The Hungarian village of Olaszliszka, or Liska as it is known to the local Jewish community, is a magical retreat that welcomes tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews annually.
The Hungarian village of Olaszliszka, or Liska as it is known to the local Jewish community, is a magical retreat that welcomes tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews annually.
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Olaszliszka, known locally as Liska, is a captivating retreat in Hungary that attracts tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews annually.
The Liska Jewish Cemetery stands out as a unique sanctuary for tradition and unwavering faith. The resting place of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Friedman, referred to by the community as "Hershel Lisker" and the initiator of Hasidism in Europe, is located here. Despite his well-known poverty, the first Lisker Rebbe lived his life embodying teachings, charity, and miraculous aid. He is celebrated for numerous miracles: people came to the renowned rebbe for healing, and his blessings also brought prosperity to many. The life of this revered rebbe had a lasting effect on the Orthodox Jewish communities of that period. Even now, tens of thousands of pilgrims travel to visit the rebbe annually, especially during the yahrzeit on the 14th of Av.
The activities of Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Friedman and the Liska Hasidic dynasty significantly advanced the spread of Hasidism throughout Hungary and beyond. His student, Yeshaya Steiner, the Kerestir Rebbe (often called Reb Shaya'la of Kerestir), signed his letters in the following way:„Yeshaya son of R. Moshe, who attended the righteous Rebbe of Liska”
The Lisker Rebbe was famous far and wide for healing. The reputation of his healing drew many people from different nations to the village of Liska. There was a belief in the community that the rabbi's blessing and prayers could heal physical and mental suffering.Pilgrims who came to his grave continued to feel his spiritual presence long after his passing.
The two caretakers of the Liska Jewish cemetery performed an act that honored not just the graves, but also preserved respect and remembrance for the past. Candles were placed at every grave, their flames gently inclining in homage to the souls of the villagers who once lived here. The flame of the candles is considered a kind of bridge between the past and the present, the light of which shines from the depths of memory.
The flame of candles holds profound symbolism in the Jewish faith. The flames offer more than light; they unlock a passage to the Eternal. As the Book describes: "Man's soul is the Lord's lamp, which searches out all the innermost parts." Proverbs 20:27
The year 2024 represents the 80th anniversary of the Holocaust. The solemn lights burning in the Jewish cemetery of Liska not only honor individual graves but also evoke an entire era and the fate of a whole people. The candles’ flames safeguard not just the graves but also the memories of unrecorded lives and families that were never established. The lights of remembrance animate these flames, reflecting on the Holocaust’s sorrows and emphasizing that every life that was not lived to its fullest is a loss for us all.
Together, the flame of the candles and the legacy of the Liska Rebbe remind us that the light of remembrance lives on forever. The following commemoration will be held just before the yahrzeit of Reb Shaya'la of Kerestir on Thursday, May 9, 2024, at sunset.
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