By COLlive staff
To those watching from the outside, the life of R’ Zalman Deitsch seemed tragic. A few weeks before his wedding, his father R’ Sholom Deitsch passed away.
In a new biography A Chassid, a Businessman by Dovid Zaklikowski, we learn that Zalman faced up to the challenge, becoming a model businessman, while being a devoted Lubavitcher chossid.
“The Deitsch family was suddenly thrown into unknown territory,” the book tells of that moments after the passing of Zalman’s father, “grieving for their beloved father and breadwinner while preparing for a wedding. Every day brought new pain and new challenges.”
It was during the family’s yechidus with the Rebbe, just before his wedding, that the Rebbe shaped the rest of his life.
Zalman’s mother, Mirel Deitsch, asked the Rebbe who would support her family, to which the Rebbe responded that Zalman would take over his father’s textile business and help support his mother and siblings. “But he doesn’t have any experience,” Mirel said. The Rebbe lifted his holy hand, smiled, and said, “He will yet learn.”
Thus Zalman became the sole breadwinner for his large family of siblings, building a successful textile firm. “In yeshiva, Zalman had been a stellar student whose world was contained within the volumes of Chassidus and Gemara. His heart had never been in measuring tape and rolls of fabric.”
The journey of Zalman is told in vivid detail, through all his challenges and triumphs. It unfolds his never-ending will to be a soldier in the Rebbe’s Army, if it could not be in some far off location, it would have to be in Crown Heights.
“I sat with a lot of tissues,” one reader said, but when completed felt uplifted, “It was heartwarming, friendly and it relayed everything of how to be a Chassid in whatever you do.”
The book is available at HasidicArchives.com
knew him personally what a chossid and his children should be proud of him
I arrived in Crown Heights for Tishrei with a group from Australia. There was a mix-up (wrong address) and I was stranded on Carrol St with a friend of mine, just having flown for 24 hours. The Yeshivah Gedolah shluchim who arranged the trip, called R’ Zalman. He said for sure. Chezki immediately came to pick us up. By the time we arrived, there were two beds made for us in and the air conditioning was on. We stayed there for Tishrei.
The Deitsch’s were also hosting 7 Israeli bochrim and several nieces and nephews.