Rabbi Avraham Shmuel Levine of Tel Aviv #1- From Volhozhin to Lubavitch: Family History - RC Dalfin

Welcome to meaningful interviews with Rabbi Kaim Dolphin. My guest today is Rabbi Aramm Levan who lives here in Aritis. He's an activist on behalf of Schllayitz and he has a wonderful background. I'd like him to begin just a little history about your family, your father, your mother, your grandparents, just a little bit and how you came to Kabad or whatever. Just tell us a little bit about you. And I know I know you from from Borl Park from years ago. Go ahead. Rab 11. Well, my father was not kabad originally. His father was a Mus of Val. He spoke he learned in and the yeshiva inj. Yes. And he was a ro in several places in Russia and Barus. A little louder. He was a ro in several places in in Russia and Bellarus. Yes. Vas Marupu. Okay. There was another one. I I don't remember. He was incarcerated because by the enkid at that those times in the comm communist Russia he said that although there was an order and a decree not to spread Yiddish not to learn Torah with Jews he was very steadfast and very firm and said that as long as there's Jews here and I'm the rabbi I'm going to learn Torah come whatever whatever will be they incarcerated him and he was there for I don't know for how long but I know that his he was wasn't his legs were rotted he had some disease they didn't treat it in his legs so they had to amputate both of his legs oh really yes and at the end this was all his mus for yushkai for yushkai and it's p of the day of midn okay and uh and then after my my father I think 16 or 15. I each masmid came to the shul where my father where my grandfather was a rub and each masmid would be would go around. He was a and he would go from place to place. It was a of the Reb to raise funds and teach on behalf of the right and said to try to persuade or convince my grandfather he should send his son my father to temp the underground in the underground right so my grandfather said that listen I would rather mother want him to go to Slabotka but since now it was was very hard because of the war whatever it was over there so I'll send him to Lavich I don't know if he you know but I'm sure he he doesn't know if he'll be a great rabbi a great scholar Torah scholar but I'm sure he will remain he was he'll be a god-fearing Jew and remain and he'll he will remain religious observant yeah now many people think that by saying so my grandfather looked at at your shim negatively or or maybe his priority was more than your sham and could be he made that mistake because the garra says mafurish I think it gur shabas I don't remember which which there was somebody that came and there was the amar were sitting there And uh they didn't get up for him or they did get up for him and he asked one asked the other asked the one or asked the other one why no he got he didn't get up for somebody that was a lump he got up he got up for something that's and over there that is higher than lus than lus right okay so that's that's the way so my father went to Labavage and he was raised I could say by he's from Manash and uh later on he left Russia with 1946 47 I was my mother was pregnant with me in transit so I maybe my the pregnancy was in Russia but the was I was born the delivery you were born delivery was in Austria in in a lag in a DP camp DP camp right in Austria From there we went to Paris. From Paris we went to the United States to Boston to Worster to be exact. How old were you when you left to uh uh to America? I think I was four. It was 1950. Yeah. No, I I was born 47. I think five years old. I was around 5 years old. 52. Yeah, I think. So 51 52. So you came to Worcester? Herel Fogleman. Yes. Yes. And he's my wife's uncle. And and Saul Gordon. I'll never forget him. He shared me. You know, he's mess. He was your teacher. Yeah. He was he was good. Galdic. From there, my father got a job in Louisville, Kentucky. In Louisville, Kentucky. As what? As a rabbi? No, as a sham assistant rabbi. Right. Right. Okay. He ran the show. He ran. When the rabbi wasn't there, he would give the share, right? In Louisville. Wow. And then how many years was he there? He was there well 19 I would say almost maybe seven, eight years. Seven years. So you learned like I learned a day school there but then after B mitzvah I he sent me to or before Bitz sent me to beta in Brooklyn. Yeah. And uh and actually I learned before that I he wanted to send me TVAS butas didn't have a dormatory for me and there wasn't place in the dorm. Right. Right. So you came to No, I first went to Oh the mat. Yeah. Yeah. And then I went to at that time it was in the lower east side. Yes. Yes. And they had a dormatory. Then I stayed by I stayed by Madame Schmool Fischer. Yeah. Fisher. He was he was the son-in-law of the Matro, right? Yeah. And uh then I went to Babage. Why' you switch? Huh? Why did you switch? Why did you transfer? You weren't happy in in cyer or just a babage boy. You want I remember when when I stayed at when I was at I went to Rabbi Fish and not right away. The first year I stayed by Rabbi Aron. Oh, right. Yeah. Well, his wife. His wife. Yeah. Yeah. She was a Yeah. Yeah. And he used to take me I remember the first he took me was 1959, not 58. Was 1958 to Tuskis. It was in Albony terrace. and or terrace or maybe in I don't remember but I remember I was very very impressed it was the first time I in my life I saw such an and I heard the rebel speak and uh and I think he it was the middle of the mimer I think when I came in it was in the in the middle of the mimer and uh you know it was it impacted you oh yeah and this was before bar mitzvah according to Yes. Yes. You weren't bar mitzvah yet. I think you had your bar mitzvah in 1960. Right. Right. Then then after mitzvah I went to Bet went to Betin and from there you know the rest is history. Right. Who who who in Bedford were you like from close to which of the Rebies of Rashel or Abdraskin? I mean who was like who did you have an affinity to? Actually mainly Rabio although he came in you know the end of the day to teach sudas. Yeah my my rabbi was at first was Rabbi Garfinkle. No first was Rabbi Milski. Yeah. Mosha Bilski then Rabbi Garfink then Rabbi Buket and then and at night and I wasn't I didn't have a special affinity with them other than they were my teacher. Yeah. Yeah. That was the Shivaktana. And then when we when we ended Shivaktana there the there were groups mean elementary school. There were groups there were groups of the my class that went to Montreal. Well, who who else were in class with the Marshall? Who were the some of the boys in your class? Lang Jacobson. Yeah. Menal Lipster I think. Mendle from South Africa. Yes. He came later and Oh, okay. Go ahead. So, some went to Montreal. So, some went to Montreal. Some went to Newark. Someone went to Kabad. Okay. I went to Krakabad. I was one of those that went to Krababad. Who else went with you toad? Well, with me on the plane, nobody. But there was already I think Shanaban was there. He came later. Yeah. And Yeah. Sean was already there. Yeah. Yeah. And no Kaplan. Yeah. No Kaplan from No Kaplan. No Mendel's father. Yeah. And he came Sha there was Yes. I think there was a month or two that I learned with him. Mhm. Also Pelman was there that time. Ber where we've sat at the same table. You see this and also Yanke Kaplume the father of Yuda Kapune just became yeah the the representative for anti-semit for Trump. Yeah. Right. So Yanke Kaplon we we sat together. Let me let me ask you what do you remember about you said you were close to you felt close to Rabio. Could you just tell me a little bit about that? Well I was able to talk to him personal things. He was your mashia. Yes. I'm saying in yeshiva he he taught yidas. Yes. Yes. Your class. Yes. Was that the same class as Yankran? No. You're much older. Yanka is older. Okay. Y munan's uh age. They're older. They were older. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So you were able to talk to them personal things. Personal things. Yeah. And there was very there was a very nice rapport between and he and he faba a lot with you boys. What did he instill in you? I mean then you buck him like at that age conscious. Mhm. Um anything else that you stands out that you remember that you want to share? Not at the moment. Okay. Okay. So you you you go to tell and you learn. So and what year was this? 19 66. Yes. Right. This very interesting here. In those days you would go to on your your birthday. Yeah. And it's once a year, right? However, if you were already at the like my med was in and I went into at that time and later on during that year after I was by the way if somebody would go overseas to learn he would go into the Reb again. right to to say the uh farewell. Yeah. Farewell blessing. Yeah. Now that year 1966 was a very very interesting year for me personally because 1965 technically. Go ahead. Okay. Yeah. Right. broke his foot. He was right. And a personal assistant like Yeah. And he asked me a favor if I could replace him by the Oh, like a waiter or whatever, you know? Right. at the Yumiper meal that was by the rabbit. Right. By rabbit, right, right, right. And uh, of course, I I took the the opportunity and I was there and I sat at the, you know, there was a minion there. There was and was Rashag. Rashag. Next to him was was and I remember if it was or he was there too but I next to Rashag I think it was but Riiffken was reelkin yeah Rken and and there and was the like the MC yeah and he he was and another I don't remember the others and I was sitting at the at the end at the table right and at first when he offered me the job I thought it was I was thrilled you know to sit with the reb eating but then I saw I can't do it again this is you know for because you're sitting there she can't you can't eat the reb is there so I didn't eat I was just sitting there and then when they asked me to to bring the reba soup I said no I can I couldn't do that because I know what I just spill spill the food. I mean, you know, it was you were fearful. You were in awe. Yeah. Yeah. The years are covered or that, you know, it it wasn't for me, right? It's only 10 people. It's quiet in the room. But the Reb is there, right? The Reb is there. It's not the 10 people. The Reb is there. And I'm sitting there. I didn't eat. I couldn't eat. And so, you just sat in the place. I just sat in the place. But the funny thing is I made a moi. But the You made what? I mean, when you watched. Yeah, cuz I didn't know yet I wouldn't be able to eat. But but the funny thing is that later on after they didn't meet they didn't need me for a minion. It was a minion I think with me was either 11 or 12, right? But later on when I took I took the place off the table next to me. I didn't go up to the I didn't and that there were two waiters there. I think Mala Mala what his name I think he was there too with me. Okay. He so he he I let them do with the Reb and take the stuff from the Reb bring the stuff to the Reb but I I I dealt with my my area and I was in the kitchen. By the way in the kitchen did you see the rabbitson and the women? No they were in the other room. So you didn't even see them? No. I knew they were there, but I didn't see them. Okay. So, and I was in the kitchen and I was, you know, I was dealing with the with the with the dishwear and all that and suddenly somebody I don't remember who came running in and he says, "What are you doing here?" DV is waiting for you because didn't want to start benching. I was part of the the group of the group. So, I didn't I didn't didn't dawn on me that they'd need me for a meeting. There was a meeting without me, right? So he said, "What are you doing today? I was waiting for you come." So I ran it back in and that was that. Now two weeks later after Shabas, I went into the again like I said before for right because you're going back to No, not going back. The first time I went to You're going to Yeah. So I went into the reb for separate says to me he reads the thing say it loud and slow please. I'm going to make a deal with you. Yes. You don't deal. No. Say it in Yiddish and then I'll translate. You should write to the Reb every tell me what you're learning. And then he looks up to me with a half smile and he says, I don't mean no. He says, "I I want you should write to me every once a month." You just said that before. And he looks up to me with a smile. You shouldn't I don't mean you should write to me about the weather. You should write to me about what you learned. And he said this while he was uh he writing at me with a half smile. Right. Right. Okay. And then he gave me a blocker.