The Hungarian village of Olaszliszka, or Liska as it is known to the local Jewish community, is a magical retreat that welcomes tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews annually.
The Hungarian village of Olaszliszka, or Liska as it is known to the local Jewish community, is a magical retreat that welcomes tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews annually.
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Every year, tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews visit Olaszliszka, or Liska as the local Jewish community names it, a charming hideaway in Hungary.
Liska Jewish Cemetery is a distinctive site steeped in tradition and devoted faith. Here lies the revered grave of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Friedman, or "Hershel Lisker" as the community calls him, who established the first Hasidic home in Europe. The first Lisker Rebbe, known for his significant poverty, upheld a life characterized by deep teachings, acts of charity, and miraculous help. His name is associated with countless miraculous deeds: sick people visited the famous rebbe and received healing, but he also helped many to prosperity with his blessing. The inspiring life of the rebbe significantly impacted the present-day Orthodox Jewish communities of his time. Annually, tens of thousands of pilgrims make their way to the rebbe, with the yahrzeit observed on the 14th of Av drawing the most visitors.
The activities of Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Friedman and the Liska Hasidic dynasty significantly advanced the spread of Hasidism throughout Hungary and beyond. 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”
Far and wide, the Lisker Rebbe was acclaimed for his remarkable gift of healing. People from various countries also moved to the village of Liska, seeking his healing touch. The community trusted that the rabbi’s blessings and prayers could address and heal both bodily and mental afflictions.Despite his death, numerous visitors to his grave claimed to have felt his continued presence.
The two caretakers of the Liska Jewish cemetery performed an act that is not only the graves, but also the bearer of respect and remembrance for the past. Candles were placed at every grave, their flames gently inclining in homage to the souls of the villagers who once lived here. The light of the candles is perceived as a connection between the past and the present, radiating from the wellspring of remembrance.
The flame of candles holds profound symbolism in the Jewish faith. The light of the flames goes beyond mere illumination, serving as a portal to the Eternal. As the Book reveals: "Man's soul is the Lord's lamp, which searches out all the innermost parts." Proverbs 20:27
The year 2024 represents the 80th anniversary of the Holocaust. The solemn lights burning in the Jewish cemetery of Liska not only honor individual graves but also evoke an entire era and the fate of a whole people. The candles’ flames safeguard not just the graves but also the memories of unrecorded lives and families that were never established. 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.
United, the candle flames and the legacy of the Liska Rebbe remind us that the light of remembrance is a timeless beacon. The next similar commemoration: before the yarhzeit of Reb Shaya'la of Kerestir on Thursday (2024-05-09) at sunset.
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