Founder of the Bais Hamedrash HaGadol of Norfolk Street
d. 25 Iyar, 1887
Rav Ash was from the first European style Rabbanim to organize and lead a congregation in New York City. Eventually his fame and authority spread across the country. No orthodox congregation in the United States would accept a shoichet (ritual slaughterer) without his certification.
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Directions to kever:
Machpelah Cemetery
82-30 Cypress Hills Street
Ridgewood, NY 11385
(Enter from: Union Field Cemetery, Main Road, right on Path J past the trees into Machpelah Cemetery about fifteen feet to the right, look for candle box)
Rabbi Avroham Yosef Ash
December 25th, 2007 · 16 Comments
Tags: New York · Pre 1900 · Queens / L.I., NY · Union Field Cemetery
16 responses so far ↓
1 Grand Rebbe // May 19, 2009 at 11:59 am
Today is his yartziet.
2 Chief Rabbi // May 19, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Was he related to Rav Meir Eisenstadt the Panim Me’irot or Rav Meir Eisenstaedter the Imre Esh? Both were know as the Maharam Ash.
3 YaakovShalom // Jul 10, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Rav Ash was the Rav who started the Beis Hamedrash Hagadol on the Lower East Side.
His daughter Miriam married somebody named Boruch Mordechai Garfunkel. They had one child and then Miriam was niftar. Boruch Mordechai ended up remarrying somebody from Charleston South Carolina and moved to Savannah Ga. to become one of the pillars of the Community. His Great Great Grandchildren Bli Ayin Hara till this day are frum and are still pillars of the community.
4 Reb Elya // Oct 26, 2009 at 7:57 pm
I was recently at the lower East Side. The Shul doesn’t look like it’s in such good condition. I heard they’re trying to restore it.
5 Shmelke Taub // Jul 15, 2010 at 3:08 pm
Reb Elya, the shul is now a landmark, i heard that they hope to receive some gov. funding to restore it.
6 Reb Elya // Jul 16, 2010 at 4:14 pm
Yes, but I’m pretty sure you can’t go inside. I think that they are afraid of it collapsing.
7 DPopper // Aug 31, 2010 at 7:46 pm
Rabbi Ash’s son-in-law, Boruch Modechai Garfunkel married Betty Volaski from Charleston. They had nine children of which 7 survived into adulthood. Four of their children married and only three had children. Nathan and Lina Adler a brother and sister from Baltimore (immigrated from Kitzingen) married Charles and Rachel “Tapp” Garfunkel (also a brother and sister). Thus most of Boruch Mordechai’s descendants are the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Charles and Lina Garfunkel of Savannah and Nathan and Tapp Adler from Baltimore. Almost all of their descendants are still frum and found in communities all over the country.
8 Shmelke Taub // Sep 1, 2010 at 3:08 pm
Dear DPopper, your information might be vital for me. Please email me at shmelketaub@gmail.com
Thanks a lot.
9 farshlufen // Sep 1, 2010 at 8:20 pm
D popper, I don’t get it, how did his son in law marry …. was it a second marriage?
P.S. are you related to the david-davidson family?
10 DPopper // Sep 3, 2010 at 6:01 pm
Farshlufen,
Yes his son-in-law, Boruch Modechai Garfunkel, did remarry Betty Volaski after the death of Rabbi Ash’s daughter. They lived in Savannah, Ga. where they raised their family. There is a book written by Milton Gottesman which was published by the American Jewish Historical Society in New York titled “Hoopskirts and Huppas – A Chronicle of the Early Years of the Garfunkel-Trager Family in America 1856-1920″ which provides some details of the family history. I do not believe that I am related to the david-davidson family. I am a great-grandchild of Boruch Modechai Garfunkel.
11 david j. halberstam // Jun 26, 2011 at 1:43 pm
Are there any blood descendents alive today of Rabbi Ash?
12 D Popper // Oct 25, 2011 at 8:10 am
Check Lubetkin.net for Hannah Garfunkel born 1860. She was the daughter born to Rabbi Ash’s daughter, Miriam Ash. She married Isaac Raphael and had 6 children. I assume that there are living descendants today. I don’t know anything about Rabbi Ash’s other grandchildren.
13 Farshlufen // Apr 26, 2012 at 4:36 pm
As per this newspaper dating Thursday May 19 1887 he passed away on Sunday May 15 1887 this converts to 21 Iyar 5747, ועוד הלא כ”ה אייר תרמ”ז לא הי’ חל בשבת.
“Rabbi Ash, who died in New York
on Sunday, was the recognized
(authority on the Talmud and genor- I
ally regarded as the foremost Hebrew j
theologian in this country.”
http://news2.nnyln.net/brockport-republic/brockport-republic-1883-october-1888-december/brockport-republic-1883-october-1888-december%20-%200781.pdf#xml=http://news2.nnyln.net/rrlc-all/dtSearch/dtisapi6.dll?cmd=getpdfhits&u=5cee1951&DocId=136844&Index=F%3a%5cdtSearch%20Developer%5cUserData%5crrlc%2dall&HitCount=3&hits=4fa+b74+165a+&SearchForm=F%3a%5crrlc%2dall%5cdtSearch%5fform%2ehtml&.pdf
14 Farshlufen // Apr 26, 2012 at 5:01 pm
כנראה הטעות הוא של י.ד. אייזענשטיין והוא כתב
May 6 1888
and this converts to 25 Iyar 5788
But from the NYT Article From Tuesday May 10 1887 it is clear that Eisenstein is mistaking in the year, and they wrote that the funeral was on May 9th which was 15 Iyar.
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F50617FF3C5413738DDDA90994DD405B8784F0D3
15 Farshlufen // Apr 26, 2012 at 5:42 pm
http://www.ivelt.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=386821#p386821
16 Farshlufen // May 3, 2012 at 5:53 pm
From the NY Herald Tuesday May 10 1887
“ABRAHAM J. ASH
Rabbi Abraham Joseph Ash, one of the earliest
Settlers of Polish Jews in this country, and one of
the most prominent in American-Jewish history, died
yesterday at his residence, No. 54 1/2 Ludlow street
aged sixty-six years. He was born in Senjatisch,
Poland, came to this country thirty-six years ago,
and became one of the most remarkable Jews the
century has produced in this country, being esteemed
and authority upon ritualistic and dietary
laws both here and in Europe. Coming to this country
thirty-six years ago with no capital or friends.
he was compelled in order to gain a living to
shoulder a box filled with glass panes, which
he fitted. Into broken windows. Being always
studious he diligently applied himself after his
wearying day’s work of walking the streets In search
of jobs to the Talmud and other religious books
within his reach. When he came to this country he
did not forget the early teaching he had received at
the old synagogue in his native land, and almost his
first act after his arrival was to gather a
few of his countrymen and form a congregation
to keep alive the ancient Jewish
faith. Through the Kindness of a friend
who donated $2000 they incorporated themselves
under the name of Beth Bamedrash, locating their
place of worship la Elm street, where Rabbi Ash
gave his services without reward. Increasing members
compelled them to move from place to place,
until they at last secured the Episcopal church at the
corner of Norfolk and Broome streets, where now a
large and wealthy congregation worships. For
many years no one could kill animals for food for
the Jews in the country without a certificate from
Rabhi Ash.
The funeral will take place to-day at two o’clock.
The Rev. H. P. Mendes, of the Nineteenth Street
Synagogue, will officiate.”
http://www.ivelt.com/forum/download/file.php?id=36852&t=1
http://www.ivelt.com/forum/download/file.php?id=36853&t=1
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