Williamsburg, NY – One of the Few Last Known Hasidic Jews Saved By Shindler Passes Away

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    Reb Yosel Ryba One of the Last Known Hasidic Jews Saved By Shindler Passes Away [Photo Credit: ShiaHD]Williamsburg, NY – Reb Yosel Ryba, beloved Gabai of the Amshinover Beis Medrash for over fifty years passed away this past Shabbos. Named for his father who passed away shortly before his birth, Reb Yosel was raised by his aunt and uncle in Poland. He is one of the few last known Hasidic Jews who was saved during World War II by German businessman Oscar Schindler, who is credited with saving over one thousand Polish Jews by employing them in his factories, rescuing them from certain death.

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    After the war ended, Reb Yosel ran a kitchen in Czecheslovakia and with the help of his brother in law, he fed over 150,000 people. Upon his arrival in America, Reb Yosel was settled in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, at the home of his sister and brother in law, but deep in his heart, Reb Yosel knew that Wilkes Barre was not the place to raise a strong Jewish family. Despite the fact that he had no family in Williamsburg, Reb Yossel followed his heart and relocated there, where he found the type of community he was seeking. He got married, had three sons and joined the Amshinover Beis Medrash, where he davened his entire life. He forged a strong connection with the Amshinover Rebbe, among many others.

    Upon the birth of his first son, Reb Yosel received a special bracha from the Satmar Rebbe, Reb Yoel Teitelbaum, Zt’l telling him that if he would collect money for Mosdos Yitav Lev in Israel, he would be blessed with good children. Even while Reb Yoself was in business, he devoted himself to collecting tzedaka, a task he continued even in his final days when he was confined to a wheelchair.

    Reb Yosel is remembered as a vibrant individual, whose entire life revolved around helping others, no matter who they were or where they came from. He was well known in both Williamsburg and Boro Park, particularly in the Gerrer and Amshinover communities and was beloved by all. He sent his later years doing what he loved most: sitting in the Beis Medrash, collecting tzedaka and helping others.

    Reb Yosel passed away on his 91st birthday, Tu B’Shvat, which was also the yahrtzeit of both his aunt and uncle who raised him, just one day after the yahrtzeit of his father in law, R’ Zangwil Lefkowitz.


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    37 Comments
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    gtiopl
    gtiopl
    14 years ago

    Who can forget him ! saw him in Rodney St.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Hey, the old Weingarten from Bobov isn’t alive anymore?

    moshe yosef
    moshe yosef
    14 years ago

    Its one hundred % true he was a very honest businessman so r his kids Shmiel Zanvil and Moshe Hashem should help them they should continue in there fathers legacy ad meah vesrim

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    He was a real feineh geshmake yid. I believe he was close and davened also by the Tzelemer Ruv.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Wow. Such a story.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    R’ Yechiel Weingarten from Bobov is B’h alive, not Davka very healthy, he should have a Refuah Shleima, but nontheless, he’s alive until 120

    chusidwb
    chusidwb
    14 years ago

    Great man indeed, allways had a good vort.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Reb Yosef Was a person for the Klal not for him his son Yakov Hersh Is a Talmid Chuchem And Tzadis both of his other son are very Erlicha Chushava Yigleit, Reb Yosef is a lost for us and our childran He was Davening like an old timer. Besiroys Toves

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Thank fo such a story we don’t hear them so often let’s see who can give the first negative comment

    egghead
    egghead
    14 years ago

    For years he used to go in satmar clymer with 2 tzdoko pushkes 1 for the shul and 1 for mosdos yetev lev even when he almost couldn’t walk he stil made the daily rounds. What a teire yid he was we will all miss him

    egghead
    egghead
    14 years ago

    For years he used to go in satmar clymer with 2 tzdoko pushkes 1 for the shul and 1 for mosdos yetev lev even when he almost couldn’t walk he stil made the daily rounds. What a teire yid he was we will all miss him

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    wonderful man..he’s a relative of mine..!!!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    BDH, we should all try to follow in the footsteps of this wonderful Yid. His generation is a thing of the past. We have lost the Tam of that generation, the menchlichkiet. May Reb Yosel’s memory be a source of strength and pride to his family and for all Klal Yisroel

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    A special man and yes he had special good son’s as far as I know and his grand kids are also a bride to the family

    yoely
    yoely
    14 years ago

    he used to take a tepple hook, it on his walker ,and then go for tzdaka with the tepple as a pishka

    bde
    bde
    14 years ago

    I know moshe, what a refined gentleman!

    admirer
    admirer
    14 years ago

    R’ Yosef was an inspiration to all who knew him. His hatzlacha and good heart was shared by his wife who was his backbone and true “Aishes Chayil”. May H’ grant her health and arichos yomim.

    yankel
    yankel
    14 years ago

    Yes he was a special person , and a special special heart , years ago he mad his B’H’ a home for the older buchrem who didn’t wanto be in the public shulls and so . He mad them welcomed in his shull there on Rodney st , not to many pepole in the old days under stood what it means to give them a place to be in proved , yes today there is a lot of people doing it , mekarev the older buchrem , yes keep up the good work , but back then a yied from WWII to understand it and to bring it out and really do it was the only one Reb Yosef , may all his good deeds walk him tru the doors of Gan Eden and may all his good memories reflect on all of us Reb yosef will miss your smile and all ill know to tell my
    kids that there was a Reb Yosef , but won’t Be able to show them BD”H

    schwartz
    schwartz
    14 years ago

    Bd”h what a loss for klall yisrol. reb yosel was a gem it was a pleasure to be around him always a good word for every one. And so r his children. he told me ones he is named after his father reb yosef ben reb yosef and he didn’t even see a photo of him zechuso ugyn olenu

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    R’yossesl z’l was a great person I knew him personal,always a good word to a fellow jew,helping others whenever he could,such deveikus by davening,devoted himself very much to the amshinover b’h, going always around with pushkas,was very close to tzalimer rav z’l to amshinover rabbi z’l and so on… His memory will always stay with us he will be missed as a picture how the previus genaration was. Only besoirois toives for all of us amen

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    It sounds like he was a special man. It’s also a great moment to remember the righteous Gentiles who risked their lives to save us, and remind us that it’s our responsibility to do what we can for all people, both Jews and goyim, to do our best so that nobody will suffer or perish.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I never had the privilege of seeing Reb Yosel. These wonderful Chassidim are a link to a past of learning & Meseiros Nefesh for Yiddishkeit that we rarely see today. I am fascinated by this article…thank you, VIN, for posting it! May his sons take Menucha from their father’s Zchusim. Baruch Dayan HaEmes.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    BDE. What a gibor. I hope HKBH learns with him in Gan Eden.

    clymer st
    clymer st
    14 years ago

    r’yossel brought with him the posuk ivdi es hashem besimcha a yid who was besimcha and nesamaiach es habriyois simchi bashem vegili tzadikim yehi zichroi burich

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I has the honor of knowing him and his 3 sons, all of them upright ehrliche yidden. He will surely be missed, since there is no one left from his generation to inspire us any more. BDH

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    he was a real hidden tzaddik

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    i loved him.

    Mehu
    Mehu
    14 years ago

    There are still Shearis Hapletah Yidden left.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    BDE, I hope there is an official historic record of his story so that Shindler’s survivors are remembered and studied for centuries to come.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Rabbi Yossel Ryba, Z’T’L – What a holy Tzadik. Not only did he pass away on Shabbat, but on his birthday. He was born on TuB’Shvat and passed away on TuB’Shvat. They say when someone is born and passes on his birthday (full circle); he is a Tzadik. Like Moshe Rabbeinu and Dovid HaMelech, both passed away on their birthdays. May they all be meilitzim yosher for Bnei Yisrael and may redemption come speedily!
    Amen

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Reply to 32. Yes, there is . Outside Williamsburg.

    friend
    friend
    14 years ago

    R’ Yosel has an older sister living in Monsey. She is devoted to mitzvos throughout her life and still volunteers with the Bikur Cholim of Rockland County. She has lots of similarities to her brother with Tzeduka and Chesed. Young and old love spending time with her, as she shares and lectures on interesting holocaust memories.

    Clymer YID
    Clymer YID
    14 years ago

    I New R’ YOSEF BEN YOSEF very well, I have tears in my eyes talking about him, when he came to the US he had nothing to do with SATMAR and he was looking for REAL YISHKITH and he fond it in satmar, the RABBI (R’ YOEL) told him, he told it to me many times, “VILT EAR HUBAN GITA KINDER DAN TIT FAR MANA MODSAS IN ERATZ YISRUAL” in English: if you won’t have good children then do for my MOSDAS in Israel” and he was going around every day with a PISHKA for MOSDAS YETEVE LEV, I was last night paying a SHIVA call, and his son told me that his father R’ YOSEL had a pishka at home half full and his father told him that when it will be full he would give it in to the office, this is the way he worked, when he had about 1,000 dollars at a time he send it to the office, so the PISHKA at hone is still half full only …..
    I gave my donation last night for the ZACHUS of R’ YOsef ben YOSEF for the MOSAD HE was going nuch gelt, and I am sure the the BRUCH FROM THE SATMAR REBBI TO HAVE GITA KINDAR will be to all that is helping his MOSDAS.

    YS
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