In Hungary, Olaszliszka, or Liska as it is affectionately called by the local Jewish community, serves as a mystical sanctuary drawing tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews each year.
In Hungary, Olaszliszka, or Liska as it is affectionately called by the local Jewish community, serves as a mystical sanctuary drawing tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews each year.
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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.
Liska Jewish Cemetery is a unique place for traditions and dedicated faith. The sacred resting place of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Friedman, affectionately known as "Hershel Lisker" by the community, the pioneer of Hasidism in Europe, is found here. The first Lisker Rebbe, though renowned for his poverty, dedicated his life to the principles of teachings, charity, and divine intervention. He is celebrated for numerous miracles: people came to the renowned rebbe for healing, and his blessings also brought prosperity to many. The remarkable life of the rebbe profoundly influenced the Orthodox Jewish communities of his era. Every year, tens of thousands of pilgrims come to see the rebbe, with the yahrzeit on the 14th of Av being a particularly significant time.
The activities of the Liska Hasidic dynasty and Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Friedman contributed to the spread of Hasidism in Hungary and worldwide. 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”
Known across many regions, the Lisker Rebbe was celebrated for his extraordinary healing skills. Many people from other countries also migrated to the village of Liska and asked him to heal them. In the community, there was a strong conviction that the rabbi’s prayers and blessings could heal both physical ailments and mental distress.Even after his death, several pilgrims who came to his grave experienced his survival.
The caretakers of the Liska Jewish cemetery carried out a task that symbolized not only the care of the graves but also the respect and remembrance of historical legacy. The lighting of candles at each grave saw their flames bowing in tribute to the departed souls of this small village’s former inhabitants. The candle flames are viewed as a bridge connecting the past to the present, their light emerging from the depths of memory.
The light of candles serves as a profound emblem of the Jewish religion. These flames are not just sources of light but gateways to the Eternal. As the Book writes: "Man's soul is the Lord's lamp, which searches out all the innermost parts." Proverbs 20:27
In 2024, we are observing the 80th anniversary of the Holocaust. The respectful lights at the Liska Jewish cemetery illuminate not just individual graves but also reflect the broader era and the collective fate of a 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.
United, the candle flames and the legacy of the Liska Rebbe remind us that the light of remembrance is a timeless beacon. The next observance will occur on the evening before the yahrzeit of Reb Shaya'la of Kerestir, which falls on Thursday, May 9, 2024, at sunset.
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