Decades after the communist era in Romania when any act with
a trace of Yiddishkeit was suppressed, the light of
ruchniyus is returning and shining bright. The elderly
generation is retrieving from memory the melodies of
tefilloh in shul while the younger generation
is eager to hear. The job of bringing Judaism to them fell
into the hands of a rov from the edge of Bnei Brak who has
been shuttling between Bnei Brak and Romania, always stocked
with a few pairs of fine tefillin and mezuzas
and most of all enthusiasm for Yiddishkeit, to
kindle the sparks still burning in the Romanian cold.
HaRav Tobias, rov of Bnei Brak's Shikkun Vov, has been
involved in this holy work for years. Decades of heartwarming
stories, which could fill a large volume, would not have come
to light were it not for a handful of stories that trickled
into Yated Ne'eman during the construction of a
mikveh in Romania, following several others HaRav
Tobias had built in the country.
Although the communist era has passed into history, every
significant change in ruchniyus still calls for
concerted efforts — especially mikveh construction.
HaRav Tobias makes the funding arrangements but various
obstacles still come in the way, and every new mikveh
project is a victory for ruchniyus.
The weather is very cold in Romania at this time of year, but
in recent weeks temperatures have been warmer. Following
extensive efforts, a decision was made to take advantage of
these weeks by bringing in two groups of workers to construct
another mikveh. The project meant HaRav Tobias had to
leave behind his kehilloh in Bnei Brak for three
weeks, followed by a second ten-day period a short time
later. As a result of his prolonged absence, the following
story made its way to Yated Ne'eman.
During the construction of the mikveh, which is based
on spring water, one of the non-Jewish workers burst into
tears. He was an older man and his reaction remained a
mystery. One day HaRav Tobias approached him, asking why he
had been weeping. And his answer brought tears to HaRav
Tobias' eyes as well.
"Thirty-five years ago," he recalled, "the communists had me
stop the flow of spring water coming through this opening
into the mikveh. They issued the same instructions for
all of the mikvehs fed by the spring. I never dreamed
that after 35 years not only would there be Jews to reopen
the mikveh, but that my hands would be involved in
opening the spring in the same place where I closed it."
