Rabbi Yehuda Leib Forer
יהודה ליב ב"ר אברהם
Chief Rabbi, Holyoke, MassachusettsDate of Death:
Fri. September 17, 1948 -
Elul 13 5708
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Directions to Kever: Congregation Rodphey Shalom Cemetery of Holyoke is located in nearby Chicopee, Massachusetts. Location: Large ohel
Name Listed on Cemetery Database: Forer
Biographical Notes:
Credit: Needed
Photo Caption: The Rav at the wedding of Rabbi Abe and Selma Schoen, 1946, Photo Credit: Susan A. Schoen
Source: Needed
Photo Caption: Rav Chaim Soloveitchik of Brisk, d. 1918, Credit: N/N
Bio Information:
Rav Forer was known as the illu of Pruzhina and was ordained by Rav Chaim Soloveitchik of Brisk.
Credit: Reb Dov, Kew Gardens Hills, NY
Credit: Reb Dov, Kew Gardens Hills, NY
Credit: Reb Dov, Kew Gardens Hills, NY
Credit: Reb Dov, Kew Gardens Hills, NY
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this was my great great uncle. I heard he was a pretty big deal
MY FATHER WAS RABBI ABRAHAM SCHOEN , A NEPHEW OF YEHUDA LEIB FORER. I AM NAMED AFTER MY GRANDMOTHER GOLDA, A SISTER OF RAV FORER. WOULD LOVE ANY INFORMATION YOU HAVE ABOUT RAV FORER. GAIL HABER
Rav Forer was also known as the Pruzna Iluy and was the Rav of Vabolnik, Lithuania prior to settling in Holyoke.
I think Rabbi Leib
tropper is a grandson
He is actually named after his grandfather.
i have a couple things to submit:
1) Rabbi Forer was a close friend
of Reb Moshe Solovetchik, and when the Boston community held a memorial meeting for Reb Moshe shortly after he passed away in January 1941, Rav Forer was one of the speakers
2) Rabbi Forer was in corresponce with Rav Mordecai Gifter zt”l. A book was made of their shelot utshovot (halachic questions and answers). it is called “Miylei Dagrut” (it is all in hebrew)
I am first cousin to Gail Haber, and 2nd cousin to Hillel Davis above. Interesting that we all found this site and looked up Rav Yehuda Leib Forer. I may have access to pictures of him, along with HaGaon R’ Yaakov Kaminetzky at the chasunah of my parents. If so, it is in my mother’s wedding album. Don’t know the condition of the pictures, and can’t guarantee that it’s there, but stay tuned. Hillel, I’m unfamiliar with Sh’ut “Milei Dagrut”–what is the subject matter? And, finally, their wedding announcement also lists a “Rabbi J. Tropper” who participated in officiating at the wedding, so curios’s speculation about the relationship of the Troppers is probably accurate.
update: R’ Yehuda Leib Forer was not in attendance at the chasunah, his family was present but he was niftar by then.
I am Mordechai Schoen’s father and Rabbi A. Schoen’s bro. Rav Forer learned in Valaszin. His chavruta was the Maichiter Eluh. His closest friends were Rav M. Soloveitchok and Rav David Leibowitz. He was the Bal Masmich of the Chofetz Chaim Yeshiva. His dau Rivka was married to Tropper and Ida to a Rav Sassoon. A grandson is a Rosh Yeshiva in Boro Park.
Chaim Soloveitchok (Rav J. B’s son) told me”Rav Forer was the biggest bakee my father ever knew and my father never issued a psak din without consulting with Rav Forer first”
I am a great nephew of Rav Forer. My brother is named after him and lives in toronto. I live in Los Angeles. I have always been looking for information on my great uncle. I recall my father being shown a biography written on him. Also, as an aside, i heard a rumor that Rav Forer was a levi. Is this true?
Benyomin:
It’s not on his matzeiva? Do you have a picture of the Rav?
I am a great grandson of Rabbi Forer. I also have some pictures of him. He had 3 daughters and one son. His son died when he was a child. his oldest daughter Rose married her first cousin by the name of Bernard Forer. The 2nd daughter rivka, married R’ yehuda Tropper. the 3rd Ida, married R’ Baruch Leib Sassoon. I know Rabbi Forer had siblings but I dont know who they are, and who the decendents are.
Ninyamin If he was a levi that means you are one too, no?
Is Rabbi Leib Tropper from Monsey his Grand-son?
Yes.
There is a picture of him hanging in R’ Yudel Sasoon’s house in Flatbush. I was there and wondered if he’s a grandson, but didn’t get a chance to ask.
There is also a picture and probably some info about him in the recently printed book on Harav Shach (by Asher Bergman), who came from Vaboilnik, and learned with Rav Forer during WW1. I think he considered himself a talmid.
See here:
http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=12268&hilite=ba4a09ad-092d-4ee2-8f5e-3885bad41621&st=%D7%99%D7%94%D7%95%D7%93%D7%94+%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%91+%D7%A4%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%A2%D7%A8
It says that Rav Forer was appointed as Rosh Yeshiva in RIETS (YU).
And here is about his petirah:
http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=12125&hilite=2516f05d-5ef9-44f1-b46c-9623ef57b464&st=%D7%99%D7%94%D7%95%D7%93%D7%94+%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%91+%D7%A4%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%A2%D7%A8
There is quite a bit of information (and a picture) of Rav Forer (pg 77) in the new Rav Shach biography “Path to Greatness” (Feldheim, 2009). He was one of Rav Shach’s rebbeim, specifically during the period of the first World War when Rav Shach was forced back to Vaboilnik from Slabodka.
Rav Shach even sent a letter to Holyoke, MA to tell his old rebbe that he had just published the first volume of Avi Ezri.
Rav Elchonon Wasserman stood for him when Rav Forer entered a room.
(He is Leib Tropper’s maternal grandfather, one of the reasons Rav Shach consented to conferring semicha on him)
my grandparents were from Pruzhany; are there any records (birth marriage,etc related to Pruzhany families in Rabbi Forer’s papers. Was he born in Pruzhany? What yrs did he live in Pruzhany?
My maternal grandparents were from Pruzina and their names were Benjamin Forer and Freda Soloveichik. They met and married in Brooklyn New York at about 1913. My Grandfather was one of 12 or 13 and his father was Abraham. His wife’s name was Turba (Toby) but I do not know her family name. Abraham was one of 4 brothers. Most of the Forer Family remained in New York. My Grandparents immigrated to Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1915. I would love to meet or speak with any other Forers’ that may be in the Toronto area. I have many stories and a family tree to share.
Sharon:
Do you have any info about your grandmother’s family? Which Soloveitchik were they?
I believe her Father was the Artist, Avrum Soloveichick. He had brothers that were Rabbis and at the time of his death in about 1880 something they were living in Warsaw. I can search further if you are interested.
I grew up in Holyoke, although I was born after Reb Forer died. I have heard stories about his time in Holyoke. My father was a founder of the various shuls (too complicated for this post) as was his father. But I believe there are people in Holyoke alive who may remember his years there. I would contact the shul, Rodphey Shalom, on Northampton Street. I know that he shaped the shul community and was very important to it in so many ways.
Dear Abby,
We (me & others) would want to know more about what you meant by writing “various shuls (too complicated for this post)”.
Seems like more then a little history hidden.
Any way to contact you ?
Abby:
I few years ago, along with a friend I drove out to Holyoke (“The Paperless City”) to daven at the kever of Rav Forer. At the same time we hoped to learn more about its Jewish History. We spoke Deloris Stein who was (and may still be) the backbone of the community. However, she was so busy trying to keep the shule afloat that she had no time for small talk. Anything that you can share with the forum would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
my grandfather was Rav Forer’s brother and closest sibling (of about 9 or 12 – I can’t remember exactly). Some of them settled in NY, some in Trenton and some were killed in the holocaust). When Rav Forer immigrated to the USA he and his family stayed with my grandparents until they were able to settle in Holyoke. The name of the sefer of correspondence between Rav Gifter and Rav Forer is “Mili d’IGrasa.” (I was told by a historian that there are also sufficient letters of correspondence between Rav Forer and Rav Moshe Feinstein and perhaps others to make a sefer (funds are always a problem)).It was edited by Yudi Sasoon, Rav Forer’s grandson. My grandfather’s sister was Golda. I had the pleasure of being acquainted with her son, Jacob, who, with his step-brother, told me that when they were students at Torah V’Daas they would occasionally find a question in learning that the Roshei Yeshiva simply couldn’t answer. Rav Forer always had a terutz even in sugiot that he hadn’t learned in many years (and that were being learned by the students and teachers in the yeshiva). I recall my aunt Rose, Rav Forer’s eldest daughter, telling me that Rav Forer had 2 sons, one who passed away at the age of 5 and the other at the age of 13. I am in Toronto; Rav Forer’s eldest grandson lives here as well. Rav Forer was NOT a Levi – whenever he was in NY and visited the yeshiva (Chofetz Chaim, I believe) he would be called to the Torah third. Rav Teitz told me that Rav Forer was “Chachima d’Yehudai” and Eliezer Silver always insisted that a beis din in which he was involved or concerned include Rav Forer. Very interestingly, there were a number of older Chabad Chasidim from Russia who immigrated and settled in Holyoke, among them lomdin and ovdim. Although they considered anyone who had not learned Chasidus properly to be unrefined they made an exception of Rav Forer. Halavai the Rabbanim today had the same empathy with others as he did. I also heard that he was a great checkers player. J. Tropper is the father of Leib and the son-in-law of Rav Forer. My father and uncles always looked forward to Rav Forer’s visits to Trenton – he was a lot of fun and they loved him very much. When visiting Trenton he would occasionally give the gemara shiur. The Rav of Trenton then was Yosel Kantorowitz, also a great genius. Rav Lev, his son-in-law and a Rav in Trenton was a student of Rav Forer’s in the Ponevezh yeshiva in Lita.
Norma, there are little records of Pruzhany but there does exist a “Pinkas” if you get your hands on it. It includes the history of the shtetl. I read that the Judenrat of Pruzhany never handed over one Jew to the Gestapo. To my knowledge, Rav Forer was born in Pruzhany; he was student there of the Rav, Elya Pruzhiner, the grandfather of JB Soloveitchik who as a child attended cheder in Pruzhany. Rav Forer was born about 1879. He left Russia in about 1926 – he left Pruzhany for yeshiva and became a Rav in a couple other towns before escaping Stalin.
To Cheskel and Baruch,
I don’t have much more to say about the Rav except that I know he was much beloved and Holyoke became an important congregation because of his presence. We always had amazing rabbis sent to us even though we were a small town in western MA. I would think Delores Stein would know things if you got her at a better moment. Her family was and is a pilalr of the shul. Also perhaps my brother might know some things, although he is likely too young to remember the Rav. I got some information from an elderly family friend who I believe was married by Rabbi Forer. She died about five years ago in her nineties and in one of my last visits to her she told me her stories about Rabbi Forer. I will check with her children, who are older than I. I hesitate to leave my email address in a public forum. If the moderator of this site would be able to give you my email, that is fine with me. Or try looking up my phone number. I live in Cambridge MA. Meanwhile I will ask around. It is very interesting to read these posts. One other thought, perhaps one of the later rabbis from Holyoke would have some stories. Rabbi Jacob Reiner would have been two rabbis after Rav Forer. He lives in New York and teaches (or is emeritus) at Yeshiva University. As to the history of the shuls in Holyoke, I believe at one point there were two congregations in one shul and Rav Forer was rabbi to them both (not sure about this). Eventually a new building was built for one of them. But many people remained members of both shuls. Again, I likely have some of the story wrong.
We had always wondered why our grandparents came to Holyoke, MA from Savannah, GA. We have only recently learned about Rabbi Forer in Holyoke, and now wonder if there is a connection. Our grandmother was Rose Forer, who married Benjamin Harmetz. Any information would be appreciated.
Hey cousins. Funny what you find when you google family.
If you read this anytime in the near future (07/15/10)you can say hello at this email address xthrowaway@gmail.com
To the moderator. Anyone in the family has pictures. My mother or aunt would probably scan and email you one if you asked. I’m not comfortable posting names and numbers in a public forum but walk into the Mirrer Minyan on 54th and 16th and ask anyone there for Sasoons address and telephone number.
A great grandson.
Dear Sharon,
You mentioned a family tree. We have heard the name Forer in some connection to our family. Might there be a “Nechemia Pruzansky”, or a Fila Bakanovsky” on that tree or perhaps any “Bakanowsky” or “Bokinavski” or anything that sounds like that?
The daughter Rebetzin Ida Sassoon was niftar erev shabbos parshas shoftim 5770. They are sitting
shiva in flatbush in harav yehuda sassoon’s house. Look at the misaskim page on yeshiva world for details
I f anyone goes to the Shiva, note the picture of Rav Forer on the wall.
If anyone goes to the Shiva, note the picture of Rav Forer on the wall.
Hi.
Sharon. 1. Do you know anything about your grandfather Avrum Soloveithchik’s brothers sisters or parents? 2. Can you share any info. regarding your grandfather Benjamin Forer and his father Abraham. Rabbi Leib Forer’s fathers name was also Abraham. Was R leib Forer’s brother Benjamin?
Krasner. R’ Forer had a daughter Rose who was married to her first cousin . I think his name was Bernard Forer. I might be mistaken about the 1st name. Im not sure who Bernards father was. They had a son and daughter Arthur and Helen who moved to Canada.
Chaim.Was your your aunt Rose younger or older than her brothers.
Does anyone know anything about R’leib Forer’s wife Menucha nee Gefen?
A shana tova to all!
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MishpachaYid
Can you find the records for the rest of the family? I looked but had no luck.
Chaim: Thank you; yes, I have known about the Pruzhany pinkas (there are 3) since I was a child. There now are many translated records of Pruzhany. I have done much Pruuzhany research. My grandmother, before she died, in 1975, told me that her Epstein family was related to the Soloveitchiks. I know her Epstein father & grandfather’s names, but none of the women’s names. I would like to know my Epstein family connection to the Soloveitchiks.
L’shana Tova
Norma
Rav Forer’s son-in-law – R’ Yehuda Tropper passed away yesterday at the age of 94. He will be buried today in Eretz Yisroel.
Dear Sharon Finestore,
I am part of the Forer mishpoocha through my late grandmother Fanny Rosen. I believe that I have heard of you as I was told by my late father of a cousin who lived in Jacksons Point, Ontario (we lived in upstate New York for many years). ARe you that Sharon Finestone? If so I would love to get together as I am now living in the Toronto area to be with my sons – Bathurst and Glencairn area! I have photos that I would like to send you if you provide your current address, and perhaps we could also arrange a meeting.
A belated Happy Chanukah!
Chana
I am a native of Holyoke (known as the Paper City) and a musmach of RIETS. My parents are buried opposite Rav Forer’s kever. The inscription mentions that he was one of the talmidai muvhakim of Rav Chaim Brisker. I had the zechus to be a talmid of Rav Chaim’s grandsons Rav Yosef Dov HaLevi Soloveitchic and his brother Rav Aharon. I served for a time as the Executive Director of Yeshivas Brisk in Chicago. Rav Forer once gave a bracha to my grandfather Louis Weiner and I feel part of that was having a grandson that had the zechus to learn Torah from Rav Forer’s rebbi’s grandsons.
My Rebbi, Rav Aharon Rakeffet, mentions Rav Forer and has a photograph that includes him in his book Bernard Revel. Rav Rakeffet has told me that I am frum in the zechut of Rav Forer. For a small community there has been a significant number of Torah observants products who came out of Holyoke. As a teenager I was amazed that when I traveled and mentioned Holyoke to rabbonim they would often know of this small community by Rav Forer having been a Rav there.
I have often heard of the great esteem Rav Soloveitchic held for Rav Forer. I also heard there was a time when Rav Forer would travel to REITS to give a Yoreh Deah shiur.
I was thrilled to see all the biographical material on Rav Forer included in Path pf Greatness.
Is the sefer Miylei Dagrut available?
http://www.hebrewbooks.org/48082
R’ Yehuda Leib Forer was my Zaidy. My mother was Ida Forer Sasoon. My father was R’ Boruch Leib Sasoon. My brother is R’ Yehuda Sasoon who is reknowned as an iluy like my Zaidy.
My Zaidy was R’ Schachs Rov. When I visited R’ Schach & told him I was the Vabolniker Ravs ainikel, he stood up for me. He couldn’t stop talking about my Zaidy & how my Zaidy wrote him letters. He gave me candy to take home to my children & a bottle of wine for my husband.
As to some answers. My grandfather was not a Leivi. He had 3 daughters & 2 sons. Binyomin died young (he was named after my grandmothers brother Binyomin) & I don’t know the other sons name & I think he was about 13 years old. Aunt Rose did marry a cousin Bernie Forer & had 2 children (Arthur a brilliant scientist living in Canada & Helen who does not live in Canada.) My Uncle Yudel Tropper & Aunt Rivka had six children. His 2 daughters live in Israel & married Talmidei Chachamim & their children & grandchildren are too. His other daughter used to live in New Haven. I don’t know where she lives now. Her husband is also a Talmid Chochom as is her brother Dovid who married the daughter of Elimelech Tress. 2 other children are Leib & Avi.
My grandmother was Chaya Musha Menucha Gefen. She was the “Yichus”. She was named after her grandfather R’ Moishele Charif. She came from shalsheles Hadoros & we were told that she stems from Rashi.
My mother was nifteres exactly a year ago gimmel Elul. She was 98. She supported my father all her life & treated him like a King. She constantly spoke about her father. We are 3 children. Chana Stubenhaus, Yehuda Sasoon & Lifsha Kirschenbaum. We do have some pictures but if someone has any that we don’t know of, I’d love to see them. I never heard of the people who say they’re my cousins but would love to get in touch with them. I freaked when I saw this page. My son is going to Holyoke so he was looking on the web. When anyone in our family has a Tzora or special Bakasha we go to my Bubby & Zaidy’s Kever & it’s awesome how some of our tefilos were answered right away. My Zaidy’s yahrzeit is Yud Gimmel Elul & we usually go then. Doris from Cong Rodfei Shalom gave us much time on our first visit to the shule. There’s a tremendous picture of my Zaidy & the street is Forer Street.
Please: cousins. I’d love to hear from you. Thank you, Lifsha ( I live in Brooklyn, N.Y. as do my siblings.
Ms Kirschenbaum
Are you related to the Sasoons from UK by the way is your brother reb yehuda a rov or a rosh hayeshiva anywhere
Rav Forer was one of three rabbonim who would confer smicha on eligible talmidim of yeshivas R. Yisroel Meir HaCohen (Chofetz Chaim) under Rav Dovid Leibowitz. (The yeshiva is currently in Queens, NY). I heard this from my grandfather who traveled to Holyoke to receive smicha from Rav Forer in 1938. He spoke of Rav Forer as a great goan and tzadik. I was recently driving by Holyoke and was wondering if Rav Forer was buried there and thanks to this great site discovered that he is. There is a lot of info and pics on Rav Forer in chapter 6 of R. Asher Bergman’s biography of Rav Shach, (who considered Rav Forer to be one of his rebbaim), “Path to Greatness”.
My brother R’ Yehudah Sasoon is a Rosh Kollel in Ateret Torah. We are not related to Sasoons in the U.K.
I was a talmid of Reb Leib Tropper, his grandson, in Monsey. A HUUUGE talmid chacham!!!!!!!!
My grandfather rav eliyahu rominek was a talmid muvahk of rav furer. He always speaks about him and related to me correspandence between rav furer and rav aron kotler. If anyone has info about this or pics pls contact me via web admin.
I just stumbled upon this web site because I googled my uncle Abe. I am so sorry I didn’t see it sooner (and especially disappointed that my cousins Gail and Mordechai didn’t tell me about it!).
Lifshy – I grew up in Paterson, NJ. I remember going to visit the Troppers and Sassoons in Brooklyn and the lower east side. I recall you, Lifsha, and your brother visiting in NJ. What stands out in my mind is your beautiful hair. As a child that is what made an impression. Funny. I was very saddened to hear of your parents passing. Your mother was such a gracious woman. Very wise and egalitarian. When I was in High School (at Bruriah) if I didn’t perform up to par I remember one of my my teachers, Rabbi Peker, shaking his head and saying “are you sure you’re related to Rabbi Forer?”
I recall as a child going to Trenton to visit the Forers as well, and wasn’t there another Forer who lived in South America? Argentina maybe?
My mother, Lillian Schoen Blechman was Rabbi Yehuda Leib Forer’s niece (sister of Rabbi Chaim Schoen and Rabbi Abe Schoen noted above). My mother and her sisters Ida and Yetta, always referred to him as “Uncle the Rav”. My mother died 1989 and my father, William Blechman in 2004. Since their passing I have lost touch with much of the family except my 1st cousins. It is so fascinating to read everyones comments.
I have heard that Rabbi Forer was a chavruta of the Meitscheter Illui. For those interested I stumbled on the to a recording of the Rav, Rabbi Solovechick on YU Torah where he makes a brief comments about Rabbi Forer. Someone must be asking the Rav if he knew Rabbi Forer .. the Rav says he was a talmid of my grandfather and then the Rav clarifies and says a Talmid Muvhak , Talmid Muvhak and Chaver of my father. The audio is under the Rav on YU Torah , topic Sheva Brochos for David Holzer around the 88th minute.
To all those wonderful people who inquired about my Grandfather Benjamin Fore and my Great Grandfather Avrum Soloveichick, my humble apology for not answering soon. My husband of 53 years passed away, and I am just now coming back to myself.
Yes, I am the Sharon Finestone living in Jackson’s Point.
No, my Grandfather did not have a brother Bernard or Lieb. His brothers were Menke (Max) Yossel (Joseph) and Louis Forer. His sisters were Esther (Rosenberg) Itka (Edith, Buckstein), Haika (Ida Goldberg) Celia (Bucknoff) Polly Forer, Jean (Jennie ) Katie (Stern) Yossel and Esther and their families were lost in the Holocost except for 3 of Esthers’ sons, Sydney Rosenberg lived in New York, Louis and Norman Rosenberg lived in Toronto.
The name Pruzhansky was part of my Grandmother’s family. I remember a William who lived in New York with his Mother, I forget her name. My Great-Grandfather, Abraham had 3 brothers, Isaac, Moshe and I forget the last one. One of my Cousins, Howard Forer of New Jersey and is Late Father, Lionel, set up the Forer Family tree and I believe that there are approximately 500 names from all 4 Brothers. Abraham and Toby were Overseers for a Polish Count in Pruzana and ran his estate. Benjamin came to New York in about 1910, and Freda (Fanny) came to New York in 1904. I don’t know what her uncles names were, she didn’t speak about them, and she passed in 1978. Ben
Passed in 1955. I hope this answers a lot of questions, and again my apologies for being so tardy.