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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Every year, tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews visit Olaszliszka, or Liska as the local Jewish community names it, a charming hideaway in Hungary.
Liska Jewish Cemetery is a unique place for traditions and dedicated faith. Here lies the revered grave of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Friedman, or "Hershel Lisker" as the community calls him, who established the first Hasidic home in Europe. Although he was famously impoverished, the first Lisker Rebbe lived in accordance with the values of teachings, generosity, and miraculous assistance. Associated with many miraculous events, his name is remembered for healing the ailing and blessing many to achieve prosperity. 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 efforts of the Liska Hasidic dynasty and Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Friedman played a key role in the expansion of Hasidism both in Hungary and around the globe. The Kerestir Rebbe, Yeshaya Steiner (widely known as Reb Shaya'la of Kerestir), used this signature style in his correspondence:„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.
By their actions, the two caretakers of the Liska Jewish cemetery upheld both the graves and the cherished memory of the past. 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.
In Jewish tradition, the candle flame represents a deep and significant symbol. 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 light of the candles keeps alive the memory of the graves, as well as the lives never fully lived and families never started. The remembrance lights breathe life into these flames, highlighting the Holocaust’s tragedies and reminding us that each unfulfilled life represents a loss to everyone.
The flame of the candles, along with the enduring legacy of the Liska Rebbe, continually reminds us that the light of remembrance is everlasting. 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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