The Pilzno Rebbe, RABBI YOSEF SINGER, zt”l (1915 – 2006), was a native of Pilzno, Poland, and an eighth-generation descendant of Rabbi Abraham Gershon of Kittov, the brother-in-law of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of the Hassidic movement. Rabbi Singer’s father, Rabbi Dovid Singer, had served as Rav of Pilzno from 1898 to 1914, just as his grandfather and great-grandfather before him.

Rabbi Singer fled Nazi and Communist persecution in 1939, emigrating to New York’s Lower East Side. He worked as a diamond cutter and as an employee of the United Jewish Council of the East Side while volunteering as an advocate for the poor elderly of the neighbourhood. He was appointed as spiritual leader of the Stanton Street Synagogue in 1964 and served in this capacity until 2002, mostly without pay.

Throughout the generations Rabbi Singer’s family kept strong ties with many Gedolei Torah and Tzaddikim throughout the world, such as the Tzanzer dynasty, the Satmar Rebbe, the Bobover Rebbe, Rav Moshe Feinstein, and Rav Chuna Halpern. He had an ancient tradition of avoda that gives tremendous insight into the human experience, which is especially relevant for today’s world. He was involved in many chessed projects, and in charge of the mikvahs in the Lower East Side of New York.

Rav Moshe Feinstein would speak to Rabbi Singer about matters of Halacha and the Satmer Rebbe said that a person who wants to see the avoda of the Baal Shem Tov should look at the avoda of Rabbi Singer.

Rabbi Gerzi was close to Rabbi Singer for six years, traveling to the USA to spend time with Rabbi Singer. They spoke numerous times weekly about an assortment of topics in Halacha and Hashkafa. Rabbi Singer passed many teachings and practical exercises to Rabbi Gerzi that had been handed down to him from the Baal Shem Tov and others. Rabbi Singer played a strong role in developing Rabbi Gerzi’s learning in both the revealed and hidden dimensions of Torah.

What I learned from Rabbi Singer, amongst many things, was the depth and the profundity of love
that he had for all of humanity; and the recognition that everything has its journey and the
tremendous patience that he expressed.