Every year, tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews visit Olaszliszka, or Liska as the local Jewish community names it, a charming hideaway in Hungary.
Every year, tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews visit Olaszliszka, or Liska as the local Jewish community names it, a charming hideaway in Hungary.
Blog Article
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.
As a place of deep-rooted traditions and steadfast faith, Liska Jewish Cemetery is truly one of a kind. The holy burial site of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Friedman, known to the community as "Hershel Lisker," the founder of Hasidism in Europe, is situated here. Although he was famously impoverished, the first Lisker Rebbe lived in accordance with the values of teachings, generosity, and miraculous assistance. His name is linked with numerous miraculous acts: the renowned rebbe healed the sick and blessed many, leading them to prosperity. The life of the wonderful rebbe had a great impact on the present of the Orthodox Jewish communities of that time. Even now, tens of thousands of pilgrims travel to visit the rebbe annually, especially during the yahrzeit on the 14th of Av.
The Liska Hasidic dynasty, along with Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Friedman, greatly influenced the dissemination of Hasidism in Hungary and worldwide. The Kerestir Rebbe, Yeshaya Steiner (widely known as Reb Shaya'la of Kerestir), used this signature style in his correspondence:„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. In the community, there was a strong conviction that the rabbi’s prayers and blessings could heal both physical ailments and mental distress.The experience of his presence was reported by several pilgrims at his grave, even after he had passed away.
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. The lighting of candles at each grave saw their flames bowing in tribute to the departed souls of this small village’s former inhabitants. The light of the candles is perceived as a connection between the past and the present, radiating from the wellspring of remembrance.
The light of candles serves as a profound emblem of the Jewish religion. The flames not only illuminate but also open a gateway to the Eternal. As the Book states: "Man's soul is the Lord's lamp, which searches out all the innermost parts." Proverbs 20:27
We are commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Holocaust in 2024. 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. Beyond preserving the memory of the graves, the candles’ flames also honor the untold lives and the families that never came to be. These flames, lit in memory, bring the Holocaust’s tragedies into focus and remind us that each life that never reached its potential is a loss felt by all.
Together, the flame of the candles and the legacy of the Liska Rebbe remind us that the light of remembrance lives on forever. Join us for the upcoming commemoration, scheduled for the evening before the yahrzeit of Reb Shaya'la of Kerestir on Thursday, May 9, 2024, at sunset.
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