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.
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.
The uniqueness of Liska Jewish Cemetery lies in its role as a sacred space for tradition and dedicated faith. The sacred resting place of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Friedman, affectionately known as "Hershel Lisker" by the community, the pioneer of Hasidism in Europe, is found here. Although he was famously impoverished, the first Lisker Rebbe lived in accordance with the values of teachings, generosity, and miraculous assistance. Associated with many miraculous events, his name is remembered for healing the ailing and blessing many to achieve prosperity. The inspiring life of the rebbe significantly impacted the present-day Orthodox Jewish communities of his time. Today, tens of thousands of pilgrims still visit the rebbe each year, especially on his yahrzeit, which falls on the 14th of Av.
The efforts of the Liska Hasidic dynasty and Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Friedman played a key role in the expansion of Hasidism both in Hungary and around the globe. Yeshaya Steiner, the Kerestir Rebbe (also known as Reb Shaya'la of Kerestir), signed his letters as follows:„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. The village of Liska saw an influx of people from abroad, who came to request his healing. The community held a belief that the rabbi's blessings and prayers had the power to alleviate both physical and mental suffering.After his death, many pilgrims visiting his grave still felt as though he was somehow present with them.
By their actions, the two caretakers of the Liska Jewish cemetery upheld both the graves and the cherished memory of 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 flickering flames of the candles are seen as a link between past and present, casting light from the heart of remembrance.
Candles' flames carry a deep symbolic meaning within Jewish spirituality. The flames do not merely cast light, but also open a gate to all that is Eternal. As the Book says: "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 reverent lights burning in the Jewish cemetery of Liska evoke not only individual graves, but also an entire era, the fate of an entire people. The light of the candles keeps alive the memory of the graves, as well as the lives never fully lived and families never started. The lights of remembrance animate these flames, reflecting on the Holocaust’s sorrows and emphasizing that every life that was not lived to its fullest is a loss for us all.
Together, the flame of the candles and the legacy of the Liska Rebbe remind us that the light of remembrance lives on forever. The following commemoration will be held just before the yahrzeit of Reb Shaya'la of Kerestir on Thursday, May 9, 2024, at sunset.
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