January 1939

This card was distributed by the Jugendgruppe to the פליטים
fleeing Nazi occupied Vienna
urging them to remember their obligation to the Spirit of the Torah
לאנגע יארן האסט דו דעם תורה גייסט דער יוגענדגרופע געאטעמט
פארגעסט עס ניכט
בכל דרכיך דעהו והוא יישר ארחתיך
וואו דו וועסט הינקומען איז עס דיינע פליכט צו פארברייטערן אונזער אדיע
For many years you have breathed the Torah spirit of your Youth Group
do not forget it
'In all your ways know Him, and He will smooth your paths!'
where ever you arrive it is your duty to spread our beliefs
note the צעירי אגדת ישראל emblem in the center

The Schifschul was the leading Orthodox community in Vienna. Many in the Orthodox community were active in Klal work through the Shul, its branches and affiliates, namely the Beth Medrash and the Jugendgruppe of Agudas Jisroel. In 1938-1939, when the members of the community were forced to flee, a special notice was distributed to the friends and constituents of the Jugendgruppe bidding them to remain faithful to the ideals and principles of the Kehila.

Recommendation letter for Mr. Edwin Stroh (Dally)
from the Rabbonim of the Schiffschul
January 1939, when he fled the Nazis

Members of the Schiffshul fleeing the Nazis ימ"ש brought letters of recommendation from the Rav, R' Yeshaya Furst, asking the Yidden in their new communities to support them in any way possible. In one such a letter written for Dally, R' Furst mentions how Mr. Stroh was very active in the Jugendgruppe, and that he did much Klal work. We know that Dally was also active here in the United States in the founding of the Viener Kehilah - Adas Yereim. He was also involved in the founding of the Bais Yaakov Bais Miriam in the Mt. Eden section of the Bronx.

Translation of the letter.

בעה"י
Vienna 4 Janner 1939
Confirmation
I hereby certify that from his earliest youth Mr. Edwin Stroh has been a particularly valuable member of our Kehilah the Adas Yisroel Schiffscul.
Mr. Stroh is a Morenu. He is a very devout Jew, a conscientious man in every respect and of impeccable character.
All I can say about Mr. Stroh is only the very best and most beautiful. He enjoys the best reputation in our circles, a reputation he has earned through his fine personal qualities that I've mentioned.
He has operated in the context of our youth organization and was very active, and after his marriage he has also done much in Klal-work.
Now as Mr. Stroh and his family are forced to move away from here. My sincerest and best wishes accompany him, wishing him well-being. I urge all those who are able to assist Mr. Stroh to do so in any way possible.
Rabbi Jeschaye Furst
Rabb. Salomon Baumgarten
Rabbiner S. Furst Vienna

(stamp of:)

שלמה בוימגארטען

דיין דקה"י עדת ישראל (שיפפשול)

Transcription of the letter.

בעה"י

Wien 4. Janner 1939
Bestatigung
Ich bestätige hiemit, dass Herr Edwin Stroh seit seiner frühesten Jugend der Adas Jisroel  - Schiffscul angehort und ein besonders wertvolles Mitglied unserer Gemeinde ist.
Herr Stroh ist ein Morenu. Er ist ein besonders frommer Jehudi, ein in jeder Beziehung gewissenhafter Mensch und ein tadelloser Charakter.
Über Herrn Stroh kann ich überhaupt nur das allerbeste und schönste sagen. Er geniesst in unseren Kreisen  den besten Ruf, den er sich durch seine schönen persönlichen Eigenschaften, die ich Im Vorstehenden gezeichnet habe, erworben hat.
Er hat sich in Rahmen unserer Jugendorganisation sehr aktiv betätigt und auch nach seiner Verheiratung viel in Klal-Arbeiten geleistet.
Wenn jetzt Herr Stroh und seine Familie von hier wegziehen, dann begleiten ihn meine aufrichtigsten Wünsche für sein Wohlergehen und ich bitte alle Stellen, Herrn Stroh immer und in jeder Weise an die hand zu gehen.
Rabbi Jeschaye Furst
Rabb. Salomon Baumgarten
Rabbine S. Furst Wien

(stamp of:)

שלמה בוימגארטען

דיין דקה"י עדת ישראל (שיפפשול)

Agudas-Jisroel Jugendgruppe Wien

"Section of our Large Lecture Hall"
Sketch of the lecture hall of the Agudas Yisroel Youth Group in Vienna (c.1925)
The Youth Group was closely associated with the Schiffshul
and was very instrumental in preserving Yidishkeit in Vienna

Last week we began reciting ותן טל ומטר לברכה, signifying the start of winter. We are posting a winter schedule of the daily Shiurim that were delivered in the Agudas Jisroel Jugendgruppe in Vienna in the year 1925-1926.

Dally was an active participant in the Jugendgruppe, and definitely attended some of the Shiurim there.

 

Schedule of the winter Shiurim 1925-1926
note that  many of the מגידי שיעורים were בעלי בתים
Although some were established תלמידי חכמים
ביניהם הגאון ר' שלמה בוימגארטן שהיה אז בחור כבן עשרים שנה
והגאון ר' יעקב טייטלבוים אח"כ אב"ד קהל עדת יראים בקיו גארדענס ניו יארק
והגאון ר' שלמה שרייבער בן הגאון ר' יעקב עקיבא שרייבער בנו בכורו של הכתב סופר זצ"ל
Mr. David Bondi who taught סדרה was a son-in-law of Dally's uncle Jacob Stroh

 

 

Winter Schedule 

Agudas Yisroel Youth Group Vienna

location: 69 Obere Donaustrassee II

Open: Saturday and Sunday all day, Weekdays from 6 o'clock in the evening

• Friday 7:30 PM: Social gathering and a מגידות lecture
• שבת קודשy10:30 AM: סדרה by Mr. David Bondy
• שבת קודשy2:30 PM: מגן אברהם by Mr. N. Kohlmann
• שבת קודשy4:00 PM: Lecture
• מש"קy7:30 PM: alternating, Social Gatherings and Evening Discussion 
• Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday 7:30 PM: גמ' ביצה by Mr. Ernst Spitzer
• Thursday 9:30 PM: חנוך by the Honorary Rabbi Yosef Baumgarten
• Monday and Wednesday 7:30 PM: תנ"ךy& קש"ע by Mr. Samuel Stern
• Daily after מנחה a Shiur for businessmen: by Mr. Salomon Schreiber
• Daily 8:00 PM: מס' פסחים Mr. Salomon Baumgarten
• Daily 8:00 PM: דף יומי by Mr. Victor Baumgarten and Mr. Jacob Teitelbaum
• Daily reading hall and library  

    

The schedule is found in a rare calendar booklet, Luach Blatter of the Agudas-Jisroel Jugendgruppe Wien for the Year תרפ"ו.

A rare Luach, Vienna 1925-1926
The calendar contains a schedule of the winter Shiurim
held in the Agudas Yisroel's Youth Group

The Jugendgruppe was open שבת and Sunday the entire day, and during the rest of the week in the evenings from six o'clock p.m. At the bottom of the schedule there is a note stating that the Jugendgruppe also has a library and a reading hall.

A label in one of the ספרים of the Jugendgruppe's library
it is from a copy of the third volume of שולחן ערוך הרב

Title page of the שולחן ערוך הרב
which once belonged to the library
note the stamp and the number in the left hand corner
 128c (c indicating that it is the third volume)
this is probably one of the few seforim in that library that survived the Holocaust

Since the history of this unique institution is not well known, we are bringing a description of the Jugendgruppe written by Mr. Charles Richter. It is part of an article printed in 1967 in the 25th anniversary journal of K'hal Adas Yereim in Brooklyn.

One of the nicest, exemplary institutions of orthodox Vienna was the Youth group of Agudas Yisroel. When we say "exemplary" we mean that it was followed by many other countries. The Youth group was initiated by the Schiffshul, but it soon encompassed the youth of all orthodox circles in Vienna. Young Chasidim, Bochurim who spent most of their day in "Klaus" with learning, would come to play a game of chess with an ordinary business employee; or carry on a discussion with another young man who came from a non-observant home and who sought to acquaint himself Yidishkeit. Young people from Hungary and Slovakia, especially those from the "Sheva Kehilos" would find like-minded friends. This was a factor in their remaining loyal to Yidishkeit in the midst of other distracting influences of the big city. The greater part of the time was spent on various Shiurim, but enough time remained for socializing and for social work.

As time went on the "Jugendgruppe" developed into a great movement in quantity and quality. When the call came to mobilize for Yidishkeit, they gathered as if to military duty. This occurred when it was a matter of giving a worthy reception to the thousands of delegates and guests who came to participate in the "Kenesio Kedolo"; or when it was found necessary to protest with vigor against the Swedish missionaries, who menaced Jewish children. The Shabbos afternoon Droshos by Rabbi Joseph Baungarten, were always a major event which left a deep impression. With the Youth Group in the “Flossgasse” as a model, affiliated groups were established in other Viennese districts as well as in the provinces.

Many former members of the Youth group exert great influence in America, England, Eretz Israel, and other countries. A number of names of devoted adherents of the “Jugendgruppe”, who are not among us any more, should be recorded here: Reb Shimon Schreiber, Reb Jekel Turkel, Reb Alter Fuchs, Reb Moshe Blech, Note Nissan and Shimon Felsenberg, Shmuel Bondi, Noson Adler, Menachem Richter, Shmuel Stern, Chaim Herzog, Benyomin Sev Wiess, Osher Stroh, Chaim Shlome Kraushar, may their memory be blessed.

The Viennese Youth Group took pride in a great many young people whom they had brought into the fold of Yidishkeit. One source of pride was young Matisyahu Gelman, a child of non-religious parents, who gravitated toward the “Jugendgruppe” after his Bar-Mizvah. Against the wishes of his parents he left Vienna and went to the “Yeshiva Chachme Lublin” where he became the favorite of the Lubliner Rav. Later on he became a great Talmid Chocham and a Gerer Chosid and he was known in Ger as “Matis Wiener”. During the war, Matis Wiener became a legendary figure as the leader of a Chasidic underground unit in the Warsaw Ghetto. Bedecked with beard and Peyos, he traveled under the very nose of the Nazis throughout occupied Poland and he organized groups of young Chasidim in the towns and cities, who remained true to learning and Chasidus. Throughout many cities these groups of young men became known under the name of “Matisovzes”. His accomplishments and heroism were recorded in a collection of memorials entitled “Ayle Shelo Nichnio”, by the well known orthodox writer Moshe Prager. The book was published in Eretz Isreal.

Mention must also be made of the orthodox writer Uriel Zimmer, whom we all knew and who died all to young. He can be characterized as a product of the Viennese youth group even though he had left Vienna as a very young man.

A similar role in Jewish life was played by the girls group the “Aguda Isreal Maedchen Gruppe".

Previous Chanukah Posts

א פרייליכן חנוכה

Chanuka 1939 

דאס שפיעלן איסט וויעדער אסור כמקדם 

Bundestag der Agudas Jisroel Chanukah 1927