Fifty-five years after the petirah of the Ohel Moshe,
zt'l, father of the Makaver dynasty, a large group of
Makaver chassidim visited his kever in the city
of Mako in South Hungary. Led by the Makaver Rebbe, hundreds
of chassidim came from all over the world.
The large gathering in honor of the fifty-fifth
yahrtzeit of the Ohel Moshe of Makava began with a
Shabbos in his city, next to his kever. The Shabbos
tefillos were held in the ancient beis medrash
where the Ohel Moshe and the Ateres Moshe, zt'l,
davened for many years.
On Friday afternoon, a government reception was organized by
the mayor and other officials of the Makava government. The
reception was held in a new government hall located near the
hotel. The mayor, who greeted the many visitors, promised to
preserve the three Makava cemeteries, two of which have
recently undergone renovations funded by donations collected
by the International Organization of Makava.
The mayor also promised that renovations to the beis
medrash, built over one hundred years ago (in 1870),
would begin in the coming year and hopefully be completed
quickly.
Leaders of the Makava kehilla, along with its
International Organization, repeated the words of the first
speaker, HaRav Leibush Rubenstein, head of the American
entourage, and thanked the mayor for his many years of effort
to preserve the cemeteries. HaRav Yosef Weber, also of the
American group, explained the importance of preserving the
cemeteries. A closing speech was given by HaRav Dovid
Margolis, head of the Eretz Yisroel group, who spoke
about the large assembly in the place where many Jews had
lived for hundreds of years. Now their children and
grandchildren are returning to see where their forefathers
lived hundreds of years ago, he explained.
The deputy mayor concluded the assembly with an announcement
that he will continue to help the International Organization
in all matters pertaining to the former Jewish residents of
the city.
The commander of the local police force, who also attended
the reception, promised extra security arrangements the
entire week and throughout the city. And indeed, the local
police kept up a visible presence throughout the
proceedings.
The Shabbos davening was held in the beis
medrash on 15 Hutwash Street. Many of the large crowd
found their fathers' and grandfathers' seats from so many
years ago. The excitement reached a peak when they remembered
the tefillos and droshos that their
rebbe, the Ohel Moshe, zt'l, had given in this
beis midrash. This visit had brought them full
circle.
Shabbos meals were held in the hall of the Basti Hotel on
Sagdi Street in the city center. During the meals, noted
rabbonim, grandchildren of the Ohel Moshe, addressed the
large crowd.
After seudas shelishis, which lasted until midnight,
ma'ariv and havdoloh were held in the beis
medrash, followed by heartfelt dancing in the beis
medrash and the square in front of it.
After shacharis on Tuesday, day of the
yahrtzeit, the crowd went up to the Ohel Moshe,
zt'l's kever in the old cemetery to say
Tehillim, as is customary in Makava.
In the afternoon, the main yahrtzeit seuda, under the
auspices of the Makava Rebbe, was held in the Basti Hotel.
The following rabbonim attended: HaRav Menachem Lemberger,
rav of the Makava kehilla in Yerushalayim; HaRav Meyer
Lemberger, rav of the Makava kehilla in Ashdod; HaRav
Shimon Avrohom Greenfield, rav of the chassidishe
kehilla of Banshvarpen, Belgium; HaRav A. Margoliyus,
rosh kollel of Vienna; HaRav Mordechai Vorhand,
rosh mesivta in Yerushalayim; HaRav Meyer Yechezkel
Lemberger, rav of the Makava kehilla in Brooklyn; as
well as the philanthropist, R' Mordechai Vorhand from Vienna,
leaders of Makaver kehillos, members of the
International Organization of Makava, and the many people who
came from all over the world to participate in the
yahrtzeit.
Towards evening, the beginning of a new sefer Torah
le'ilui nishmas the Ohel Moshe concluded the celebration.
The convoy then went to Budapest for a return flight to the
United States and Israel and other places. This highly
impressive gathering will not soon be forgotten.
