, in order to thank him for his help in securing a place for the Rebbe in the group. The Rebbe saw him as a messenger of G-d.

After resting for several weeks in Switzerland, the Rebbe traveled to Israel and he stayed at the home of his son-in-law in Jerusalem. After that, he relocated to the United States, where he began to build institutions in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Over the years the Rebbe made several trips to the Holy Land. He established institutions of Torah and charity there, as well as neighborhoods in Jerusalem, Bnei Brak, and elsewhere, all of which are known as Satmar.

This writer and his wife were blessed by the Rebbe in his home in Monroe, NY a short time before his passing.

On the 26^th day of the month of crying, the Rebbe returned his pure soul to his Creator. May his merit continue to protect us.

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“The Crown has fallen from our heads. Greater than the sea, we are broken.”

This is the text of the tombstone of Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum z”l in the cemetery in Monroe, NY.

A difficult day for Israel, a day when the sun set at noon. A bitter eulogy is delivered. How unfortunate we are the rudderless boat that has lost its Captain.

There is no one to heal our brokenness. We are drowning and there is no one to save us. The righteous have found their rest, but how troubled are we who remain?

Who will chastise the non-believers?

A righteous man flourishes like a date palm and our Rebbe saved many with his rebuke. To ignite our hearts to worship our Father in Heaven.

To the poor he distributed funds and as a merciful father he mended broken hearts. He taught many students, thousands who loved him dearly and he loved them.

The Torah girds itself in sackcloth and spreads ashes.

Our Rabbi and our leader of thousands of Jews. The pillar of the Torah, spiritual work, and kindness, the head of the Diaspora. The righteous man of his generation, the crown of Israel.

Unique in his generation, who enforced G-d's law on Israel. He explained the Torah in his work, Divrei Yoel. A man of valor and a shepherd of Israel.

Who restored the religion to its just place and taught the children of Israel.

Our master, Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum z”l. The son of the great Rabbi Hananiya Yom Tov Lipa z”l may his merits protect us the Dayan of Sighet.

Son of the great author of the Yitav Lev, the Dayan of Sighet. Son of Rabbi Elazar Nisan Dayan of Dravitch.

Son of Rabbi Moses z”l, the man of G-d known as the Yismach Moshe the Dayan of Uhel.

Arshiva, Kraly, Satmar, Kiryas Yoel founder of the holy communities of Yitav Lev.

Head of the yeshiva, the Av Bais Din of the Eida Hareidis in Jerusalem.

Author of VaYoel Moshe. Divrei Yoel.

His soul ascended to Heaven in purity and holiness in the month of Menachem Av. May his soul be bound up in the thread of life.

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