Rabbi Aaron Eskolsky
אהרן ב"ר דוב בער
Rav, Slonimer Shteeble, Lower East SideDate of Death:
Wed. May 5, 1937 -
Iyyar 24 5697
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Biographical Notes:
Photo Credit: Rabbi Aaron Eskolsky, Credit: Michael Escott
Photo Credit: Rabbi Aaron Eskolsky, Credit: Michael Escott
Credit: David Weider, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
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Sounds like he was a brother to the fanous Rabbi Yaakov Eskolsky
http://kevarim.vohost.us/rabbi-yaakov-eskolsky-escott/
Reb Menachem Risikov mentions him as a cousin of his (She’er Besori) in his Sefer Shaari Shomayim
http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=2650&st=&pgnum=14&hilite=
He was an older brother
The Iskolsky family descends from Kobriner Chasidim and were close to the Slonimer and Lechovitcher Chasidim in USA.
The Rav was also the mashgiach (along with his brother) at the Palestine Kosher Vorst Factory. As a side, being that they produced both Kosher and non-Kosher meat a major (sadly public) battle erupted between the Agudas HaRabbanim and the Degel HaRabbanim (along with the Knesses HaRabbanim) in 1928 regarding the certification.
A nice biography on the Eskolsky Family including a Photo of Reb Ahron Eskolski.
http://www.uoregon.edu/~rkimble/Mirweb/Eskolsky.html
There was a third brother Morim (Miram) Eskolsky named after the famous Kobriner Chasid Rav Mier Marim Schoffit Z”l the author of Sefer HaNir in Yerushalmi, and uncle of Rabbi Yudelowitz.
I found another brother Reb Avraham b”r Dov Ber Iskolsky, in Montefiore Cemetary, in the Stoliner Brownsville chelka. He was the Baal Korei in the Stoliner Shul on Watkins St.
In the link above, there is a photo of Avraham Eskolsky, and says that he passed away 1967 does this match with the Matzive in MC? if so you have a photo of him.
I would like to see the matzieve, do you have a photo?
Avraham Eskolsky was born in Mir in late 1883. He was named after the first Slonimer Rebbe, Rav Avraham Weinberg, who had very recently passed away. He was a baker in Russia and in the USA. From late 1928 through early 1929 he made the journey with his family from Minsk to New York. He received much assistance from his brother Rav Yaakov in getting out of the Soviet Union. Of the eight sons and two daughters of Dov Ber Iskoldsky, Avraham was the last to arrive in the USA.
He remained a staunch Slonimer chassid until the end of his life. While in Minsk, he davened in the local Slonimer shtibel. I’ve heard that when he first came to New York, he originally davened in the Slonimer shul in Manhattan. After moving to Brooklyn, he davened at Stoliner shtiblach since there weren’t any Slonimer shtiblach there. Additionally, Slonimer chassidus originally emerged from Karlin-Stoliner chassidus.
Throughout his life, he was in contact with multiple generations of Slonimer Rebbes starting with the Divrei Shmuel and continuing all the way through the Nesivos Sholom (when he was still Rosh Yeshiva and not yet Rebbe). He was also very involved with fundraising for Yeshiva Bais Avraham (the Slonimer yeshiva in Mea Shearim).
Avraham was niftar on erev Shavuos of 5727 (1967) and his wife Fruma passed away eight days later.
His daughter, Blanche Rothstein (now deceased), was interviewed at length re: her family’s history and immigration experience at Ellis Island in 1991 by the National Parks Service. The transcript appeared online several years ago and I have a copy.
Here is the interview of Blanche Rothstein:
http://www.worldcat.org/title/ellis-island-oral-history-project-series-ei-no-064-interview-of-blanche-eskolsky-rothstein/oclc/183269839
There’s no way to view the document online these days without an account with Alexander Street Press.
Fascinating stuff Moshe, I would love to read the interview.
Are there any observant descendants from Avraham?
Yes there are. You can email me at eskolskyinfo@yahoo.com for the interview and for more info on descendants.
YD Miller: send me an email
eppisaguy@gmail.com
I have pics of his and his wife’s kevarim
Rabbi Aaron Eskolsky performed the marriage ceremony of my maternal grandparents! z”l