Meshulim Feish Lowy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Meshulim Feish Lowy II
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| Born | 11 April 1921 Nyírtass, Kingdom of Hungary
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| Died | 12 August 2015 (aged 94) Kiryas Tosh, Boisbriand, Quebec, Canada
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| Resting place | Kiryas Tosh Cemetery |
| Occupation | Grand Rebbe of the Tosh Hasidim |
| Spouse(s) | Chavah Weingarten (1946–1996) Malka Haas (2006–2015) |
Meshulim Feish Segal Lowy II (Hebrew: משולם פייש סג"ל לאווי; April 11, 1921 – August 12, 2015) was a very important religious leader. He was the fourth Grand Rebbe of the Tosh Hasidic group. Hasidism is a special branch of Judaism. He was known for his deep faith and for leading his community.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and World War II
Lowy was born in 1921 in Nyírtass, a town in northeastern Hungary. His father, Mordecai Márton, was the oldest son of Grand Rebbe Elimelech, who led the Tosh Hasidim. His mother, Cirel, was the daughter of a chief rabbi. He was named after his great-grandfather, Meshulim Feish Lowy I, who started the Tosh group.
When he was nine, his father became a rabbi in another town. At age twelve, young Lowy went to study at a yeshiva (a Jewish religious school) run by his uncle. In 1942, his grandfather passed away, and his father became the new Grand Rebbe.
In 1943, during World War II, Lowy was forced to join the Labour Service. This was a special work group for minorities and people seen as "politically unreliable." He was sent to a work camp. Because he was so religious, the inspectors thought he was strange. This actually helped him, as they mostly left him alone. He was able to keep practicing his faith. This forced labor saved him from being sent away when German forces entered Hungary in 1944. Sadly, most of his family were killed in Auschwitz during the Holocaust.
In October 1944, Lowy's camp was freed by the Red Army. He traveled around, looking for other survivors. In 1946, he married Chava Weingarten. By 1948, the remaining members of his father's Hasidic group chose him as their new Rebbe in Nyíregyháza. He stayed in Hungary for two and a half more years. But the new Communist government was becoming very strict. So, he told his followers it was time to leave Hungary.
Moving to Canada and Building a Community
In the spring of 1951, Lowy arrived in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. His older brother was already living there. After a Jewish holiday called Passover, the Grand Rebbe started a study hall (a place for religious study and prayer) called "Ohel Elimelech." In 1952, the "Tasher Congrégation" was officially recognized.
After ten years in Montreal, Lowy wanted a quiet place where his Hasidim could live together. He wanted them to be away from the influences of modern society. In 1963, the Tosh community received a loan. With this money, Lowy bought land in Boisbriand, Quebec. This new place was named "Kiryas Tosh." Eighteen families moved there to start. By 2015, Kiryas Tosh had grown to include over 3,000 people in 300-400 families. As their spiritual leader, he also led the local yeshiva.
Besides the community in Canada, Tosh groups were also started in places like Brooklyn, London, and Antwerp. By 1999, it was estimated that about 6,000 people lived in these Tosh communities around the world.
In 1979, Lowy tried to make Kiryas Tosh its own independent town, separate from Boisbriand. The local mayor and officials were open to the idea. However, the public worried that the religious group might create their own laws based on their faith. Because of these concerns, the plan was stopped.
Religious Views and Later Life
Lowy held very traditional Jewish beliefs, common among rabbis from Eastern Hungary. He was close to other Hasidic groups like the Satmar dynasty. In 1981, another Rebbe changed his views on the Israeli government. The Tosher Rabbi, however, strongly believed it was wrong to accept any help from the Zionist (supporters of a Jewish state) government. He felt that accepting help would go against their religious principles.
Before the 1995 Quebec referendum (a vote on whether Quebec should become an independent country), Lowy took an unusual stance. While most non-French citizens were against Quebec separating, a Tosh representative said Lowy fully supported it. He had favored the Parti Québécois (a political party that supports Quebec independence) since 1976. This view caused some criticism from other Jewish people. Two weeks before the vote, the Premier (leader) of Quebec even visited Kiryas Tosh. In the end, Lowy's followers split their votes, not wanting to upset the Canadian government.
Lowy became well-known for his deep faith and how passionately he prayed. His prayers often lasted many hours. People from other Hasidic groups and Orthodox Jews would visit him to receive his blessings. Between 1993 and 2009, his collected writings were published in a book series called Avodas Avodah. These books talked about the main ideas of Hasidism. They focused on connecting with God in a very spiritual way. Publishing these books became necessary as his health declined, making it harder for him to appear in public.
His first wife, Chava, passed away in 1996. In 1997, his oldest son and expected heir, Mordecai, died from a heart attack. Lowy remarried in 2007 to Malka Haas. In 2010, he was hospitalized for a month with a serious case of pneumonia.
Meshulim Feish Lowy II died on August 12, 2015, in Quebec at the age of 94. His second son, Rabbi Elimelech Lowy, became his successor. He also had four daughters: Cirel Fisch, Bracha Hanna Meyer, Fraidl Sarah Katz, and Malka Kahana.
