Rabbi Raphael Shmuel Weiss
רפאל שמואל ב"ר שבתי שעפטל
Rav, First Independent Hebrew Congregation Ahavas Yisroel of Jamaica, QueensDate of Death:
Sun. September 7, 1958 -
Elul 22 5718
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Directions to Kever: Old Montefiore Cemetery in Queens maintains computerized records and will provide a detailed location map upon request. Location: Block: 4, Row: 006R, Grave: 6, Society Name: FIRST INDEPENDENT HEBREW CONG. OF
Name Listed on Cemetery Database: WEISS, RAPHAEL
Biographical Notes:
Photo Caption: This photo of Rav Weiss was taken in March of 1949, Credit: Toni Kamins
Photo Caption: The Rav’s father, Harav Sheftil Weiss, Shimoni’er Rov, Credit: MCA
Photo Caption: Original painting of First Independent Hebrew Congregation Ahavas Yisroel given as a wedding gift to Mr. Yitzchok Isaac (Irving) Weiss, Credit: Nachum Sherman, Kew Gardens Hill.
Photo Caption: The First Independent Hebrew Congregation Ahavas Israel as it stands today, Credit: Google
Photo Caption: The original Aron Kodesh (Holy Ark) as it stands today at Temple Chaverim in Plainview, Long Island. Credit: Lee Weissman
Credit: IFJCAH
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His father was a Gaon and Mekubal. He is mentioned here (bottom of page): http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=36602&st=&pgnum=332&hilite=.
Did Reb Refoel Shmuel have a family? (The inscription seems to imply that not).
His father Reb Sheftil wrote the sefer Hilchasa Rabsa Le’Shabata on Hilchos Shabbos, he was a brother of Reb Yizchok Weiss of Kodelburg and Verbou.
More on the family (in Yiddish):
http://www.yiddishworld.com/forum/index.php?f=31&t=10400&p=369372&rb_v=viewtopic#p369372
The Weiss’s from Bnei Brak (Reb Yitzchok Yeshaya etc.) are from the same family.
The second of the two top letters appears to be a “Tes”, usually there is a “Nun” is that a mistake?
It means פה טמון, different from the usual פה נטמן.
The father Rabbi Sheftil Weisz was born 1866 in Pressburg, to son of Yeshaya Dov Beer, who was a brother-in-law of the Ada Rav R’ Yakov Prager.
Rabbi Sheftil was Talmid of the Shevet Sofer in Pressburg. Married Rachel Leah, daughter of Avraham Hoffman of Janoshaza, and served as Rav in Nagysimonyi, Hungary, from abt. 1895 until his death on 3 Heshvan 5704/1943.
Rabbi Sheftil was a Tzadik, and very respected by Hungarian Rabbis.
His older son Rabbi Mordche of Simonyi, was killed in 1944.
Rabbi Weiss served as Rav in Jamaica NY, he has children living in Flatbush and Monsey
I am one of Rabbi Refoel Shmuel’s granddaughters.
1- The Simonyi Rav, my great-grandfather, was the circuit rabbi for the county of Vas in Hungary. Nagysimonyi was the county seat at the time.
2- Rabbi Refoel Shmuel Weiss served as Rav in Jamaica, NY. The family lived there from the time they came to the United States in 1934. His father in law, Avigdor Schiffer, was a Shamas at the shul in Jamaica.
3- Rabbi Refoel Shmuel Weiss’ and my grandmother Aranka Schiffer Weiss, had seven children, five of whom are still alive and live in Flushing, Flatbush, Fort Lee, Manhattan, and Monsey.
4- His 22 living grandchildren live in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Virginia, Illinois, California, Washington DC, and Israel.
5- The Weiss’ from B’nai B’rak referred to above are the family of his sister Irma.
Hi Toni,
When did his Father in Law Avigdor Schiffer come to the US, and where is he buried? was he from a Rabbinic family?
Avigdor Schiffer came to the US in the mid-1920s (I’ll have to check). He sponsored my grandfather who came in 1929, and then my grandmother and the five children who were born in Hungary (Papa) came in 1934.
I don’t think he was from a rabbinical family, but he was one of twelve or thirteen children, only a few of whom came to the US. A couple went to Israel, and the rest we believe died in the Shoah.
The whole family is buried in Montefiore in Queens.
are Rabbi Refoel Shmuel Weiss grandchildren orthodox?
Ms Kamins
1)did your grandfather print any seforim
2)is there a biography of him anywhere
Thanks
klien: some are and some are not.
Mo. Kennedy: the answer to both questions is no. If you want any information about him I can give it to you.
Nice photo of the Rav it appears to be in Jerusalem:
http://www.otzar.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=145659#p145659
I also notice that a son of the Rav is a Rosh Yeshiva in Haifa
I think what I wrote is a mistake as that one WS named Shamshon Raphael and he was from Germany
Was his father one of the famed talmidim of the Shevet Sofer ZT”L?
Sorry, missed the comment from erethagger. His brother was also a talmid.
Thanks to reb refael shmuuel the sefer of his father the shimony rov the famous hilchsa rabsa lshabsa was saved as before the war his father the simony rov sent him the manuscript after the was he sent it to bnei brak to family glik who are grandchildren of the shimony rov and they printed the sefer
The sefer of his father:
http://www.otzar.org/wotzar/Book.aspx?15279&&lang=eng&lang=eng
YD Klein,
Neither Reb Refoel Shmuel nor Reb Sheftil were ever in Israel.
היארצייט של הרב משימוני היום ג׳ מרחשון. תנצבה
You are doing holy work
who was reb rfael shmuls rabbi?
I just read in a Hungarian publication Egyenloseg that on April 10, 1898, Rabbi Weisz of Nagysimonyi was one of six Rabbis to eulogize my gggrandfather, Rabbi Avraham Eliezer Zev/Lazar ALT of Kobersdorf/Kabold, Burgenland.
i have the sechie to be this yaer by the Yurzeit of der heiliger simonyi rebbe whit a minjen !
Hi. So nice to hear from you. I never knew that I had a great uncle that was a rav in the usa. I would love to know more.
How is the family doing?
Is the Congregation still active?