Stein/Zlotnick Interviews
2 March 2011
Yesterday was a day of interviews here in NY.
Mr. Mark Stein. I think passionate is a good description. And so positive!
First we sat with Mr. Mark Stein, one of the members of Anash in Johannesburg, SA. He merited to have Yechidus 3 times. The first time was in 1980, and the 2nd and 3rd time were at the Machne Yisroel Development fund annual meetings.
His connection with the Rebbe is very deep and personal, and he described how the Rebbe’s brochos still continue to bless him in his daily life and in his successful businesses. He gave a great insight into what the Development Fund was for, and what it meant to him as a partner.
We were interrupted by a helicopter hovering almost directly overhead for at least 15 minutes. The microphones are so sensitive that we couldn’t continue. After we investigated, we found that there was a large fire burning just a couple houses away!
One interesting comment the Rebbe made was regarding his business of importing Kosher wine from America. “You must be careful who handles the wine” as there are complicated Jewish laws that could potentially render the wine non-kosher, just by the people who handle it.
Mrs. Riva Zlotnick is 91 yrs old. She was born in Prozoroki, Poland in 1920, and fled to Russia during the war. She had cousins who were living in Alma-Ata who tracked her down and invited her to come stay with them. They were the Rabinovitch family who were very close with R’ Levik nd Rebbetzin Chana – the Rebbe’s parents.
Sharp as a razor, Mrs. Riva Zlotnick was a great interview.
By the time she came, R’ Levik had already passed away from the hardships he endured at the hands of the Communist government, and they were doing their best to take care of Rebbetzin Chana. She joined the family effort, and would often run errands and help out R’ Chana. They developed a very close relationship.
Apparently, the Rebbe would send his mother packages with valuable items, so she could sell them and live off of the money. Riva remembers that the packages were shipped to Japan then Samarkand, and then shipped to Alma-Ata. She vividly recalls one package with stockings, which was a very valuable commodity in that part of Russia. She went to the market, sold the wares for a solid profit, and brought the money back to Rebbetzin Chana.
Riva arrived to the US in 1945. The Rebbetzin came in 1947. She came to visit Rebbetzin Chana here in NY just after she arrived from France. She was then staying with the Rebbe in his apartment on President St. She remembers the apt very well – the kitchen, the dining room, the room full of Seforim (holy books) where they placed a cot for the Rebbetzin to sleep on…
She also met the Rebbe once at the Rebbetzin’s apartment, actually a really nice story, but that’s for another time.
Her memory is astounding, and her senses are very sharp. Great sense of humor, too. Felt like we were speaking with a 70 yr old woman.
Unfortunately, her feet bother her, and she cannot sit in a chair, so the background in the video isn’t as nice.
Thanks to Dudi and Chani Farkash for generously opening their home for this special interview. You may notice we taped plastic material over the windows. That's because sunlight is so powerful to the camera lens, that the lighting will be blown out of proportion.
The fire just a couple houses away. Interesting fact: Mr. Mark Stein does business in fire hoses.
Can you spot the culprit who interrupted our interview?
Apparently, she helped Rebbetzin Chana, a LOT.
Due to other physical limitations, Mrs. Zlotnick can't sit comfortably in a regular chair. In that case, we lose the valuable look of a nice background. But her personality makes up for it...
Yesterday was a day of interviews here in NY.
Mr. Mark Stein. I think passionate is a good description. And so positive!
First we sat with Mr. Mark Stein, one of the members of Anash in Johannesburg, SA. He merited to have Yechidus 3 times. The first time was in 1980, and the 2nd and 3rd time were at the Machne Yisroel Development fund annual meetings.
His connection with the Rebbe is very deep and personal, and he described how the Rebbe’s brochos still continue to bless him in his daily life and in his successful businesses. He gave a great insight into what the Development Fund was for, and what it meant to him as a partner.
We were interrupted by a helicopter hovering almost directly overhead for at least 15 minutes. The microphones are so sensitive that we couldn’t continue. After we investigated, we found that there was a large fire burning just a couple houses away!
One interesting comment the Rebbe made was regarding his business of importing Kosher wine from America. “You must be careful who handles the wine” as there are complicated Jewish laws that could potentially render the wine non-kosher, just by the people who handle it.
Mrs. Riva Zlotnick is 91 yrs old. She was born in Prozoroki, Poland in 1920, and fled to Russia during the war. She had cousins who were living in Alma-Ata who tracked her down and invited her to come stay with them. They were the Rabinovitch family who were very close with R’ Levik nd Rebbetzin Chana – the Rebbe’s parents.
Sharp as a razor, Mrs. Riva Zlotnick was a great interview.
By the time she came, R’ Levik had already passed away from the hardships he endured at the hands of the Communist government, and they were doing their best to take care of Rebbetzin Chana. She joined the family effort, and would often run errands and help out R’ Chana. They developed a very close relationship.
Apparently, the Rebbe would send his mother packages with valuable items, so she could sell them and live off of the money. Riva remembers that the packages were shipped to Japan then Samarkand, and then shipped to Alma-Ata. She vividly recalls one package with stockings, which was a very valuable commodity in that part of Russia. She went to the market, sold the wares for a solid profit, and brought the money back to Rebbetzin Chana.
Riva arrived to the US in 1945. The Rebbetzin came in 1947. She came to visit Rebbetzin Chana here in NY just after she arrived from France. She was then staying with the Rebbe in his apartment on President St. She remembers the apt very well – the kitchen, the dining room, the room full of Seforim (holy books) where they placed a cot for the Rebbetzin to sleep on…
She also met the Rebbe once at the Rebbetzin’s apartment, actually a really nice story, but that’s for another time.
Her memory is astounding, and her senses are very sharp. Great sense of humor, too. Felt like we were speaking with a 70 yr old woman.
Unfortunately, her feet bother her, and she cannot sit in a chair, so the background in the video isn’t as nice.
Thanks to Dudi and Chani Farkash for generously opening their home for this special interview. You may notice we taped plastic material over the windows. That's because sunlight is so powerful to the camera lens, that the lighting will be blown out of proportion.
The fire just a couple houses away. Interesting fact: Mr. Mark Stein does business in fire hoses.
Can you spot the culprit who interrupted our interview?
Apparently, she helped Rebbetzin Chana, a LOT.
Due to other physical limitations, Mrs. Zlotnick can't sit comfortably in a regular chair. In that case, we lose the valuable look of a nice background. But her personality makes up for it...
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