Hyman Meyer Crestohl
Encyclopedia
Hyman Meyer Crestohl was a Canadian
rabbi
, born in Poland
. His son, Leon Crestohl
, was elected to the House of Commons.
Hyman Meyer Crestohl obtained his semicha
in Poland by noted Rabbis, including the Chief Rabbi
of Warsaw
, and soon served as rabbi in Siedlce
. Being a Zionist
, he became an early member of Mizrachi
, the religious faction of the Zionist movement. He was in contact with many of the movement's political leaders in Europe, such as Chaim Weizmann
, Nahum Sokolow
, and rabbis Samuel Mohilever
and Yitzchak Yaacov Reines
.
In 1904 Crestohl went to New York
as an emissary of Mizrachi, then moved to Gloversville, New York, and he stayed there until he immigrated to Canada in 1911. He was nominated as rabbi of Ohev Sholom synagogue in Quebec City
that year. He found in Quebec City a small Jewish community of approximately 400 people, most of which had come from eastern Europe in the 1890s and were engaged in commerce. The congregation was the city's second and it had been founded only a year before his arrival.
During his eight years as rabbi, he maintained ties with the Zionist movement in Canada, founding and acting as first president of the Dorshei Zion Society of Quebec City and serving on the council of the Federation of Zionist Societies of Canada. During World War I
he was also active in ministering to the religious needs of Jewish soldiers training at Valcartier.
In 1919 Crestohl moved to Montreal, where he served from 1920 to 1928 as rabbi of the Hadrath Kodesh congregation, founded by immigrants from Russian Poland
. Crestohl also functioned as a shochet
in Montreal's kosher meat industry. In 1920 he became first president of the Mizrachi Organization of Canada.
Crestohl was well known as a scholar of rabbinic literature and he wrote many works on this subject. Only one of his treatises was published, posthumously by his children.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
, born in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. His son, Leon Crestohl
Leon David Crestohl
Leon David Crestohl was a Canadian lawyer and politician.Born in Warsaw, then Russian Empire, the son of Rabbi Hyman Meyer Crestohl , he emigrated with his family to Canada in 1911 living in Quebec City before moving to Montreal in 1919. Crestohl was educated at McGill University and the...
, was elected to the House of Commons.
Hyman Meyer Crestohl obtained his semicha
Semicha
, also , or is derived from a Hebrew word which means to "rely on" or "to be authorized". It generally refers to the ordination of a rabbi within Judaism. In this sense it is the "transmission" of rabbinic authority to give advice or judgment in Jewish law...
in Poland by noted Rabbis, including the Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi is a title given in several countries to the recognized religious leader of that country's Jewish community, or to a rabbinic leader appointed by the local secular authorities...
of Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, and soon served as rabbi in Siedlce
Siedlce
Siedlce ) is a city in eastern Poland with 77,392 inhabitants . Situated in the Masovian Voivodeship , previously the city was the capital of a separate Siedlce Voivodeship ....
. Being a Zionist
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
, he became an early member of Mizrachi
Mizrachi (Religious Zionism)
The Mizrachi is the name of the religious Zionist organization founded in 1902 in Vilnius at a world conference of religious Zionists called by Rabbi Yitzchak Yaacov Reines. Bnei Akiva, which was founded in 1929, is the youth movement associated with Mizrachi...
, the religious faction of the Zionist movement. He was in contact with many of the movement's political leaders in Europe, such as Chaim Weizmann
Chaim Weizmann
Chaim Azriel Weizmann, , was a Zionist leader, President of the Zionist Organization, and the first President of the State of Israel. He was elected on 1 February 1949, and served until his death in 1952....
, Nahum Sokolow
Nahum Sokolow
Nahum Sokolow was a Zionist leader, author, translator, and a pioneer of Hebrew journalism....
, and rabbis Samuel Mohilever
Samuel Mohilever
Samuel Mohilever , also Shmuel Mohilever, was a rabbi, pioneer of Religious Zionism and one of the founders of the Hovevei Zion movement.Mohilever was born in Głębokie and studied in the Volozhin yeshiva....
and Yitzchak Yaacov Reines
Yitzchak Yaacov Reines
Yitzchak Yaacov Reines יצחק יעקב ריינס , was a Lithuanian Orthodox rabbi and the founder of the Mizrachi Religious Zionist Movement.-Life:...
.
In 1904 Crestohl went to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
as an emissary of Mizrachi, then moved to Gloversville, New York, and he stayed there until he immigrated to Canada in 1911. He was nominated as rabbi of Ohev Sholom synagogue in Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
that year. He found in Quebec City a small Jewish community of approximately 400 people, most of which had come from eastern Europe in the 1890s and were engaged in commerce. The congregation was the city's second and it had been founded only a year before his arrival.
During his eight years as rabbi, he maintained ties with the Zionist movement in Canada, founding and acting as first president of the Dorshei Zion Society of Quebec City and serving on the council of the Federation of Zionist Societies of Canada. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he was also active in ministering to the religious needs of Jewish soldiers training at Valcartier.
In 1919 Crestohl moved to Montreal, where he served from 1920 to 1928 as rabbi of the Hadrath Kodesh congregation, founded by immigrants from Russian Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
. Crestohl also functioned as a shochet
Shechita
Shechita is the ritual slaughter of mammals and birds according to Jewish dietary laws...
in Montreal's kosher meat industry. In 1920 he became first president of the Mizrachi Organization of Canada.
Crestohl was well known as a scholar of rabbinic literature and he wrote many works on this subject. Only one of his treatises was published, posthumously by his children.