Some time ago, I leafed through some old Jewish newspapers. There was the first issue of HaDerekh, published in Zurich by the Central Office of the Agudath Israel. It carried the date: Month of Av, 5679 (1919). ,
On the last page was a notice, announcing the engagement — in the month of Tammuz of Osher
Sternbuch of Basle to Devorah Pines of Zurich. It didn’t take me long to realize that this was an
engagement notice of the parents of Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, author of the celebrated Mo’adim Uzemanim and other Sefarim. Whenever I come across a new book or article by
Rabbi Moshe Stembuch – with whom I have been friends for over half a century or hear about the rabbinic or educational activities of one of his brothers, brothers-in-law or nephews, I cannot help thinking of his late mother, Mrs. Devorah Sternbuch and her accomplishments. , , Widowed young in life, she brought up – on her own — nine children, guided her sons to become outstanding Tatmidei Hakhamim and her daughters very learned and G-d fearing women. Her children married into the most illustrious families of our people. The cream of Hasidic leaders and the elite of the Mitnagdim were her Mehutanim.
Mrs, Stembuch died in London early in 1993 at the advanced age of 92. She left children and grandchildren, spreading Torah in various countries. During her last years she became a legendary figure. Kalloth and Bar Mitzva boys came to her for blessings, leading rabbis and Roshei Yeshiva. on visits to London, came to see her.
Grandma, by Miriam Samsonowitz, which was published recently, contains recollections about Mrs. Devorah Sternbuch, written by a granddaughter. It is a small volume, but a great book, acquainting us with the background and life of this extraordinary woman. Here we read about her unusual husband and about her deep faith and great trust in G-d, which guided and support-
ed her at every step. She was a direct descendant of the Gaon of Vilna.
Her grandfather Reb Berel Pines, was blessed both with Torah and wealth. He contributed large sums for the upkeep of the Yeshiva of Volozhin and was an intimate friend of Rabbi Haim of Brisk, who would stay with him whenever he visited Minsk.
Reb Berel’s son Shlomo Zalman was, like his father, a wealthy merchant and great Torah scholar After his marriage to Neitshe Zussman of Ostrow, White Russia, he settled there. His wife was a descendant of R. Pinhas Horowitz (author of Haflaah) and Rabbi Ephraim Zalman Margulies. The couple’s daughter Devora was born in Ostrow. Reb Shlomo Zalman eventually moved back to Minsk. He engaged in business, but the study of Torah was his main occupation.
In the summer of 1914, the family vacationed in Switzerland. The outbreak of World War I left them stranded in that country with nothing more than the family jewelry and a few clothes.
After the Russian Revolution, the Communists confiscated their property in Minsk and arrested several members of the family. Reb Shlomo Zalman now realized, he would not be able to return to Russia. He sold the jewelry and invested the money subsisting on the minimal profit it yielded. He devoted himself to the study of Torah. His wife, Neitsche who came from a wealthy home occasionally did menial work to enable her husband to concentrate on his studies. They lived for years in poverty.
Tinned sardines were their Shabbos fish.
Reb Shlomo Zalman died in 1954. During his forty years of residence in Switzerland, he authored several Seforim, gave Talmud classes, instructed teachers and was active on behalf of a variety of Torah institutions, especially the Hevron Yeshiva in the Land of Israel.
He taught his daughter. She had an excellent memory. Until the last day of her life she remembered by heart large sections of the latter Prophets. She also listened in when her father studied Gemarah with her brother. Moreover she was deeply impressed by the comportment of the great rabbis — among them Rabbi Haim of Brisk — who visited their home. She inherited from her parents her deep faith in G-d and great love of the Torah. Reb Shlomo Zalman and his wife never complained about the loss of their fortune. Material wealth was nothing. Torah was everything. In 1919 Devorah married Osher Sternbuch who was ten years her senior.
(To be continued)
The Jewish Press, Friday, Sept. 23, 1994
(Continued from last week)
Osher Sternbuch was born in Kishinev in 1891. His father, Reb Chaim Naftoli Shmuel, a Hasid of Rabbi David Moshe of Czortkow, was a descendant of Rabbi Yom Tov Lipmann Heller, R. Yehuda Hehasid and Rashbi.
In the wake of the Kishinev pogrom of 1903, he left the city. Eventually he settled in Switzerland, residing first in Basle, where be founded a Beth Midrash for Eastern European Jews. Later he set up an embroidery business in St. Gallen. As there was no mikve in the town, he constructed one in his house. In St. Gallen, too, he established a minyan. He rose at 4 a.m. to study
Torah before work. His was an open house, a house filled with Ahavat Torah and Ahavat Yisrael.
Reb Chaim Naftoli Shmuel was one of the founders of Agudat Israel in Switzerland. During WWI he organized relief for Jewish refugees pouring into the country.
Years later, during World War II, his son Yitzhak and daughter-in-law Recha, a daughter of Rabbi Mordecai Rottenberg of Antwerp, following in his footsteps, were in the forefront of efforts to come to the aid of Jews in German-dominated countries. They alarmed Jews in the free world about the extermination of their brethren, initiated rescue operations and were instrumental in saving large numbers of Jewish lives
Osher, Yitzhak’s older brother, and his wife Devorah settled in London, He was a successful businessman, but didn’t let commerce interfere with his Torah studies. He opened and closed his day with ‘learning ” He hired great Torah scholars to study with him and engaged private Limudei Kodesh teachers for his children.
He gave generously to the poor and supported institutions of Torah. On one occasion he gave away his Shabbos suit to a destitute man. Whenever Rabbi Elchanan Wasserman came to London to raise funds for his Yeshiva, Osher closed his business to assist him.
He was active in the Adas Yisroel congregation of North London. On the High Holidays he prayed Shacharit at the Amud with Hassidic effervescence. Before going to Kol Nidrei on Yom Kippur eve, he would say to his wife, “Let us pray together that our children become Talmidei Chachamim and Yirei Shamayim.”
Early in 1934, he made his will. He wrote inter alia, “I bequeath all my estate, real or otherwise to my wife absolute. She is to be the sole executor. I further desire that 10% of the estate including the proceeds of the life policy (after paying all debts and death duties) shall be divided for charitable purposes in this country and abroad within twelve months at the sole direction of my wife….. I am expressing this wish although I am well aware of the responsibilities towards the large family, but I believe that no amount of money can guarantee a future of the family nor provide for possibilities in this world, so that these 10% will make a difference either way….My life experience has been the more I gave away for charity, the more I earned, always with the help of the Almighty, never through clever business manipulations. In fact whenever I thought I had done a silly step in business it mostly turned out right in the end. So my dear wife and children there is nothing left over than trust in the Almighty and everything will turn out for the good.”
He also wrote that he didn’t want any Hespedim “which are in most cases falsehoods and idol flattery.” He wanted “a simple burial and a cheap tombstone with name only.”
When he wrote his will he was in perfect health. A year later he fell seriously ill. Though his condition deteriorated continuously he maintained his regular shiur With Rabbi Leib Gurwitz. He died on the nineteenth of Av 1935 leaving a 34 year old widow with nine children ranging from age 2 to 14. The widow’s gried was immense. She cried constantly. When her father, Reb Shlomo Zalman Pines reminded her that according to the Talmud one mustn’t weep more than three days, she ceased crying.
Conclusion next week
The Jewish Press, Friday Sept. 30, 1994