The American Maggid (Preacher)
d. 1864
Rav Falk came to the United States in 1858 and for a short time served as Rav of Newburgh and Poughkeepsie, New York. He also delivered lectures regularly at Congregation Shaaray Torah in New York City. The Rav’s safer, Avnei Yehoshua, was the first book on Pirkei Avos printed in North America.
In 1864, while visiting his daughter, he passed away in Keokuk, Iowa, where he was buried. Per his request he was reburied at the Congregation Shaaray Torah Cemetery in New York City.
Only two cemeteries in New York City that were in operation prior to 1900 have a Shaaray Torah section:
1. Union Field Cemetery
2. Salem Field Cemetery
Both are located in Queens alongside the Jackie Robinson Parkway. I contacted both cemeteries; Union Field was able to locate the Shaaray Torah section but does not have a record of the Rav’s burial. I walked the rows of the section unsuccessfully. Many of the tombstones are made up of limestone and are illegible. Salem Field can’t locate the section and does not have a Falk on record in the cemetery before 1900. It’s a good chance that one of the illegible tombstones at Union Field is the Rav’s kever.
Anyone with information is asked to please send it in. See CONTACT page for details.
Directions to kever:
Needed.
9 responses so far ↓
1 Yeshivish // Nov 13, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Who do you know he was actually moved?
2 Baruch A // Nov 13, 2008 at 10:35 pm
It was posted in period newspapers.
Thank you,
3 Grand Rebbe // Nov 23, 2008 at 11:59 pm
Baruch A:
Did you find him yet?
GR
4 Baruch A // Nov 24, 2008 at 5:40 pm
GR:
Not yet.
5 Steve Rubin // Jan 4, 2009 at 5:43 pm
I am pretty sure I once came across his grave in Union Field, it was one of those old white ones.
6 Stam Ah Yid // Jun 17, 2009 at 11:24 am
The Rav’s safer is available on Hebrebooks.
7 Reb Elya // Aug 2, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Was he related to the Pnei Yehoshua ZT”L?
8 קל וחומר // Jul 21, 2010 at 5:50 pm
I found some more info on Rabbi Falk’s Passing.
According to an Obituary his Yar-tziet is י”ז חשון תרכ”ה I could not post here the full obituary, I posted it on http://www.yiddishworld.com/forum/index.php?f=31&t=5868&p=370253&rb_v=viewtopic#p370253
9 YD Miller // Jul 21, 2010 at 6:03 pm
The date of his passing was 17 Cheshvan 5625-1864, he was first buried in Iowa and then based on his will the body was transferred to NY 2 months later.
See the full article in the “Occident” here:
http://www.yiddishworld.com/forum/index.php?p=370253&rb_v=viewtopic#p370253
Baruch,
I see that he was remembered as Rabbi Yehoshua Falk Cohen, maybe you can try to research again those two cemeteries with this name and dates of burial (6 Teves 5625-1865)
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