Alter the Maggid (the
Malierke's son-in-law), was a "handsome" Jew, with a thick black
beard and beautiful blue eyes. He was nicely clothed and wore a
broad, Hassidic hat. He used to speak slowly, was tender-hearted,
amiable, accommodating, and on friendly terms even with his
opponents. He was, however, a bigot and always acted in accordance
with the wishes of the ultra-orthodox Rabbi of Zambrów. He was
opposed to any innovation in Jewish life, and he used to point to
the religious failures of the Zambrów people, exhorting the
"sinners". He hated the Zionists and Socialists and fought the
modern school for children, the Library, etc.
In 1924 he was invited
by the Zambrów Society in the United States to come to America. He
went there, and when he left, his adherents said that
Zambrów will never get such an excellent maggid... In the States
he continued to preach, although his anti-Zionist tirades and
declamation became more and more rare. He felt that one should
understand the new times and new "winds"... Later he was Rabbi of
the United Synagogue of Zambrów-Yedvabna. He died in the
U.S.A. in 1953. next
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