The family of the deceased Maran Chaim Shmuelevitz is in a state of excitement with the recent discovery of the gravesite of the rebbetzin, mother of HaRav Shmuelevitz, now almost a century after her passing.
The rebbetzin, Ettel Shmuelevitz, was the daughter of HaRav Yosef Yozel Horowitz, the Alter of Novardok, and wife of HaRav Alter Shmuelevitz, the Av Beis Din and Rosh Mesivta of Stutcyn (today in Belarus) and who is buried there. HaRav Chaim was known in his youth as "Chaim Stutcyner" after his birthplace.
The discovery all began a month ago when Rabbi Shlomo Epstein from Yerushalayim went to visit said cemetery and was asked to look for ancestral gravesites which were known to exist there. In the course of his search, he came upon the rebbetzin's grave, which had been overrun with a thick layer of foliage and hidden from view for many, many years. Upon his return, Rabbi Epstein contacted the Shmuelevitz family to share his exciting discovery with them.
The rebbetzin is known to have passed away half a year apart from her husband. It is also known that HaRav Chaim, who was orphaned at a very young age, was forced to assume financial responsibility of the family and to raise his young brothers single-handedly.
The present family members are very excited and moved with this amazing and historic good news and intend to visit the site in the near future, hoping with this opportunity to reveal the burial place of her husband as well, which is thought to be nearby.
