Thread by @mchitrik

Finally, after 2 years, we were able to spend some time with my Zeide, Chief Moshe Lieberman of Antwerp... Ill share here some insights here in the coming days...

Zeide is a great scholar, just look at these much used books at his home office...

There books all over the house "my best feiends" he calls them...

For the past several years Zeide has beem suffering from macular degeneration, which greatly impairs his eye sight... But that does not hold 96 year old Zeide back from studying these books...

Throughout the day, people come and go - read, study, argue, learn, discuss, argue some more...

"I have finished the entire Talmud without seeing one word inside..." he says - and he refers to his upstairs neighbor who doesnt miss a day of study with Zeide...

It is amazing to witness the great respect Jews of #Antwerpen have to Zeide, "De Ruv" or "Rav Lieberman" or "Opperrabbijn"...

Early in the morning, Zeide goes to pray in the great synagogue of Shomrei Hadas... His dedicated friend Nechemia is there every day to give him a hand...

It is a beautiful synagogue...

Which was also targeted in the 1980's by terrorists...

The great synagogue is used on high holidays and Shabbat, on the weekdays they use the smaller synagogue...

We sat with Zeidy and he told us a little about his life... He doesn't usually like to share...

But Chaim played some Chassidic melodies on his violin...

Zeidy grew up on these streets of Antwerp...

He was known to be a genius and wonder kid. He attended the great Yeshiva of Heide when he was just ten years old, the age entrance was 14 or 15... Everyone was older than him... But "I was a good student" he says...

@Ami_Magazine

amimagazine.org/2017/09/13/jou…

Then the war broke out and his Mother Sarah Hinda, took the kids to France, where the French locked them up in camps... He managed to run away and hide with his uncle...

Until his uncle was sent by the French to the Germans. Zeidy always points out that it was the French who sent them to the hands of the Germans! The uncle was murdered in #Auschwitz

I will get back to the history, but look at life too! A little child came to recieve a blessing in honor of his #Upshern - accompanied by his siblings, parents and grandparents...

And a young couple came to consult with the Rabbi...

Another child came to recieve a blessing before departing to hia summer trip...

We also recorded Zeidy's weekly Torah thought in English (to subscribe: [phone])...

If you want to be added to a whatsapp group and recieve these weekly thoughts, click here:

chat.whatsapp.com/FCfn8evnqXaKP6…

And back to some more....

Zeidy is a great orator. He speaks 6 or 7 languages, although, he says he can express himself best in #Yiddish. For years he took notes, as preparation for his speeches...

But as much as he is a great speaker, he never took the time to properly write down his talks and speeches... And today it is even difficult for him to decipher what are these code words mean...

Here is an example of Hebrew scholarly essay he prepared and delivered at a famous Yeshiva... I he writes "Answer 1. Answer 2. Answer 3. Answer 4." I asked him, what were the answers? "They were so obvious for me at the time, I didnt bother writing..."

Although Zeidy can't see, he is very much up to date on anything that goes on in the world... Thanks of course to the ever present #bbcnews...

Not only that he is up to date... But he disagrees with me whole heartedly...

While Zeidy is the Chief Rabbi of the Jewish community of Antwerp Shomrei Hadass - an Orthodox Jewish community - he is a @Chabad follower and was especially close to the 6th Lubavitcher Rebbe "who valued him and cared for him physically and spiritually"

Sometimes, especially in Europe, people feel that being a community rabbi and a Chabad Hassid (follower) is contradictory - I think that Zeidy is a great example of the fallacy of this argument... He says that this is a silly comment.

I am out of the room when community issues are discussed... Zeidy doesn't usually go to his office these days. But the work has to be done and a consultation with the Chief Rabbi is a must.

Zeidy was born in Koln, Germany in 1925 to his Polish immigrant parents from Mielc...

When in 1926, when he was about one year old the family moved to Antwerp, Belgium - his father Isaac was apparently a diamond merchant... Reb Isaac survived the second world war, ane later lived in NY and Israel.

Zeidy's mother Sarah Hinde, who was a descendant of the great Hassidic dynasties of Poland, died in #Auschwitz

Zeidy tells me: "When I was a child they used to paint here on the walls 'Jews go TO Palestine!' now the graffiti says 'Jews go OUT of Palestine!' where should we go than?"... Anyway we are still here, in #Antwerp...

Zeidy is back with his "old friends" the holy books... Now with the help of modern technology - his computer reads the books for him...

The computer "reads" English better than Hebrew - the choice of books that interest this old scholar, are fascinating... Because they include philosophy, Jewish law, history, Torah thoughts as well as a choice of dictionaries....

Why do you need to read dictionaries?

- Because words have a meaning and when you use a word in the wrong manner people can understand you wrong and may even act on it.

(I am not telling him how many typos I have in this thread alone - including in the first tweet...)

Back to history... As kids Zeidy never spoke to us about what transpired during the war years... My mother, his daughter, knew absolutely nothing about Zeidy's war years. It was a taboo. But with some nudging we got some info...

Good morning friends... We will try to get more stories today...

Zeidy was already up at 6:15... and at 7:25 he is anxious to go to Shul... "Nu, it is already late!"

While Zeidy is wrapping up - a few words on languages...

I have long believed that to get to "know" someone - one must first look at his bookshelves... The personal choice of readings tell us much about who the reader is... These are the books right behind Zeidy's chair...

I was not surprised, that besides the very used us Talmud, the most used books are Zeidy's collection of thesauruses and dictionaries...

Born in Koln, Germany to Jewish Polish - Yiddish speaking parents, made Zeidy's first language the obvious #Yiddish - in Yiddish he converses, argues jokes and teases Nechemia Shuldiner from the moment Nechemia walks in at 7:30 am

The #language spoken today in the synagogue was also Yiddish... It has been quite a while since I last heard Jews arguing politics and business investments in flawless #Yiddish.

When I was a little kid and we used to visit Zeidy here in Antwerp, it seemed to me then that French was predominant amongst the Jewish community, today signes in the synagogues are Hebrew and #Flemish

Languages are fascinating. I am typing this tweet, and editing the video while I go to buy food for #Shabbat here in Antwerp - I hear kids speaking Yiddish on my right and kids speaking Turkish on my left...

But Zeidy is most fluent in:

Walking to Hoffy's to buy food for #Shabbos I pass by the offices of Shomrei Hadas - the offices of the Jewish community of Antwerp...

But it is this plaque on the wall "Dedicated to the members of our city; men, women and children" who were brought here by the Germans in 1941 sent on trucks to #Mechelen forced on trains to the death camps in Poland...

#NeverForgetJan6th

Zeidy's words he once said in #Budapest #Holocaust Memorial dedication, on the banks of the #Danube still ring in my ears...

Just listen to these powerful words - and take to heart:

Chaim (my son, brother of @EliChitrik) and my nephew Eliezer Schurder enjoy the treats Jewish Antwerp has to offer... Namely the #Kleinblatt Bakery... Zeidy says "I remember Kleinblatt Bakery from before the war..."

The war is ever present... Even if Zeidy is reluctant to talk about it and even though - Thank the Eternal - life goes on, yet, it hangs over life.

Every Mitzva every positive action, every display of Jewish life is just another victory in the great war...

I buy for Shabbos at Hoffy's, great source of Heimishe food - Zeidy has to be careful with salt, potassium and bunch of other stuff, so I am careful with my choices - who are you? "Rav Lieberman's grandson" I say. Mr. Hoffman's eyes widen "Wow! What a Ruv, what a Zeide" he says..

"You left something in the store?" or you just bought everything...

Zeidy and world news: second round... #NPR news and #Siri reads the news.

Since I was a little kid, I always knew that my scholar zeidy has a special affection to electric gadgets... It is amazing how modern technology is part of his life even when he can't see!

Another great technological tool that Zeidy uses is @OrCam... These tools make his "friends" the books talk back to him...

It is the time to study the #DafHaYomi... We are up page 15th of Sukka. Zeidy and his Havruta Reb Sholom are arguing on the details of Kosher Sukka covering.

While at it Chaim and Eliezer went to visit the #Antwerpen City Hall...

I wrote here about Zeidy, but before Shabbos comes - I want to also mention here Bubby Chaya Lieberman, may her memory be of blessing. Born in Kharkov - then in the USSR - she spent the war years in Uzbekistan and after escaping from the Soviets she married Zeidy in 1950...

Bubby was a very practical women - she made sure books were in order and she had to deal with scattered books scholars like Zeidy tend to leave around the house -

But what she was most concerned with was preserving of memories. Know where you came from, so you know who you are.

Bubby passed away in 2013, being practical she made sure that we all remember her:

She bought Tefillins for all her grand children and great-grandchildren! (All with the same Tefillin bags so that they can identify each other as cousins in Yeshiva).

May her memory blessed!

"This visit was way too short" says Zeidy as he goes with Nehemiah down the elevator om the way to Shul. "We hope to be back soon" I tell him.

Indeed it was too short of a trip but a lifetime worth of lessons for Chaim and Eliezer...

To witness a thirst of learning and knowledge, to spend a few days with a legend, to learn that every moment that we have there is still something that can be done!

But it isn't only about the knowledge. It is about fusing every step with spiritual purpose, feelings, meaning and the mindfulness that we connect to the Eternal, even when, or maybe more so, when it isn't easy - and be thankful for it.

Speaking about thankfulness, I must say that it was astonishing to see the respect and devotion the community shows their Rabbi. Nechemia, Refael, Reb Sholom, and each and everyone (I was only able to see few, but there are many others). This too is a lesson rarely learned.

Thanks for sharing this picture of Zeidy speaking at the beautiful great synagogue in Antwerp just before Slichos last night...

While at it, here is a beautiful short clip pf Zeidy having an argument with the Dayan Rabbi Schmahl a few days ago after the morning prayers...

It is difficult to argue with Zeidy, even if you are able to read what it says...

At the Shabbos table Zeidy told us of the last days in the Rivesaltes camp, his mother Sarah Hinde knew that they are being deported. She sent Zeidy an emotional letter, written in German and her marriage ring. Two weeks later she was deported to Auschwitz.

"Let's speak about Freliche, happy, things" says Zeidy. "What did you do with the ring?" Chaim asks.

"Oh, I gave it to Bubby when we got married. It should be here in the house somewhere". He says and adds quietly "It always comes back to this" and his eyes fill with tears.

"This is what makes us whom we are!" I tell Zeidy. "Nu, nu" he responds and we start singing a Shabbos song.

Going up the steps for the Minyan, I ask Zeidy, "What is easier for you: going up or coming down?" - "When I go up, then going down is easier. When I walk down, going up is easier" Zeidy is quick to answer...