By COLlive reporter
HaRav Shmuel Kamenetsky, Rosh Yeshiva of Philadelphia and a senior member of Agudath Israel of America’s Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, recently hosted 2 representatives of the Yad L’Achim organization which rescues thousands of Jewish women and children trapped in Arab villages.
Rabbi Kamenetsky warmly welcomed Rabbi Nesanel Gantz – Director of the Brooklyn Office of Yad L’Achim, and Rabbi Yossi Eliav – Director of Special Projects at Yad L’Achim who is also the Chabad Shliach at Pratt Institute and Clinton Hill in Brooklyn.
During their visit, Rabbi Kamenetsky showed them a special chair in which leading rabbonim of the past generation sat while they visited the noted Jewish philanthropist Jennie Miller-Faggen following the Second World War.
Peshe or Pessel, as she was called, was born in America as the daughter of Yisroel Miller, a descendant of R’ Akiva Eiger, the outstanding Talmid Chacham and posek in Europe during the early 19th century.
Her husband Nissan (Nathan) Fagen was a nephew of Rabbi Yechezkel Feigin (“Reb Chatche Feigin”), the famed secretary of the Frierdiker who left no descendants when his entire family was murdered by the Nazis.
Widowed and childless, Ms. Miller-Faggen was very generous and would send money on a monthly basis to Europe in the 1930’s and 1940’s during the war in support of struggling yeshivas. When yeshivas later moved to the US after the war, she continued her support.
In honor of Rosh Hashana every year, she would go to the post office and send dozens of wires with donations to the various institutions she supported. She would also be honored with rabbonim and roshei yeshiva visiting her home in Philadelphia and designated an honorable chair for them to sit on.
The chair itself also has a special connection to Chabad.
“Rav Kamenetsky told me during our visit that the Frierdiker Rebbe came to visit her as well, and sat on this chair,” Rabbi Eliav told COLlive.com.
According to a JTA report on December 29, 1929, Miller Faggen attended a 500-person banquet with the Frierdiker Rebbe “to help him carry on the religious and cultural work in which he is engaged in Soviet Russia.”
A total of $10,000 was pledged at this fundraising event, $5000 of which was donated by Miller-Faggen. Hers was the largest donation of the evening, the JTA reported.
JTA wrote that “In thanking the guests for their appreciation of his work the Lubawitscher Rabbi told of the sufferings of Jews in Russia and said the Jewish youth there is risking its life for Judaism, ‘in the same manner and in the same measure as is the older generation.'”
Miller-Faggen gifted the chair to Rabbi Kamenetsky one year for Mishloach Manos and it is now in his home.
Rabbi Kamenetsky also gave a Bracha to Rabbi Eliav and his wife for their new Shlichus position and encouraged the important work taking place.
B”H
What kind of work did she do that she had the money to donate? Was she married? Does she have descendants? Was this before the Great Depression? Was this during the time the Friediker Rebbe went to Morristown?
Definitely a misunderstanding here: The Rebbe was never in Philadelphia. The Frierdiker Rebbe visited Philadelphia in December 1929, but the Rebbe was not present. Probably meant the Rashag was standing at his side.
of course the freierdiker rebbe was in Philadelphia
The Previous Rebbe wanted to center Lubavitch in America in Philadelphia. First stop when he arrived in America, that earlier occasion, after Yud Beit Tammuz, was Philadelphia where he met with youth and stated they were ripe to take a short amount of time to put on Tefillin. (Last stop that trip was St. Louis)
From the story and pictures looks like such a warm and “lichtig” person. So special, and inspiring.
I had the honor of meeting with Rabbi Kamenetsky about 15 years ago when abuse was still very much untalked about in our community. He really helped solidify yiddishkeits stance on the issue and how one should approach the issue. He understood the depth of the issue far before it was widely discussed. He is truly a wise man.
I remember hearing Rav Kaminetsky stating in his opening remarks at the
convention that there is the saying that we have to live with the times – the Parsha of the week!
(obviously didn’t mention the Alter Rebbe).
Actually the Shelah mentions it
if you know rav shmuel i guarantee you he doesnt know its from the baal hatanya .. the rosh yeshiva probably heard it at some dinner and thought it was a good vort
i straddle both worlds i grew up in CH yet learned in litvishe mosdos ..&.im always amazed that with all the technology… each circle of klal yisroel knows so little about the inner workings of kehilos a few miles down
Yossi Eliav is the best!!!!!!!
The Fredicker Rebbe spent Shabbas in 1929 in Philadelphia in a Bais Medrash called Anshe Lubavitch. The Chassidim were all his fathers Chassidim. My great grandfather, his brother, and his brother in law and four others founded the shul in 1912 when they came to America. It functioned until the early 50s when the neighborhood changed. My grandfather remembered the Shabbas. Elya Brill
Keep up the great work!!! So nice to see you spreading the light and joining all sects of jews in unison to make a global impact.
Much success!