Bodrogkeresztúr – In Photos-Video: Thousands Mark Yahrtzeit Of Reb Shayele Kerestir In Hungary

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    Thousands at  Reb Shayale Kerestir gravesite April 18, 2018 (Eli Wohl/VINnews.com)Bodrogkeresztúr – Thousands made the trip to the northeastern Hungarian countryside on Wednesday to the village of Bodrogkeresztúr to mark the 93rd yahrtzeit of Rabbi Yeshaya Steiner, known to his followers as Reb Shayale Kerestir.

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    Known as a miracle worker and the scion of the Keristerer dynasty, people traveled from miles around to visit with Reb Shayale and obtain his blessings during his lifetime, a tradition that continues even today, nearly a century after his death.

    In recent years, visitors from all over the world began flocking to Reb Shayale’s house and gravesite in greater numbers, with the crowds increasing annually.

    Organizers of this year’s massive pilgrimage to Kerestir to mark Reb Shayale’s yahrtzeit on the third day of Iyar arrived in the village in advance of the event to ensure that everything would flow smoothly once the more than 10,000 men, women and children from all across the United States, Canada, Europe and Israel began to arrive.

    “There have been a lot of preparations,” Chesky Biller, a member of Lakewood Shmira told VIN News. “We prepped the whole area to hold the mass of people who came, setting up areas for davening, for learning and for food, with separate areas for men and women.”

    Because this year’s yahrtzeit fell out in the middle of the week, many flew or drove to Kerestir for just a few hours, while others packed hotels and guest houses for miles around the village.

    Organizers worked hand in hand with a local security team hired to coordinate logistics, with shuttles arranged to transport visitors from the parking lot to the cemetery in order to avoid traffic on the narrow, hilly roadway. Throughout the day crowds mobbed Reb Shayale’s gravesite, davening and leaving kvitlach at his tzion.
    (Eli Wohl/VINnews.com)
    Massive tents at both Reb Shayale’s former home in Kerestir and another area designated as “Reb Shayale’s Guest House,” were open to all, with mountains of freshly cooked food, funded by private donations, available around the clock.

    “They had commercial griddles set up in the morning with eggs being made any way you like,” said Biller. “There were cookies, cakes, drinks, sandwiches, bread, baguettes, fish, chicken, meat – you name it. There is so much food here you could have a five course meal and then have another one right after that.”

    While Reb Yeshayale was the founder of a Chasidic dynasty, his appeal spans the spectrum of the Jewish world.

    “There were people here from all walks of life and all different types – Sefardi, Chasidish, Mizrachi, Litvish,” said Biller. “I spoke to a lot of people who came with someone who is sick. It was a large, diverse crowd of people, all Jews who came for things, because everybody needs a refuah or some kind of yeshua.”


    (Eli Wohl/VINnews.com)
    {NewsPhotosEmbed 670665135}


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    5 years ago

    Beautiful. Now go spend your money marrying off poor almans and yesomom instead of kever hoping and fressing. Much greater zechus. R shayla would be a greater meltiz yosher for such guy.

    Sholi-Katz
    Sholi-Katz
    5 years ago

    All this is a response to UMAN – The rest of the chassidem were always jealous of the success of the Bresliver’s. At first they fought it as a mishigas (which it is) and criticized it as a waste of time, money and energy going to Uman every year. However, they saw the continuity of the pilgrimage, plus the excitement and notoriety it provides, they conveniently joined the party! They also want to make their Rebbe a National shrine. First at Reb Meilich Z’L and now at Reb Shiyala Z’L complete with all the dreamed up later stories – Mark it on your calender, in a few years some other Einikel’s will think up of someone else to got to. If you have a few bucks you will be able to party in blood soaked Europe every month.
    Just like making the barn fire on Lag B’omer. Almost every Rebbe that makes a Grand fire event, year ago referred to it as “something we don’t do – it’s only a thing by Sefardim. After a while they joined the party. Hey – Funtime is Funtime and the fires get bigger, bigger and more sophisticated, as each Rebbe doesn’t want to be outdone by the other.

    PaulinSaudi
    PaulinSaudi
    5 years ago

    “Scion” means something like “child of,” or better “son.” The Rabbi was the founder of the Keristerer dynasty, not its child.

    Thank you for the lovely photos.