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Jewish Cemetery Problem In Spain Resolved
Efforts to contain defilement at the Jewish cemetery in Toledo have succeeded notably. Dating back more than 700 years, the Jewish cemetery in Toledo, as well as cemeteries in other cities in Spain, are snapshots of the Golden Era of Jewry in Spain prior to the expulsion of 1492. Several hundred such cemeteries exist in Spain, all of which have not had a new internment since those times.
Uncovered Human Bones
In the 1980s, the municipality of Toledo built a school on ground that had been a Jewish cemetery. When the municipality recently decided to expand the school facility, construction excavations unearthed human bones. Upon further examination and investigation, the ground was determined to be that of a Jewish cemetery. Jewish historical experts further ascertained that several leading Torah scholars were buried in that cemetery. Multiple international campaigns focused on convincing the local Spanish municipality, as well as the Federal Spanish Government, of the unique sanctified character of Jewish cemeteries. Violating a Jewish cemetery is sacrilege. Unless a grave is in physical danger, re-internment is never a consideration.
Too Many Chefs
Some of the campaigns initiated overlapped and actually hampered communications with well-intended Spanish Government officials. What should have been campaigns of education and negotiation sometimes lapsed into condemnations and confrontations. Denouncing potentially cooperative officials, whether at the local or federal level, is counter-productive. Receptive Spanish officials beginning to absorb the respect and honor that Jews have for their cemeteries suddenly found themselves publicly vilified. Humiliating the hand that reaches out to help is, at best, woefully wrong.
Call For Help
Rabbi Elyakim Schlesinger reviewing final report on resolution of the Jewish cemetery problem in Toledo, Spain.
The Committee for the Preservation of Jewish Cemeteries in Europe is the London based international organization led by Rabbi Elyakim Schlesinger, greatly respected London Rosh Yeshiva. Beginning in the summer of 2008, when the profaned cemetery was determined to be Jewish, the committee began its outreach to Spanish governmental representatives in Spain, England, Israel, and the United States. In December of that year, the Jewish Federation of Spain, which consists of 13 traditional and Orthodox congregations and operates three Jewish day schools, contacted the committee by letter signed by Jacobo Israel Garzon, president, asking for help in the matter of the Jewish cemetery in Toledo. Using its decades-long diplomatic connections, the committee established dialogue with parties both in the local government as well as on the federal level.
Bones unearthed from the cemetery were placed into sealed containers for later disposition. A noted historian and cemetery expert from Israel came to Toledo to study the situation. He is also a highly respected architect. The building efforts were put on hold until all parties would reach a satisfactory agreement.
The school has more students than its current space can accommodate. In addition, the Jewish cemetery, because it was not used for perhaps 600 years, was not on any register of sensitive sites. Further, some in the local municipality insisted that the space was needed for the school and that the immediate need superceded what could be considered an unimportant, old, out-of-service, undocumented burial ground. The historian/architect quickly determined that it was, indeed, an important old Jewish community cemetery. In addition, the he submitted a redesign of the school expansion that would not violate the cemetery.
A Solution Is Proposed
The architectural redesign was acceptable. However it cost an additional 1.3 million dollars, which the local underfunded municipality could not provide. After protracted negotiations with all parties involved, the Federal government was willing to underwrite half of the additional cost.
Meeting In New York
The Satmar Rebbe receiving Hon. Fernando Villalonga, Spanish Ambassador to the United States. In the foreground (Left) is Jules (Yitzchok) Fleischer, member of the United States Commission for the Preservation of Americas Heritage Abroad.
A New York congressman arranged for representatives of UJCARE of Williamsburg, Jules (Yitzchok) Fleischer, member of the United States Commission for the Preservation of Americas Heritage Abroad, and Spain's Ambassador to the United States to meet on Sunday, May 17, with Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum, Satmar Rebbe, at his study in Kiryas Yoel. The Spanish Ambassador, Hon. Fernando Villalonga, advised the Satmar Rebbe that the Spanish Government is working out an agreement with municipalities on procedures to follow when these issues arise in the future. Ambassador Villalonga also told the Rebbe that the Spanish Federal Government is in the process of returning all bodies from the Toledo cemetery for reburial before the end of June 2009.
Reviewing Positive Results
On Sunday, May 14, Rabbi Elyakim Schlesinger was in Brooklyn where he met with a number of rabbis involved in the negotiation process at Beis Medrash Vayoel Moshe in Williamsburg. He favorable reviewed the report dated Wednesday, June 3, by Rabbi Moshe Hershaft, a London member of the Committee, that he: 1. Personally visited the Toledo cemetery, inspected and approved the designated places in the cemetery where reburial of the exhumed bones will be re-interred; 2. Visited the safeguarded bones that were being kept in sealed containers in a secure storeroom under guard; and 3. Received a certificate of authority to remove and re-inter the bones. Rabbi Hershaft was accompanied by Rabbi Moshe Ben-Dahan, Chief Rabbi of Madrid, who confirmed the report. The report was first shared and approved by the Rabbinical Board of the Committee before its dissemination.
Rabbi Schlesinger was overjoyed to announce that within days a date will be set whereupon all arrangements will be finalized and the bones will be restored to eternal rest. In addition, work is in progress in identifying every Jewish cemetery in Spain and each one will be registered with the Spanish Government as well as with European agencies. Every Jewish cemetery identified in Spain will also be included in the United Nations list of protected heritage sites.
Satmar Chasunah
On Monday, June 8, Yekusiel Yom Tov Teitelbaum was married to the daughter of Rabbi Chanoch Henach Ashkenazi, Avnei Tzedek Rav in Kiryas Yoel, son‑in‑law of Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum, Satmar Rebbe. The kallah is also the granddaughter of Rabbi Yitzchok Ashkenazi, Alesker Rebbe, and great‑granddaughter of Rabbi Elimelech Ashkenazi, Melbourner Rav. The Alesker Rebbe is the son‑in‑law of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Shlomo Taub, zt"l (1901-1977), Kaliver Rebbein Williamsburg and author of Chakal Tapuchin.
The chassan is the son of Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum and grandson of Rabbi Yosef Teitelbaum, Nempalitza Rav, son‑in‑law of Rabbi Yisroel Avrohom Stein, zt"l, Foltechaner Rebbe; son‑in‑law of Rabbi Elazar Twersky, zt"l (1892�), Foltechaner Rebbe who survived the Holocaust and established his beis medrash in Boro Park; son of Rabbi Shlomo Twersky, Hy"d (1873�), Skverer Rebbe who was murdered during a pogrom in Kiev; son of Rabbi Dovid Twersky, zt"l (1848�), Skverer Rebbe; son of Rabbi Yitzchok Twersky, zt"l (1812�), Skverer Rebbe who married the great‑granddaughter of Rabbi Yisroel Baal Shem Tov, zt"l; son of Rabbi Mordechai Twersky, zt"l (1770�), Chernobler Rebbeand author of Lekutei Torah; son of Rabbi Menachem Nochum Twersky, zt"l (1730�), founding Chernobler Rebbe and author of Meor Einayim.
The chassan is also the grandson of Rabbi Meir Avrhohom Ilowitz, Brazil Rav; son‑in‑law of Rabbi Elimelech Ashkenazi, Melbourner Rav. The Melbourner Ravis great‑grandfather of both the chassan and the kallah.
The Satmar Rebbe was available to his Chassidim on the day of the wedding. The roads around the main shul in Kiryas Yoel, as well as the shul itself, site of the chasunah was closed from 1:00 pm. Volunteer ushers and usherettes were requested to report no later than 5:30 p.m. Kabbalas Panim for the chassan began punctually at 5:30 pm, when the Satmar Rebbe entered.
The Kabbalas Panim for the kallah was held on the first floor of the Keren Vayoel Moshe facility at 5:30 p.m. Badecken began at 6:30 p.m. the chuppah immediately following. During the chuppah, men were assigned to the front steps of the shul as well as on the landing. Women were in the community parking lot across the street.
The chuppah, on a platform, was viewable by all. Once the chuppah finished, buses were waiting at the women's area to ferry them to the Beis Rachel Paradise hall for the wedding meal. The men's meal was served in the shul. The volunteer ushers and usherettes guided each guest to his or her designated seating area. Immediately after the meal, the chassan entered the shul and all table and chairs were carted away to make room for dancing. After bentching, the women returned to the shul and filled the women's balconies.
On Wednesday, June 10, a grand sheva berachos will take place at the Satmar Beis Medrash on 14 Hooper Street in Williamsburg, at 8:00 p.m.
The Sad Day Of Sivan 20
Joel Berkowitz, celebrated photographer, has been lauded several times in this column for portraits that he and Chazan Eli Vegh adorn the Munkatcher Rebbe's sukkah in Boro Park every year. Sensitive to Jewish history, Joel reminds us of 20 Sivan this year.
On Thursday evening June 11, a moment of reflection is appropriate for an event of monumental historic significance, which impacted the Jewish nation some 360 years ago. On the Hebrew calendar, the date of that tragedy was 20 Sivan, and Jewish history gives this calamitous occurrence its proper context.
Starting in 1290, when Edward I, King of England, banished Jews from Britain, Western Europe began a wholesale expulsion of Jews from the homes they had lived in for centuries. Catholic Poland, on the other hand, began welcoming Jews and extended them full civil and religious rights. Thus began an eastern migration of the Jews of Ashkenaz to Poland.
Poland also controlled Ukraine, which was, and still is, Greek Orthodox. There was very little love between the Polish Catholics and the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox, especially as the Ukrainians were heavily taxed by the Poles. Tax agents, many of whom were Jews, collected these onerous taxes. To ensure that taxes were properly collected from the Ukrainians, the Polish monarchy insisted that the Jewish tax collectors hold the keys to the Ukrainian churches and cemeteries. If a child was to be baptized, a couple married, or a deceased buried in a church cemetery, a hefty tax had to be paid. It was the despised Jewish tax agent who was called upon to open the church or cemetery gates, but who had to collect the necessary and loathsome tax, before the key could be turned and the door opened.
Ukrainians hated the Poles and the Jews, and as few Poles lived in Ukraine, the Jews were target of hatred. Under the Cossack leader, Bogdan Chmielnicki, y"s, the Ukrainians rose in revolt against their Polish landowners and on Wednesday, June 10, Sivan 20 in 5408 (1648), the Cossacks surrounded the fortress city of Nemirov, located on the banks of the Denieper in Western Ukraine. Six thousand Jews within the city vowed to fight to the death. When troops bearing the Polish standard appeared in the distance, the Jews believed they were saved and opened the gates of the city and welcomed their supposed protectors.
Unfortunately, these troops were Cossacks masquerading as Polish soldiers. The entire Jewish population of Nemirov was annihilated. Chmielnicki savagely kept up his attacks on the Jews from 1648-1649. Somewhere between 100,000 to 250,000 Jews were brutally slaughtered. Many others were sold into captivity to the Tartars. The Jewish communities in Turkey, Italy, and Amsterdam stepped forward and ransomed their unfortunate brothers and sisters from captivity.
On Sunday, June 19, Sivan 20 in 5410 (1650), the Council of Four Lands, representing the remnants of Polish and Ukrainian Jewry, proclaimed that, forever after, 20 Sivan would be a day of public mourning and fasting. Many say Tachanun in Shacharis, even if a bris or chassan is part of the minyan. In addition, weddings are not conducted on that day.
