Between the Hammer and the sickle

8/13/2019 Between the Hammer and the sickle

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DID RABBI YEHUDA LEIB LEVIN PLACATE T

Between

theHammer

theHammer


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OVIETS FOR THE SAKE OF JEWISH SURVIVAL?

The Choral Synagogue interior in Moscow, Russia

and

theSickle

theSickle


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130 A M I M A G A Z I N E / / N O V E M B E R 2 7 , 2 0 1 3 / / 2 4 K I S L E V 5 7 7 4

1968, Rabbi Yehuda Leib Levin arrived from Russia for a visit tothe United States, igniting one of the most heated controversiesin American Jewish history. Although he had deftly headed theSoviet Jewish community as Chief Rabbi of Moscow for manyyears, some American Jews suspected he was merely a puppet

for the Soviet regime to ease Cold War tensions. Their suspicionswere conrmed after Rabbi Levin made a number of public state-ments praising the rights and freedoms enjoyed by Jews underthe Soviets, going so far as to say that anti-Semitism was non-existent anywhere in the country. By the trips end, Rabbi Levinfound himself the target of contempt of a signicant portion of

American Jewry, vilied by newspapers across the nation.What Levins critics didnt know, however, was that his state-

ments were a skilled political tactic, a heartfelt and desperateattempt to ensure the safety and protection of thousands of Rus-sian Jews whose lives were in danger.

Rabbi Levins trip, while certainly interesting as a historicalfootnote, was in fact a microcosm of one mans lifelong struggle

to placate an antagonistic government while protecting Jewishsurvival at any cost. The gripping story of his life, spanning themost tumultuous periods in modern history, is proled in a newvolume entitled Lev Yehuda. His granddaughter, Ella Skoblo, hasalso come forward to give insight into the life of this singularindividual.

Born in 1894 to Rabbi Eliyahu Shmuel Levin and his wifeBluma, young Yehuda Leib was the scion of a long line of rabbin-ical giants. Reb Eliyahu Shmuel was the rabbi of Nikopol, wherehis son was born, and also served on the beis dinof Rabbi MeirLeibush, known as the Malbim.

In 1921, Rabbi Levin married Freida Feldman and later becamthe rabbi of Grishino, Ukraine. When the Nazis captured the ciin 1941, he escaped with his family to Uzbekistan until the warend. Later, Rabbi Levin returned to Ukraine and became a raviDnepropetrovsk until 1953, when he was forced to leave becaus

of false accusations against him by the Soviet government. Fromthere he moved to Krasnokamensk, Russia, to be close to hthree daughters.

At the time Krasnokamensk was without a shul, and RabbLevin felt compelled to make one in his home, despite the riskit entailed for him and his family. They would search his housevery day, his granddaughter tells me, ransacking the placlooking for evidence of anti-revolutionary activity. In Russia therwas always a fear of being arrested. My grandfather would tethem every time they came that no one else was involved in hactivities. This has to do only with me, not my wife or childrenhe would say.

That fear of arrest persisted long after the fall of the Iron Cu

tain; indeed, even today Mrs. Skoblo voices reservations abousharing certain details for fear of reprisal from the KGB.

Life in Krasnokamensk was difcult, as Rabbi Levin had nofcial rabbinical position and was unable to nd other workHe was a very clever man who could have found any numbeof respectful jobs, Mrs. Skoblo said, but it would have beedangerous for him not to work on Shabbos. So he supported hfamily by going around with a wagon collecting old clothes to sefor scrap. The community, though, felt that it wasnt bettingravof his stature, so they collectively purchased a stock of needles and thread for him to sell to provide him with a steady an

In Rabbi Levin during a shiur

BY DOVID ZAKLIKOWSKI


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respectable income.In 1953 the infamous Soviet despot Josef Stalin died, giving the

persecuted Jews some breathing space. Life became a little easier

for everyone, not just those who were Jewish, explained Mrs.Skoblo. But that didnt mean the pressure was off entirely. Thegovernment began to let older people who wanted to befrum...observe mitzvos. But for the younger people, especially those inschool and college, it was a different story.

Into the spotlightStill, Rabbi Shlomo Shleifer, then Chief Rabbi of Moscow, took

advantage of the reprieve and obtained permission from the gov-ernment to open ayeshivah, the rst one to operate publicly sincethe Communists had closed down Jewish schools in the early1920s. The school, Kol Yaakov, opened its doors in 1957, andRabbi Levin was called upon to serve as its rosh yeshivah. It wasthis position that rst placed Rabbi Levin in the internationalspotlight.

Young Jewish men from across the Soviet Union clamored foracceptance to Kol Yaakov, and it quickly gained a reputation forhaving a student body ofyerei'ei shamayim. Rabbi Levin corre-sponded with communities throughout Russia in need of strongleadership, and handpicked his own graduates to ll the void.

But that didnt mean the school was without its critics. TheLefer Ravof St. Petersburg openly condemned the yeshivah,believing it to be a front for the KGB trying to show the worldthat Russia accommodated the religious needs of Jews. It wasthe rst but far from the last time that fellow Jews would accuse

Rabbi Levin of working in tandem with the Soviets. However,when the Lefer Rav later visited the school he was impressed bythe depth and breadth of the students knowledge, and concededthat the rosh yeshivahwasclearly not a government pawn and thathis efforts were solely intended to build up the Jewish people.

A year after the yeshivahopened, the chief rabbi of Moscowpassed away and Rabbi Levin was appointed as his replacement.Under the constant scrutiny of Soviet eyesand ears, after theyplaced bugs in his ofcehe would be forced to navigate thegovernments mercurial whims with the skill and dexterity of atightrope walker.

One of his rst balancing acts was when the Communistsdecided they no longer wanted Kol Yaakovto remain open and

began looking for ways to close it. According to Mrs. Skoblo,A lot of boys at the yeshivahwere from Georgiaand they gotsomeone to bring fruit from there to Moscow. [The weather wastoo cold in Moscow for growing fruit.] The students were arrestedand charged with trying to smuggle food, which was illegal with-out an export license, and they closed the yeshivahdown. Myzeideworked to have them freed. He was ultimately successfuland also got the school to reopen. At one point the Soviets evenremoved Rabbi Levin from his position as rosh yeshivah, hopingthe school would fall apart with no one at the helm.

As chief rabbi, Rabbi Levin was committed to protecting the

welfare of Moscows Jews. But the position inadvertently placehim in the public eye as the representative of all of Soviet JewrIt was a daunting task, because even though the Communi

oppression had lifted somewhat after Stalins death, remaininJewish was still a struggle. In Russia, if you openly admittethat you were Jewish in front of other people you were a herosaid Mrs. Skoblo. To befrumin the Soviet Union, you had toght to survive every day. While older Jews had more freedomto observe mitzvosand attend shul,their younger counterpartwho were considered more valuable politically, were challengeat every step. Whenever we went to shulto bring somethinto zeideor pick something up, she recalled, there was alwaya Soviet ofcial who would ask us what we were doing thereThe authorities would also harass parents, warning them of thrisks of raising an openly Jewish child in a Communist countrLetters were sent to schools informing them if a certain familwasnt toeing the Communist line. I was the only Jewish kiin my class. It wasnt comfortable to be pointed out as Jewish b

Rabbi Levin and his shadow Soviet ofcial (left) who alwaysfollowed him and reported his every move to Communist ofcials

The grand Choral Synagogue in Moscow


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say could have a very real effect on their welfare. According tothe biographer of the late Rabbi Pinchas Teitz, one of the fore-most American activists for Soviet Jewry, Russian ofcials...couldpunish Jews under their sway if activities in the United States irri-tated them. [The] argument was that halachicallywe are obligatedto avoid placing people in danger. Consequently, Rabbi Levinchose to speak out in defense of the Communists, even if what

he said was untrue.There was another motivation compelling him to agree to the

trip, despite the fact that he was not a young man and was thenrecuperating from a painful surgery: He had written a sefer lledwith his own chiddushimthat was too dangerous for him to havepublished in Russia. If he brought his manuscript to the States,there was a chance it would be printed. A copy was hidden underhis bandages and smuggled in, which was later entrusted to a ravwho promised to have it published.

The ACJ had planned an event at Hunter College in Manhattanwhere Rabbi Levin was scheduled to speak, although he was notwithout reservations. I am concerned that there will be distur-bances, he conded to Rabbi Teitz. My better judgment dictatesthat I shouldnt be there. Still, he went, and addressed the crowdafter a series of ACJ-sponsored speeches spewing hatred againstthe Jewish State.

Rabbi Levin described in glowing terms what Jewish life waslike in Russia to the crowd of almost 2,000: There was koshermeat, a mikvah, a mohel, and matzah was readily available forPesach. He declared that Jews in the Soviet Union enjoyed just as

much freedom as any other religious group to contribute to thadvancement of our country and to the happiness of the Jewispeople as a whole.

Looking back, Rothmann said that Rabbi Levin was never traitor; he was doing the best he could in his situation. He wanot an evil man; he was a victim of his times and circumstanceThe people who were watching him in New York didnt know[this], and to them Rabbi Levin was a quisling.

Reaction to the speech was hostile. Audience members loudjeered the rabbi, shouting, Lies! One person stood up and chalenged him directly. How can you as a rabbi say these things?!

Let American Jews come to Russia and see for themselves

Rabbi Shleifer gives a class at the MoscowYeshivah. Standing next to him, Rabbi Katz (leftand Rabbi Levin. Reb Mottel Lifshitz, Mottel deSchochet is sitting in the rst row, second from

the left. Photo: Rabbi Levi Haskelevic

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Rabbi Levin replied. But the damage was already done.Rabbi Levin was devastated. They killed me! he cried to Rabbi

Teitz that evening over the phone. However, his pain was not forhimself; he was terried of the repercussions that would befallthe Jews once word got back to Russia about what happened. The

American Jews who thought they were improving the lot of SovietJewry by inciting hatred against the Communists were in realitydoing the exact opposite.

After the incident at Hunter College, the ACJ no longer wishedto be associated with the trip and offered to return Rabbi Levinto Moscow as soon as possible. However, Rabbi Teitz and other

Jewish groups stepped in to oversee the rest of Rabbi Levins visit,

which then proceeded uneventfully. Rabbi Levin was greeted byNew York Mayor John V. Lindsay as well as the American ambas-sador to the United Nations, and Rabbi Teitz hosted an event athis school in Elizabeth, New Jersey, in Rabbi Levins honor.

One of the most poignant moments was at a gathering foryeshi-vahstudents at which Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky spoke, recallinghis time with Rabbi Levin in Slobodka. Looking at all the faces ofthefrum children, Rabbi Levin was moved to recite a Shehechey-anu, thanking Hashem for permitting him to see such a thing.

Indeed, witnessing the vibrant Jewish world in America had apowerful effect on the Russian rabbi. Rabbi Teitz likened him toChoni Hameagel, the sage who slept for 70 years before wakingup: Rabbi Levin has come back to life from seeing Jewish life in

the United States.After meeting him in person, several prominent Jewish lead-

ers stepped forward to speak on his behalf. Rabbi Simcha Elberg,chairman of the executive board of the Agudas HaRabonimwrote, It was always clear to me that [Rabbi Levin] was a captive,with his mouth tied up and chained. He never voiced anythingthat he was prohibited to state. Every word he said was preciseand deliberate. It was clear to him that this was the only way hecould advocate on behalf of Soviet Jewry. In response to RabbiLevins critics Rabbi Elberg asked, Wouldyou like to volunteer tobecome a rabbi in the Soviet Union? How much mesiras nefeshare

you willing to have? I am sure I would not be able to nd one candidatefor who would want to place himself in physical dangevery single moment of the day?

Perhaps the most vocal advocate of Rabbi Levin was thLubavitcher Rebbe, who met with him twice during his time in thStates. The Rebbe had long been involved in the plight of SovieJewry, sending his own shluchimto Russia disguised as tourists tdistribute Jewish items and train teachers in communities acrothe USSR. The Rebbe knew the reality of life there, and understoofull well what Rabbi Levin was up against. Of those gathered athe [Hunter College] event, the Lubavitcher Rebbe said, mandid not know how to read alef-beis. No one who was present the

said, Lets make an effort that anyone in our country who hasnhad a Jewish education should receive one. They worried abouthe education of the Jews in Russia, when they knew there wanothing they could have done at that moment to make [the situation] better. Instead of attacking Rabbi Levin, he said, they shoulhave praised the tenacity of a man who lived for 50 years undean oppressive regime yet still looks like a true rav.

While the original sponsor of the visit had evil intentionsaccording to Rabbi Arthur Schneier, a pioneer activist for Sovie

Jewry, Rabbi Levins subsequent contact with responsible leadeof the Jewish community was important to him and to the Jewiscommunity in the Soviet Union. By the eve of Rabbi Levins farewell dinner, which was attended by Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, th

tensions at Hunter College seemed a distant, unpleasant memoras the roomful of guests danced and sang with the guest of honoIt was apparent to all that the bond between Soviet and America

Jewry was rmly intact.Three years after his return to Russia Rabbi Levin passed awa

Family TiesAlthough an invitation was extended to Rabbi Levin to sta

in the US he declined to accept it, his granddaughter explainebecause that could have gotten our family in trouble in RussiHe also told us that not many Jews were knowledgeable in Yid

Instead of attacking him,said the Lubavitcher Rebbe,they should praise the

tenacity of a man wholived for 50 years underan oppressive regime yetstill looks like a truerav.

Rabbi Levins funeral, whichwas attended by thousands andmany dignitaries from Russiaand abroad


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dishkeit and he was one of the last, so hewanted to return for the sake of the Jewsin Russia.

This included his own family members,who, despite his tremendous sacrices tokeep Yiddishkeitalive, had little connec-tion to Judaism. Whenever he would

talk about his illustrious rabbinical heri-tage we werent interested, Mrs. Skoblorecalled. We would say, Zeide, if youtold us you were descended from somegreat Communist leader wed want tohear about it, but we dont want to hearabout rabbis.

Mrs. Skoblo remembers her grandfa-thers amazement at the sheer numberof young religious Jews in America. Butsomehow his enthusiasm failed to inspirehis own relatives. We were young andnot interested in all that, she said. We

wanted to know what life was like in America. Do they havenice boots? How long do you have to work to buy a pair? InRussia, it would take a whole month to earn enough money.

Years later, however, Mrs. Skoblo, the matriarch of her own lovelyfrumfamily, can appreciate the import of her grandfathers words.

Although his grandchildrens lack of interest was painful tohim, Rabbi Levin understood that it was a result of their lack ofaccess to Yiddishkeitin Russia. Still, he made one request of hisyoung granddaughter: You should always remember your family,and never marry a non-Jew.

Indeed, Rabbi Levins words would have a profound effect onthe course of her life. On the advice of her father, Ella Skoblos

mother, Rivka Rosenstein, took her two young children to Israeland raised them there. Later, as a young woman, Ella arrived inNew York and found herself a place to stay in Crown Heights.Remembering the manuscript her grandfather had written andsmuggled into the United States, she tried to nd out if it hadever been published. She contacted the rabbi her grandfather hadgiven it to, but he told her it had never been printed because itwas too expensive and unlikely to make much of a prot. Despiteher efforts to retrieve it, she never got it back from him.

Sometime later, after becoming engaged to a fellow Rus-sian immigrant, Mrs. Skoblo had a private audience with theLubavitcher Rebbe. He asked her how she had ended up inCrown Heights.

It just happened, she replied.Everything in the world occurs with individual Divine prov

dence, the Rebbe said. Your grandfather was here twice and wspoke about your family. He must have arranged from Above thayou should come here.

That moment solidied her connection with her grandfather, well as his encouragement to remember her roots.

For many years she dreamed of publishing her grandfatherwritings, but never possessed a copy. Back in Russia there haactually been one, but her mother had chosen not to take it witthem when they emigrated, thinking that if had already beepublished in America it wasnt worth the risk of getting caughand not being able to leave the country.

In 1987 Mrs. Skoblo returned to the Soviet Union to visit hefathers grave. While there, a cousin told her that she had discovered the manuscript in their grandparents house. She gave it tElla, who was overjoyed and brought it back to New York.

Still, it took many years for the book to be published. Eactime she tried to move forward with publication something happened to prevent its printing. Finally, in honor of her daughterwedding, the manuscript was brought to press. Even after thbook was printed, she said, I was still unsure if we had done thright thing. Maybe there was a good reason we had never beesuccessful in printing it.

Shortly after the books publication, she happened to see a picture of her grandfather in a Russian language newspaper. Thaccompanying article recounted how he had written a book ochiddushei Torahbut was unable to have it printed in the SovieUnion. She also learned that he had tried to have it published ban American who was visiting Russia in 1965.

Mrs. Skoblo was amazed. I felt it was a message from my zeidsaying that it was a good thing we had printed it.

As chief rabbi of Moscow, Rabbi Yehuda Leib Levin worked tirlessly for many years, under the most trying of circumstances, tkeep Judaism alive in Russia. He played a key role in the gradurevival of Jewish observance in the Soviet Union, and his visit tNew York, although marked by controversy, was also pivotal iconnecting the American and Soviet Jewish worlds. While manwere quick to criticize him, they failed to consider the time anplace in which he lived. It was the height of the Cold War, saiRabbi Schneier. It was a very dark period, and any religious leadein the Soviet Union was very much constrained by the limitationof what he could do. Under those circumstances, being in RabbLevins position was true mesiras nefesh. As I said at his funeral iMoscow, Dont judge a man until you have reached his place.

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Between the Hammer and the sickle