A break from the norm
Rabbi Zusha Wolf coordinates the office of JEM in Israel. He is also the lead interviewer in Israel for our oral history project called My Encounter with the Rebbe. Recently, he received an interesting phone call.
Rabbi Zusha Wolf. The representative of JEM and lead interviewer in Israel.
The yeshiva student on the other end of the conversation told him about an older man that he recently met, who claimed to have met the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Y. Schneersohn, in 1929!
At that time the Previous Rebbe was on an international trip to raise Jewish awareness, strengthen Jewish communities and raise much needed funds for European Jewry. While in the Holy Land, he made a point to visit the “Holy Sites” of the land, i.e. the resting places of our holiest sages, etc. A story is told that the Previous Rebbe’s vehicle broke down on the road to Tzfat, and he was warmly welcomed in to someone’s home and served tea. Who was this family? Did this incident really happen?
The yeshiva student insisted that he met the man in whose home the Rebbe stayed! This led Rabbi Wolf to contact 90-year-old Aviv Kalar. Over the phone, Rabbi Wolf was impressed by the clarity and details of Mr. Kolar’s recollection, and the obvious authenticity of the encounter.
Mr. Aviv Kalar
On September 20, 2011, the My Encounter crew in Israel met Mr. Kalar in the small village of Rosh Pina (which is on the road up to Tzfat) at the home where he grew up, and where the Previous Rebbe stayed. Mr. Kalar, who was 10 years old when the Rebbe stayed in his family’s home, described the entire episode with specifics, details and great spirit!
In a break from the norm, the Rabbi Wolf and the My Encounter crew seized the opportunity to record Mr. Kalar outside of the interview chair. In a documentary style, the My Encounter team filmed on the street, as Mr. Kalar pointed out where different parts of the story took place.
We are very happy to add this piece of oral history to our library. As the subjects get older, and the memories shorter, this recording of a youthful and healthy 92-year-old at the scene of the historical event, was a special opportunity.
The My Encounter with Rebbe project is now in a campaign to record 1000 individuals who have had special and meaningful encounters with the Rebbe, in order to preserve and share the oral history that affects ours and future generations.
The My Encounter project is looking forward to using the footage in a future project.
