Author Topic: Is this story true?  (Read 18403 times)

Offline aussiebochur

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: May 2010
  • Posts: 5322
  • Total likes: 8
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 24
    • View Profile
Re: Is this story true?
« Reply #20 on: September 05, 2011, 07:25:55 AM »
Which story? R' Aaron barely ate or slept during those years so I highly doubt that he was publishing his Kuntros while he could have used money so save people
Like I said, I haven't read the book so don't know.
You could check the book for the story and/or source.

I guess you can contact the authors family, http://www.fuchs.org/AvrahamFuchs/AvrahamFuchsBooks.htm

Maybe even sponsor the next printing if you really like it ;)

Offline moish

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 10006
  • Total likes: 297
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Programs: AA LT Plat, Avis, SPG Plat
Re: Is this story true?
« Reply #21 on: September 05, 2011, 07:46:44 AM »
I really feel bad to bring this up but I feel it's necessary being that I'm related to a young bochur who died of hunger in a Lubavitch yeshiva during WW2 which was right next to one of Aharon Kotler's yeshivas which at the time had a surplus of food. However the yeshiva was instructed by Aharon Kotler not to provide any food to the starving Lubavitch bochurim in the neighboring yeshiva. In fact some of the bochurim in Aharon Kotler's yeshiva took pity and broke the rules by sneaking a bag of rice to the Lubavitch bochurim. Several Lubavitch bochurim died of hunger when the supply stopped.

Another story: My great aunt worked in Aharon Kotler's office and they received a desperate plea from R. Weismandel in Slovokia who had bribed nazi officials to release thousands of Jews. At one point he secured a deal with Eichman to release many of the Hungarian Jews in the camps in late 1944 for an unknown sum of money. The request begged Aharon Kotler to help raise the funds needed to secure their release. His response was "NO" but he went on to print an updated version of "Shita Mekubetzes" (priorities?)

This story was documented a book called "The Unheeded Cry"

Needless to say I have a hard time believing the above mentioned  story...


the story is obviously not true, since aharon kotler is not nearly that old, unless youre referring to his grandfather Rav Aharon Kotler in which case all i can say is shame on you mechutzef.

Offline MarkS

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Dec 2009
  • Posts: 3761
  • Total likes: 70
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 5
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Is this story true?
« Reply #22 on: September 05, 2011, 10:22:53 AM »
I really feel bad to bring this up but I feel it's necessary being that I'm related to a young bochur who died of hunger in a Lubavitch yeshiva during WW2 which was right next to one of Aharon Kotler's yeshivas which at the time had a surplus of food. However the yeshiva was instructed by Aharon Kotler not to provide any food to the starving Lubavitch bochurim in the neighboring yeshiva. In fact some of the bochurim in Aharon Kotler's yeshiva took pity and broke the rules by sneaking a bag of rice to the Lubavitch bochurim. Several Lubavitch bochurim died of hunger when the supply stopped.

Another story: My great aunt worked in Aharon Kotler's office and they received a desperate plea from R. Weismandel in Slovokia who had bribed nazi officials to release thousands of Jews. At one point he secured a deal with Eichman to release many of the Hungarian Jews in the camps in late 1944 for an unknown sum of money. The request begged Aharon Kotler to help raise the funds needed to secure their release. His response was "NO" but he went on to print an updated version of "Shita Mekubetzes" (priorities?)

This story was documented a book called "The Unheeded Cry"

Needless to say I have a hard time believing the above mentioned  story...


So basically you are saying that Harav Aharon Kotler didn't care about saving jewish lives, wasn't caring and compassionate, had skewed priorities, and was heartless???    SHAME ON YOU!!!!
Some of the things that Rav Aharon was most famous for was his active work in saving jews in WW2.
There are many stories of how he dropped everything, and went door to door (even on Shabbos when an emergency Pikuach Nefesh situation came up) fundraising to help save Yidden from the holocaust! He used to go to Washington D.C. to Plead with the President and Senators to help stop what was going on in the concentration camps!

I'm not going to go in to his Gadlus Batorah now, but even just on the Chesed aspect and caring for and helping every jew that he came in contact with,  I wonder who made up those fake stories that you wrote!!

Offline elikay

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: May 2010
  • Posts: 5400
  • Total likes: 38
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
Re: Is this story true?
« Reply #23 on: September 05, 2011, 10:24:10 AM »
I am shocked appalled and disgusted, why don't we start a new thread: "Purported scandals about Rabbonim" Besides that the stories do not factually add up (its almost funny that anyone would believe them) But on a more serious note, I don't think that these type of posts are beneficial to the forums. The beauty of the forums as Dan has pointed out (Re: DO) is that you've got people from all types of backgrounds coming together. There are similar legends about lots of different people and it would not serve any purpose to start posting them. I think that such posts belong at the checkout tabloids and not on DDF.
« Last Edit: September 05, 2011, 10:28:36 AM by elikay »

Offline elikay

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: May 2010
  • Posts: 5400
  • Total likes: 38
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
Re: Is this story true?
« Reply #24 on: September 05, 2011, 10:27:22 AM »
I would love to see it in the book (can anyone who knows where it is, link to google books?) I doubt it says anything even remotely similar.

Offline Dan

  • Administrator
  • Dansdeals Lifetime 50K Diamond Elite
  • **********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 67599
  • Total likes: 16912
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 16442
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: CLE
  • Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, DL Dirt, Hyatt Glob, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, DD Diamond, Blocked By @NeriaKraus
Re: Is this story true?
« Reply #25 on: September 05, 2011, 11:11:22 AM »
Much appreciated if anyone can quote an excerpt from the book about the alleged story in question...
Was the story heard from a UK travel agent by any chance?
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline damaxer91

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Jul 2008
  • Posts: 3182
  • Total likes: 64
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 6
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Is this story true?
« Reply #26 on: September 05, 2011, 11:24:52 AM »
Was the story heard from a UK travel agent by any chance?

Or on a certain "forum".......

Either way mods should delete as garbage like that has no place on a site like this

Offline Dan

  • Administrator
  • Dansdeals Lifetime 50K Diamond Elite
  • **********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 67599
  • Total likes: 16912
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 16442
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: CLE
  • Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, DL Dirt, Hyatt Glob, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, DD Diamond, Blocked By @NeriaKraus
Re: Is this story true?
« Reply #27 on: September 05, 2011, 11:26:44 AM »
Apparently another book on the subject written by one of the chabad bochurim who survived is "From Shedlitz to Safety" by R' Shimon Goldman.

Anyone have it?
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline Dan

  • Administrator
  • Dansdeals Lifetime 50K Diamond Elite
  • **********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 67599
  • Total likes: 16912
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 16442
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: CLE
  • Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, DL Dirt, Hyatt Glob, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, DD Diamond, Blocked By @NeriaKraus
Re: Is this story true?
« Reply #28 on: September 05, 2011, 11:28:01 AM »
Or on a certain "forum".......

Either way mods should delete as garbage like that has no place on a site like this
I'll delete it soon, but at this point I wouldn't mind if someone quoted some real facts about what actually happened (as sonthing did happen, although I doubt it's what Hudi said) from one of these books...
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline myb821

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Mar 2011
  • Posts: 7570
  • Total likes: 28
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
  • Location: New York
Re: Is this story true?
« Reply #29 on: September 05, 2011, 11:29:36 AM »
im going to try and get this book later i live by the YU library and they have it so if you leave this up a little longer i will try and go check it out

Offline Dan

  • Administrator
  • Dansdeals Lifetime 50K Diamond Elite
  • **********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 67599
  • Total likes: 16912
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 16442
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: CLE
  • Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, DL Dirt, Hyatt Glob, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, DD Diamond, Blocked By @NeriaKraus
Re: Is this story true?
« Reply #30 on: September 05, 2011, 11:33:04 AM »
im going to try and get this book later i live by the YU library and they have it so if you leave this up a little longer i will try and go check it out
TY, please look for "From Shedlitz to Safety" and "The Unheeded Cry"
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline myb821

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Mar 2011
  • Posts: 7570
  • Total likes: 28
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
  • Location: New York
Re: Is this story true?
« Reply #31 on: September 05, 2011, 12:00:45 PM »
it will have to wait library isnt open due to labor day

Offline elikay

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: May 2010
  • Posts: 5400
  • Total likes: 38
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
Re: Is this story true?
« Reply #32 on: September 05, 2011, 03:30:47 PM »
Fact is that there was a machlokes between the Rebbe Rayyatz and Horav Aharon Kotler predating the war. The Rebbe (as a result?) did not participate in the Vaad's activities (for a detailed account of the Vaad's efforts, see Kranzler's book on the Orthodox in America and the Holocaust called "Thy Brother's Blood" and Wyman and Medoff's book "Race Against Death").

Apparently for some reason (some speculate and try to nail it down to a specific reason) the Vaad did not include the Tomchei Temimim yeshiva in Shanghai in their Chaluka. The Rebbe then started his own Pidyon Shvuyim Fund. Indeed the Vaad funded many activities including printing seforim such as Shas and Rambam.

From another site (veracity unverified): "The fact is that one bochur out of the 29 approx boys in the Lubavitcher Yeshiva in Shanghai was nifter, his name was Chanowitz and he had been sickly back in Vilna, where he was from. He died of illness as did a number of the Mirrer [Yeshiva] and unfortunately many other refugees who succumbed to many illnesses."

Offline whYME

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 3213
  • Total likes: 1241
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 3
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Is this story true?
« Reply #33 on: September 08, 2011, 07:38:58 PM »
http://theantitzemach.blogspot.com/2006/01/shimon-says-j-accuse.html

I just happened to come across a link to this. He quotes Shimon Goldman ("From Shedlitz to Safety") There.

Offline Randomex

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Aug 2018
  • Posts: 279
  • Total likes: 741
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Lakewood
  • Programs: MSPaint, Notepad, Firefox, VLC Media Player - Old sig quote was found in Reb Mendel and His Wisdom
Re: Is this story true?
« Reply #34 on: September 11, 2020, 09:14:32 AM »
The story about the mob boss is also in one of the Visions of Greatness books.
I was told the story years earlier by the author in a day camp that he used to
run, and he named Frank Costello as the Italian gentleman in question.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Costello#Retirement_and_death
Do you want to play a board game, digitally or in Lakewood NJ? PM me. (Can be asynchronous, i.e. take turns whenever)

Offline CRACKERJACK

  • Dansdeals Gold Elite
  • ***
  • Join Date: Mar 2019
  • Posts: 162
  • Total likes: 25
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Is this story true?
« Reply #35 on: September 11, 2020, 09:49:19 AM »
The story about the mob boss is also in one of the Visions of Greatness books.
I was told the story years earlier by the author in a day camp that he used to
run, and he named Frank Costello as the Italian gentleman in question.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Costello#Retirement_and_death

sounds more accurate as joe bonano did not die until 2002 and did not have power during ww2

Offline Randomex

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Aug 2018
  • Posts: 279
  • Total likes: 741
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Lakewood
  • Programs: MSPaint, Notepad, Firefox, VLC Media Player - Old sig quote was found in Reb Mendel and His Wisdom
Re: Is this story true?
« Reply #36 on: September 11, 2020, 02:24:00 PM »
(In the book, a fictional name is used.)
Do you want to play a board game, digitally or in Lakewood NJ? PM me. (Can be asynchronous, i.e. take turns whenever)

Offline S209

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jun 2016
  • Posts: 7469
  • Total likes: 3930
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
    • Gowns By Shevy
  • Location: Lakewood
  • Programs: Marriott Gold, Star Alliance Gold, Hyatt Explorist, Hertz PC, National EE, Rock Royalty Wild Card, Wyndham Diamond, MLife Gold, Caesars Diamond, Hilton Diamond, Uber VIP, IHG Platinum Elite, ANA Platinum, DDF Lifetime Prez Platinum Elite, AmEx Platinum
Re: Is this story true?
« Reply #37 on: September 11, 2020, 02:51:36 PM »
The story about the mob boss is also in one of the Visions of Greatness books.
I was told the story years earlier by the author in a day camp that he used to
run, and he named Frank Costello as the Italian gentleman in question.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Costello#Retirement_and_death
Interesting, it seems Costello was married to a Jewish woman and was a close friend and associate with the famous Jewish gangsters Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegel
Quote from: YitzyS
Quotes in a signature is annoying, as it comes across as an independent post.

Offline m65

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Jul 2012
  • Posts: 1884
  • Total likes: 725
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: israel
Re: Is this story true?
« Reply #38 on: September 12, 2020, 02:50:59 PM »
there is a desperate case being made for a dislike button

Offline Kobe Bryant

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Jan 2017
  • Posts: 3764
  • Total likes: 2280
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 17
    • View Profile
Re: Is this story true?
« Reply #39 on: September 12, 2020, 09:02:46 PM »
there is a desperate case being made for a dislike button
This post made me actually read OP, and I'm disgusted.
I'll delete it soon.
One can make an argument that "soon" has been due for a while.