Menachem Mendel Taub facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Menachem Mendel Taub |
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| Kaliver Rebbe | |
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| Born | 1923 Marghita, Kingdom of Romania |
| Died | April 28, 2019 (aged 95–96) |
| Dynasty | Kaliv |
| Father | Rabbi Yehudah Yechiel Taub |
Menachem Mendel Taub (Hebrew: מנחם מנדל טאוב) (1923–2019) was a very important Jewish leader, known as the Rebbe of the Kaliv (Rozlo) Hasidic group in Jerusalem, Israel. He was born in Transylvania in 1923. He was the seventh leader in his family line. This line went all the way back to the first leader of the Kaliv group, Rabbi Yitzchak Izak.
His second cousin, Rabbi Moshe Taub, is the Kalover Rebbe in Brooklyn, New York.
Contents
His Life Story
Early Life and Family
Menachem Mendel Taub was the son of Rabbi Yehuda Yechiel Taub. His first wife was Chana Sara Shapiro. They got married before World War II began. He had six brothers and sisters.
Surviving the Holocaust
In 1944, he was sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp. He arrived there just before the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. While he was in Auschwitz, he was part of terrible experiments done by Josef Mengele. Because of these experiments, he could not grow facial hair. He also had a very high-pitched voice and could not have children.
He was moved from Auschwitz to the Breslau camp. Later, he was sent to the Bergen-Belsen camp. Six months after the war ended, he found his wife again in Sweden. In 1947, they moved to the United States and lived in Cleveland, Ohio.
Moving to Israel
He and his wife moved to Israel in 1962. The next year, he started a community called Kiryas Kaliv in Rishon LeZion. The first stone for this community was placed on March 3, 1963. This was on the special day that remembers the first leader of the Kaliv group, Grand Rabbi Yitzchak Isak Taub.
A few years later, he moved his main center to Bnei Brak. In 2004, Rabbi Taub's center moved to Jerusalem.
His first wife, Chana Sara, passed away in 2010. In 2012, he married Sheindel Malnik. This marriage was short, and they later divorced.
Reaching Out to Others
After World War II, Rabbi Taub spoke a lot about the Holocaust. He often reminded people of the Jewish people who died during that time. He encouraged everyone to say "Shema Yisrael" (a very important Jewish prayer) to remember Holocaust victims. He wanted this prayer to be said at the end of religious events in Israel.
He also traveled to meet many Jewish people. He shared his story and encouraged them to say "Shema Yisrael." He was very active in helping Jewish people connect with their faith. He gave regular talks to groups like doctors and police officers. He also started many other projects, including a network of study centers and an encyclopedia project.
In March 2014, he took part in a big meeting of rabbis in Budapest. This meeting was to remember 70 years since many Jewish people in Hungary were killed. He gave a very emotional speech in Hebrew. He also spoke in English to send messages to US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
His Published Works
- Kol Menachem: This is a 13-volume set of books about the Torah (Jewish holy texts) and Jewish holidays.
- Shema Yisrael (Hebrew): This is a 2-volume encyclopedia about the Holocaust.
- Shema Yisrael: Testimonies of devotion, courage, and self-sacrifice, 1939–1945 (English): This book shares stories of bravery and faith during the Holocaust.
