Williamsburg Memories - Gershon Kranzler

The collection of articles which comprise this warm and beautiful book were written over a period of four decades and reflect the author’s close association with the people, institutions and organizations in the Williamsburg community since the late Thirties. The author, a prominent social his‘ torian and prolific Jewish writer and himself a member of the Williamsburg community for many years, draws on his memories to create some powerful and poignant vignettes of the people who touched his life during his years in William’s- burg.

From the pages of Williams- burg Memories emerge many of the leaders and the people of Williamsburg who helped trans- form their’ community from a disintegrating immigrant ghetto into a mai or center of Orthodox, and eventually Chassidic life. These include Reb Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz, Reb Geda- liah Schorr, the Stoliner Rebbe, the Modzhitzer Rebbe, as well as prominent laymen such as Reb Shlomo Weis’s, Dr. Naftoli Burszty’n, Reb Yis’roel Rosenbaum and many others. There is’ also an extensive Special Sec- tion on the Satmar Rebbe. The book is further enhanced by Mo Pictorial Sections replete with his‘tory and nostalgia. Williamsburg Memories will find a special place in‘ the hearts of all those people who passed through this community before moving on to other neighbor. hoods and cities. But it Will‘ also fascinate and inspir’e any Jew— ish reader with its masterful portayals of great spiritual leaders, scholars, educators and ordinary; people who made Williamsburg a cradle of faith, devotion and Mesims Nefesb for Klal Yisrael.