Rabbi Haskel Besser represents a slice of New York history little understood by most Jews, let alone most New Yorkers. In the 1940s and early `50s more than 50,000 Hasidim immigrated to New York from Poland and Hungary, where their once vibrant communities had been wiped out by the Holocaust. Rabbi Besser escaped from Poland in 1939, after a harrowing encounter where a group of soldiers threatened to throw him from a moving train. His aunts, uncles, cousins and grandfather were killed in concentration camps. In his adopted city, Rabbi Besser has amassed an impressive array of achievements: not only has he succeeded in the commercial real estate world and the diamond district, but he has presided for 40 years over a small synagogue on the Upper West Side and he invented the miniature talmuds often read by devout Jews on New York subways. This extremely engaging character, who has met with world leaders and addressed crowds of thousands at Madison Square Garden, tells his life story with wisdom and wit.
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© 2008 Educational Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved.
We saw the program and enjoyed it very much. We would like to buy the DVD but can not find it on your website. Please tell me how I can purchase this and also the program on Yiddish that also aired on 27 January (I believe it was A World of Yiddish). Thank you. Rochelle
awesome show
I would like to say hello to Rabbi Besser. I worked with him twenty years ago with Ronald Lauder. He was a wonderful friend and I wanted to say hello.
I recently read the book, “The Rabbi of 84th Street,” and was deeply moved by this story of one man’s precious life and his gift or helping others. I want to learn more about him.
I would dearly love to meet this man, who is so inspirational and seems to be so in touch with people.
I would like to know how to purchase the DVD as I don’t see any notice as to how to order one. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing this priceless footage with us. Rabbi Besser is truly a treasure.
my name is shalom kolin, i live at Efrat (gush etzyon) in israel.
the name of my garnd mother was Sara Konesense.
her family name before she maried my grand fother was Haskel.
my grand fother was Aharon-Yosef Konsense. they lived at DZIALOSZYN before the 2nd war.
in the 2nd war, they lived in getto LODZ. they was killed in aushvitz.
i look for any one that can be my family.
pleas, give me answer even you are not my family.
thanks
shalom kolin
I am so pleased to tell you that I recently read another book about a Holocaust survivor entitled, “They Called me Frau Anna,” by Chana Marcus Banet. I am inspired to pray more frequently for the Jewish people, especially the young people in Israel, now that I have read it. I recommend this book to everyone.
I read the book about Rabbi Besser and it greatly blessed me! I am not Jewish but I loved the book!
Hi, how are you?
I live in Aberdeen, Scotland, UK a part of the world that doesn’t have a very big Jewish community. I have a quick question: would/do (hacidic) jews find the attachment of Gin and Jews amusing? Or not? I believe its a reference to a Snoop Dog song. More to the point is it offensive? is there a part of Judaisim that bans alcohol or wouldn’t see the funny side?
Thanks
Dan
dear mr kolin we can be family
please ansered we can be family