Rabbi Gedaliah Silverstone
ืืืืื ื"ืจ ืืฉืขืื ืืืืจ
Chief Rabbi, Washington, DCDate of Death:
Fri. July 21, 1944 -
Av 1 5704
Rosh Codesh
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Directions to Kever: Har Hazesim (Mount of Olives) Cemetery - Jerusalem, Israel. It is strongly recommended for those unfamiliar with the cemetery to go with a guide. In addition, security is at times a concern. Location: Needed
Biographical Notes:
Credit: MCA
Credit: MCA
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Rav Silverstone was a great Talmid chochom and darshan. Did he leave any descendants?
Rabbi Gedaliah Silverstone (1871-1944) had seven brothers and sisters and 10 children, including Rabbi Harry Silverstone (1896-1996). I have full information.
There is a recording of Rabbi Harry Silverstone talking about his father here: https://digdc.dclibrary.org/islandora/object/dcplislandora%3A60921.
Also several of his published works available on Hebrew Books.
I’m one of the descendants.. we have many here in Israel and in the US
Rav Gedalia Zylbersztejn was born in 5631/1871 in Jasionรณwka (Yasinovka), in Polish Lithuania, to Harav Yeshaya Meyer and Rashe Gittel. At the time of his birth, his father being supported by his maternal grandfather, Harav Eliyahu Abramsky, who served as the Rov of the town. Two years after his birth, his father was appointed to be Rov in Sakot, located in the Kovna District.
Rav Gedalia learned in Raseiniai (Rassein) and Telz until 5651/1891, when his parents moved to Liverpool, England, where Rav Yeshaya Meyer served as a beloved Rov, and they Anglecized their family name to Silverstone. After marrying Golda Rivka Becker, he returned to Russia where he learned for three years and received semichah from many prominent Rabbonim.
In 5661/1901, Rav Gedalia was appointed Rov of the Belfast Hebrew Congregation in Ireland. When he realized that he could not support his family on his meager salary, he travelled to the United States in 5665/1905 to sell his seforim, Pirchei Aviv and Yeshuah Gedolah, which he had published in Belfast. Ohev Sholom Congregation in Washington, D.C., established in 5646/1886, had just completed their new building, and they offered Rav Silverstone to become the rabbi. He moved his family to the United States, and in 5671/1911, he accepted a second position in Kesher Israel in Georgetown, serving both shuls simultaneously, in effect considered the Chief Rabbi of the city. From 5681/1921 until 5696/1936, he served as the Rav of Tifereth Israel as well.
Upon his arrival in Washington, he began publishing his drashos on an annual basis, with Rabbi Dov Ber Manischewitz of Cincinnati and Nathan Musher sponsoring the cost of printing his works. Many essays in these seforim are polemical statements, where he launches vigorous attacks non-traditional Judaism. Rav Silverstone established the first Talmud Torah in Washington, and he often decries the poor state of Jewish education. During the early 1920s, he attempted to settle in Eretz Yisrael, but was forced to return when his wife took ill. In the 1930s, he again made several attempts to settle there, but it wasnโt until 5704/1944 that he was able to immigrate completely to Eretz Yisrael. He was niftar in Yerushalayim on 21 Tamuz, 5704/July 23, 1944 and was buried on Har Hazeisim.
All in all, Rav Silverstone printed 30 seforim in the United States and 5 in Yerushalayim, besides the two which he published in Belfast. He served as a vice president of the Agudath Harabbonim of America, on the board of directors of the Hebrew Sanitarium of Denver, and was very involved in the Hebrew Home for the Aged in Washington, D.C.