Simcha Liberman
Encyclopedia
Rabbi Simcha Binem Lieberman (29 December 1929 – 28 June 2009) was a Talmud
ic scholar, lecturer at Jews' College, London, and a prolific writer. He was one of the last survivors of the Warsaw Ghetto
.
, Poland
on 29 December 1926 (24 Teveth 5687 in the Hebrew calendar
) to his father Rabbi Brachya Lieberman, a notable Gerrer
hasid. He received the traditional education in chasidic families, steeped in the study of the Talmud and its commentators. This ended abruptly in 1939 with the Nazi invasion of Poland.
With the enclosure of Warsaw Jewry in a confined ghetto
, his education continued along with the fight for survival entailed in ghetto life. When the bulk of the ghetto population was sent to the Treblinka extermination camp
, Simcha, as an able-bodied teenager, was transferred to Majdanek, where he worked as a slave labourer. He was tortured brutally on account of his involvement in numerous acts of sabotage. Ultimately he was imprisoned in seven concentration camps including Dachau and Theresienstadt
.
, Director of the Chief Rabbi's Emergency Council, and brought to England
. He returned to his studies and eventually became a Fellow of Gateshead Kollel
. He married Chava Sosha, a survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp
.
In 1971 he was appointed to the faculty of Jews' College, London as a lecturer in Talmud and Codes, a post he held until 1984, when he was 'made redundant' by the then Principal of the college, Jonathan Sacks
(now Chief Rabbi of Great Britain). He then used his vast Talmudic knowledge to start writing a series of volumes titled Bishvilei Oraiso (in the paths of the Torah) and delivering public lectures on the fruits of his research.
, a mountain-top city in the Galilee
, Israel
. He established an institute for the publication of his writings, eventually publishing 20 volumes in the Bishvilei Oraiso series.
His wife Chava predeceased him. He died on 28 June 2009, aged 79, leaving 11 children.
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
ic scholar, lecturer at Jews' College, London, and a prolific writer. He was one of the last survivors of the Warsaw Ghetto
Warsaw Ghetto
The Warsaw Ghetto was the largest of all Jewish Ghettos in Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II. It was established in the Polish capital between October and November 15, 1940, in the territory of General Government of the German-occupied Poland, with over 400,000 Jews from the vicinity...
.
Poland
Simcha Binem was born in WarsawWarsaw
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...
, 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...
on 29 December 1926 (24 Teveth 5687 in the Hebrew calendar
Hebrew calendar
The Hebrew calendar , or Jewish calendar, is a lunisolar calendar used today predominantly for Jewish religious observances. It determines the dates for Jewish holidays and the appropriate public reading of Torah portions, yahrzeits , and daily Psalm reading, among many ceremonial uses...
) to his father Rabbi Brachya Lieberman, a notable Gerrer
Ger (Hasidic dynasty)
Ger, or Gur is a Hasidic dynasty originating from Ger, the Yiddish name of Góra Kalwaria, a small town in Poland....
hasid. He received the traditional education in chasidic families, steeped in the study of the Talmud and its commentators. This ended abruptly in 1939 with the Nazi invasion of Poland.
With the enclosure of Warsaw Jewry in a confined ghetto
Warsaw Ghetto
The Warsaw Ghetto was the largest of all Jewish Ghettos in Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II. It was established in the Polish capital between October and November 15, 1940, in the territory of General Government of the German-occupied Poland, with over 400,000 Jews from the vicinity...
, his education continued along with the fight for survival entailed in ghetto life. When the bulk of the ghetto population was sent to the Treblinka extermination camp
Treblinka extermination camp
Treblinka was a Nazi extermination camp in occupied Poland during World War II near the village of Treblinka in the modern-day Masovian Voivodeship of Poland. The camp, which was constructed as part of Operation Reinhard, operated between and ,. During this time, approximately 850,000 men, women...
, Simcha, as an able-bodied teenager, was transferred to Majdanek, where he worked as a slave labourer. He was tortured brutally on account of his involvement in numerous acts of sabotage. Ultimately he was imprisoned in seven concentration camps including Dachau and Theresienstadt
Theresienstadt concentration camp
Theresienstadt concentration camp was a Nazi German ghetto during World War II. It was established by the Gestapo in the fortress and garrison city of Terezín , located in what is now the Czech Republic.-History:The fortress of Terezín was constructed between the years 1780 and 1790 by the orders...
.
England
In 1945 he was rescued by Rabbi Dr. Solomon SchonfeldSolomon Schonfeld
Rabbi Dr Solomon Schonfeld was a British rabbi who is heralded as one of the most remarkable, yet least known of the Holocaust heroes.Schonfeld studied at the yeshiva in Nitra, Slovakia...
, Director of the Chief Rabbi's Emergency Council, and brought to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He returned to his studies and eventually became a Fellow of Gateshead Kollel
Gateshead Talmudical College
Gateshead Talmudical College , popularly known as Gateshead Yeshiva, is located in the town of Gateshead in England. It is the largest yeshiva in Europe and considered to be one of the most prestigious advanced yeshivas in the Orthodox world. The student body currently numbers 350...
. He married Chava Sosha, a survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp
Auschwitz concentration camp
Concentration camp Auschwitz was a network of Nazi concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II...
.
In 1971 he was appointed to the faculty of Jews' College, London as a lecturer in Talmud and Codes, a post he held until 1984, when he was 'made redundant' by the then Principal of the college, Jonathan Sacks
Jonathan Sacks
Jonathan Henry Sacks, Baron Sacks, Kt is the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. His Hebrew name is Yaakov Zvi...
(now Chief Rabbi of Great Britain). He then used his vast Talmudic knowledge to start writing a series of volumes titled Bishvilei Oraiso (in the paths of the Torah) and delivering public lectures on the fruits of his research.
Israel
In 1992 Rabbi Simcha emigrated from England and settled in the Har Canaan district of TzfatSafed
Safed , is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and of Israel. Due to its high elevation, Safed experiences warm summers and cold, often snowy, winters...
, a mountain-top city in the Galilee
Galilee
Galilee , is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally divided into Upper Galilee , Lower Galilee , and Western Galilee , extending from Dan to the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, along Mount Lebanon to the...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. He established an institute for the publication of his writings, eventually publishing 20 volumes in the Bishvilei Oraiso series.
His wife Chava predeceased him. He died on 28 June 2009, aged 79, leaving 11 children.
Publications
- Bishvilei haShechito
- Bishvilei haMoed
- Bishvilei haShviso
- Bishvilei haMikdosh