In Hungary, Olaszliszka, or Liska as it is affectionately called by the local Jewish community, serves as a mystical sanctuary drawing tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews each year.
In Hungary, Olaszliszka, or Liska as it is affectionately called by the local Jewish community, serves as a mystical sanctuary drawing tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews each year.
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In Hungary, Olaszliszka, or Liska as it is affectionately called by the local Jewish community, serves as a mystical sanctuary drawing tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews each year.
Liska Jewish Cemetery represents a singular blend of cherished traditions and devoted faith. The holy grave of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Friedman, or as the community calls him: "Hershel Lisker", the first home of Hasidism in Europe, is located here. Even in the face of his notable poverty, the first Lisker Rebbe’s life was a testament to the spirit of teachings, charitable deeds, and miraculous support. His legacy includes many miraculous acts: the esteemed rebbe healed the sick and bestowed blessings that led to the prosperity of numerous individuals. The life of this revered rebbe had a lasting effect on the Orthodox Jewish communities of that period. Even now, tens of thousands of pilgrims travel to visit the rebbe annually, especially during the yahrzeit on the 14th of Av.
Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Friedman and the Liska Hasidic dynasty were instrumental in promoting the growth of Hasidism in Hungary and internationally. His disciple, the Kerestir Rebbe Yeshaya Steiner (commonly known as Reb Shaya'la of Kerestir), later signed his correspondence in the following manner:„Yeshaya son of R. Moshe, who attended the righteous Rebbe of Liska”
The reputation of the Lisker Rebbe for healing extended far beyond his local community. Many people from other countries also migrated to the village of Liska and asked him to heal them. The belief persisted in the community that the rabbi’s blessings and prayers were capable of relieving physical and psychological suffering.Even after his death, many pilgrims visiting his grave reported experiencing a sense of his enduring presence.
The actions of the two caretakers of the Liska Jewish cemetery served to honor the graves while also sustaining respect and remembrance for the past. At each grave, candles were ignited, their flickering flames bowing in respect to the spirits of former villagers. These candles’ flames are regarded as a conduit between history and the present, shining with the light of deep-seated memories.
The light of candles serves as a profound emblem of the Jewish religion. These flames are not just sources of light but gateways to the Eternal. As the Book writes: "Man's soul is the Lord's lamp, which searches out all the innermost parts." Proverbs 20:27
In 2024, we are observing the 80th anniversary of the Holocaust. The respectful lights at the Liska Jewish cemetery illuminate not just individual graves but also reflect the broader era and the collective fate of a people. The candles’ flames safeguard not just the graves but also the memories of unrecorded lives and families that were never established. The lights of remembrance animate these flames, reflecting on the Holocaust’s sorrows and emphasizing that every life that was not lived to its fullest is a loss for us all.
United, the candle flames and the legacy of the Liska Rebbe remind us that the light of remembrance is a timeless beacon. The next observance will occur on the evening before the yahrzeit of Reb Shaya'la of Kerestir, which falls on Thursday, May 9, 2024, at sunset.
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