1 financial opportunities where most Jews private Melamed. Even in larger places were forced to reside; the terrible cruel of settlement, most children were forced law of the Cantonists which ordered the to leave the classroom to help their recruitment of young boys of 12 into the families survive, at a very early age. The army - most of whom never saw their consequences were soon to appear - their it is spiritual or financial hardship. In families again - as a means of forcing their lack of Jewish knowledge was what stood Russia in the 19th Century one of the most conversion into Christianity; High taxes; in their way later on when their Judaism prominent figures who came to the aid of Historical Background and perhaps worst of all, the throwing of was put to the test. the Jewish residents was Rabbi Menachem the Jews into the hands of the ruling village Mendel Schneersohn, the 3rd Rabbi of Baron, or "Pritz". The old law forbidding Chabad, widely known as the Tzemach Jews to own land, together with the Pale of Tzedek - the name of one of his most Settlement, left only two main occupations prominate works. In addition to his famed available to the Jews of Russia - peddling Torah scholarship, the Tzemach Tzedek around the villages, or renting the village was known for his political talent and his inn. Peddling meant a life of tramping and endless attempts for making life easier in poverty, while inn keeping meant being Russia - on a macro and individual basis. continually being dealing with drunks and A true Jewish leader will never neglect the living by the whim of the local Pritz, who troubles of a Jew in need, no matter how wasn't always a lover of Jews to say the Times were hard for the Jews in the Great busy he is with other issues. Many tales least… Russian Empire. The Czar Nicolai was have been told of his endless attempts to a powerful leader who hated the Jewish Spiritually, many Jews were deprived of A painting of the Tzemach Tzedek, Rabbi Menachem help those in trouble - be it an innkeeper Mendel Schneersohn people, and did everything in his power to a solid Jewish education - their living in threatened by eviction, rescuing and aiding tread them down through many creative tiny villages with few fellow Jews meant little Cantonists far from home, political ways: By exiles from major areas and that only the wealthier could afford to Hashem always sends someone to help the intervention and more. At the same time the creation of the "Pale of Settlement" educate their children by employing a Jewish community in bad times - whether be fought a diligent battle against the - an out-of-the-way district with little 2 3 overcrowding and hunger. If you didn't with a Rebbe after public school. Kosher find work - you didn't eat. And work was butchers and bakeries abounded. For 6 days a week, including Shabbos. The tens of years, the shul was the address major part of the immigrants fell into in Baltimore for the many Chasidim and despair and left their Judaism behind in Meshulachim who came to visit, as well as Born in Kabilnik, Russia, in 5653 (1983), order to survive. Their children were sent the center of life for the local Lubavitcher he was sent by his father at the age of to Public Schools. The painful results of Chasidim. spread of the "Haskala" with all its empty 13 to study in the Tomchei Temimim reform movements, intermarriage and promises. Yeshiva in Lubavitch. A year later his assimilation - were only a generation or family emigrated to America, but he two away. Rabbi Avraham Eliyahu chose to stay in the yeshiva, knowing he The Founding of the The “Tzemach Tzedek” Synagogue Axelrod may never again see his family. In yeshiva Tzemach Tzedek Shul was built in 1923 by a group of Jewish he was called Avraham Elya Kabilniker immigrants, Lubavicher Chassids, who because he came from Kabilnik. It was Times passed but the situation in Russia fled the Pogroms in Russia with the there that young Avraham Elya became only got worse. At the end of the 19th blessing of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Strong the personality he later was. He studied in Century and early 1900's pogroms by the in their beliefs, they named the Shul after Lubavitcher yeshivas from 5666(1906) till Cossacks became more and more frequent, the Tzemach Tzedek . If the Jews of 5680(1920). forcing thousands of Jews to flee Russia. Russia, they reasoned, stayed Jewish and At the end of World War I, when Jews fled everywhere, but most went west observant at such difficult times, we can the Yeshiva was forced to relocate to - to Western Europe, England and most do so too. The spiritual presence of the The righteous Rabbi Avraham Eliyahu Kremenchug, Reb Avraham Elya decided of all, to America - the "Golden Medina" great Lubavitcher Rebbe gave them the Axelrod was the Rabbi and head of the he wanted to travel to the Rebbe Rashab - Land of Gold. strength to keep going. The congregation congregation and in close contact with the who had moved to Rostov. On his way to created a traditional Jewish lifestyle in East Lubavicher. He was known as a very great Rostov he had the merit of eating a Sukkos Most of the immigrants didn't find gold Baltimore, where Yiddish “mamaloshon” Rabbi, Chasid and pious man, famous for Yom Tov meal in Reb Levi Yitzchak - instead, they found poverty sometimes was spoken, and kids learned in Cheder worse than in Russia: unemployment, his good deeds. Schneerson’s sukka in Yaktrinislav. It was 4 5 They waited and waited and Reb Avraham Avraham Elya received a weekly paycheck Elya was still davening. They did not from the hands of the president of the know what to think. They said it must be shul board. Once, when the president that the salary they were giving him was came to Reb Avraham Elya to give him not enough, and he is praying to G-d for his check, he saw he had left the room Rabbi Avraham Eliya stayed in his post an increase! After he finished Shemone with his Gemorro open, implying that until he passed away in 5717 (1956). Esreh they approached him and said, he must have just gone out for a second there that he met the Rebbe for the first “No need to worry; we’ll give you a raise!” and would immediately come back. The time. They had no idea that this was the way a president decided to leave the check in the Gemorro on the page where it was In 5681(1921) he married and in Lubavitcher chasid davens maariv the first The visit of the sixth opened. 5683(1923) immigrated to America. . A night of Rosh Hashona. Lubavicher Rebbe year later he settled in Baltimore to take When Reb Avraham Elya saw the check, Reb Avraham Elya refused to give a on the role of the Rabbi of the Tzemach he was surprised to see that it was double sermon at Kol Nidrei. He argued that all Tzedek Congregation. Rabbi Avraham the amount he got the week before. rabbis prepare hours for the Kol Nidrei Elya was not just an ordinary shul Rabbi After he finished learning, he went to sermon because it is the one time a year - His generosity, hospitality, good deeds the president’s house and asked him why when most Jews flock to the shul. The and yiras shamayim were exemplary. Many he gave him double the normal amount. rabbi has his once-a-year chance to inspire stories have been told of him. The president said because the shul board them. However, the rabbi gets lots of decided to give him a raise, since he was The first Rosh Hashona night after he was “ego” from it. Reb Avraham Elya did not doing such a wonderful job. hired as Rav of congregation Tzemach give a sermon, since it would add “ego” When hearing this, Reb Avraham Elya said, Tzedek, Reb Avraham Elya davened a to him, knowing quite well that he had a “it’s bad enough I have to deal with other captivated audience. very long Shemone Esreh as instructed in American indulgences, now you wish to Chabad teachings. The entire congregation In those days, the depression years, a give me the indulgence of money, too!” finished their Shemone Esreh and were The Reitz Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Jew was lucky to have work, especially And he gave back the check, refusing to Schneersohn waiting for Reb Avraham Elya to finish. if he refused to work on Shabbos. Reb take the pay raise. 6 7 Baltimore to Northwest Baltimore, and The Ohelei Yoseph by the 60`s and 70`s all of the Jews had

moved out of the downtown area and fled Yitzchak Organisation to “suburbia”. The Tzemach Tzedek Synagogue was 1000 regular participants. vacated after the passing away of Rabbi Several years after the foundation of In addition, the organization operates a Avraham Eliya in 1956 and a few years the Shul, in 5689 (1929), The shul was personal salvation service - by davening later was sold, for pennies to the dollar, to visited for a period of three weeks by for those in need of a Yeshua at the holy The Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi a Baptist family who intended to turn it gravesites in and around the Holy city of Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn. He said no into a church! Baruch Hashem their plans Tsfat, through the co-operation with the less than three Hassidic discourses there, did not aspire due to family conflicts and avrechim of the Ohel Moshe Kollel in bringing immense spiritual and historical the premises were rarely used. They finally Tsfat. closed up the building in 2005. Rabbi Menachem Mendel Gafney significance to the shul, while greatly The driving force behind the organization strengthening the spirits of the Chasidim is Rabbi Menachem Mendel Gafney and This phenomenon was quite common The Ohelei Yoseph Yitzchak Organization who were dealing day in day out with the his wife. Rabbi Gafney previously served throughout America during the 60`s and has been active in the city of Baltimore challenges of keeping up their spiritual as the Chabad Shaliach of Bat Yam, Israel, 70`s, when many hundreds of synagogues for about 20 years, working to strengthen standards in America. where he was in charge of the local branch were sold to churches! the connection of the Jewish community of Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim and to Judaism and Israel, through a range The growth of the orthodox community assisted at the local Chabad house. His of educational and community activities wife, Rebbetzen Menucha Rachel Gafney, The Closing of the led to the opening of a Chabad Yeshiva including holiday activities, alternative takes an active part in the organization's Synagogue and a Chabad house in the area, but only a medical assistance, addiction treatment, activities by giving classes for women and chain of miracles enabled the redemption support for senior citizens, hospitality Over the past 50 years, Jewish organizing Holiday programs. Rebbetzen of the shul back into Jewish hands. services, help for needy families and more. neighborhoods have migrated from East Gafney is also a qualified Homoeopathist At present the organization serves around 8 9 The redemption of the the property. Rabbi Mendel explains that the first time he walked into the dilapidated shul shul he nearly cried - especially after he removed the plaque with the church's name and found the original plaque below it still there! Plans for the Future and voluntarily gives her services for Rabbi Mendel was wary of taking on what is estimated at a million dollar enterprise - half to buy the premises, and half for renovations - especially considering the fact that at that point he had no funds whatsoever. To find an answer to his Rabbi Menachem Mendel Gafney was dilemma he decided to ask the Rebbe if he horrified to discover that the now-closed should go ahead, by placing his query in Baptist Church at 2120 E. Fairmount Ave the Ageros Kodesh. His note was placed was originally the famed Tzemach Tzedek in the exact page where the Rebbe gave The Ohalei Yoseph Yitzchak team and the Mitzva Shul. He heard about the Reitzer rebbe's directions to the members of the Tzemach Tank outside the shul Actitivies for young and old at the Ohalei Yoseph visit and after much research eventually Tzedek Shul in Jerusalem, telling them to Yitzchak Center found the deserted building. He decided fundraise within the Chabad community. Rabbi Mendel's goal is to expand the the treatment of addicts and general that no matter what, the shul must be Rabbi Mendel understood this was a sign activities in Baltimore of the Ohelei rehabilitation at the center. The Gafneys redeemed and regain its role as the heart that he should go ahead with the project Yoseph Yitzchak Organisation and to employ a staff of 10 devoted volunteers of community life, but when he managed and finance the purchase and renovations make the shul the center of activities, but who assist them in all their activities. to find the owner and see about buying from donations of Chabad Chasidim. the shul is in desperate need of renovation the premises, he said he would sell it "over Within an extraordinary short period of in order to make it useable. Up to now the organization has operated my dead body". A short time following he time, he managed to buy the shul outright in rented property. kept his vow…. and his heirs agreed to sell for $400,000. The renovations to be made are firstly 10 11 A hall for weddings, Bar Mitzvos and Rabbi Gafney wants the shul to serve Brisos, everyone - from young to old, from medical staff who work in the hospital and A pre-school, providing a jewish education students to meshulachim form Chabad, even for the very young. tourists and of course the local jewish Teaching facilities for all ages, enabling population which is fast growing. major building repairs - the shul needs after-school classes, adult education, Another enterprise which is part of the a new Aron Kodesh, and a new roof, preparation for Bar and Bat mitzvos, organization's work today but lacks windows, doors and bathrooms. kindergarden visits etc. permanent facilities is Rabbi Mendel's work with troubled youth. He plans The next stage will be to turn the Shul A hospitality guesthouse which will serve founding a yeshiva for troubled youth into a pleasant place to be for the new, the family of patients who are being treated who have dropped out of yeshiva and young and growing community of East at the nearby John Hopkins Hospital and have found themselves on the streets. Baltimore. Rabbi Mendel loves the tourists. Tackling the problem of these children is ancient and holy city of Tsfat and he A free canteen to provide hot meals for the a major concern today and Rabbi Mendel plans to design and furnish the Shul in elderly and handicapped, and for visitors sees the foundation of such a Yeshiva as traditional lines similar to the beautiful to Baltimore. his biggest priority. ancient Synagogues of Tsfat, with ornate decorations and a central Bimah. A Judaica shop which will sell Mezuzos, At a rough estimate, the renovations Tefillin, Sefarei kodesh, etc alone are to cost more than was paid Rabbi Mendel plans, G-d willing, to build for the building - between $400.000 to a full community enterprise within and A Jewish museum showing the history of $500,000. Rabbi Gafney is turning to all around the 4,500 square feet building - Chabad and the Baltimore community Chabad Chasidim to take a part in enabling among planned are: A library of Jewish books. the success of this major enterprise by Two seperate Mikveh Tahara for men and opening their hands and hearts. women 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27