Jews began flocking to the kever of Reb Shayele in Krestiner, Hungary on the yahrtzeit seven years ago but this year’s yahrtzeit on Tuesday night and Wednesday, gimmel Iyar, is expected to break all records, with thousands already arriving in Hungary in the past week.
Most Jews couldn’t travel to Hungary in the past two years due to COVID, and some say that this year, over 20,000 Jews are traveling to Hungary on dozens of charter flights from Israel, the US, and Europe.
Travel agents told B’Chadrei Chareidim that there has never been such a high demand for tickets. The fact that no one can visit Ukraine at this point is also a factor in the large number of Jews traveling this year.
According to the report, there are wealthy individuals who are traveling to the kever in helicopters and at this point, there are no available helicopters in Hungary anymore. Car rental agents in Budapest are also reporting that rental cars are no longer available and the same even applies to nearby Vienna.
On Monday morning, hundreds of Jewish tourists were already frequenting shuls and kosher restaurants in Budapest and other cities.
Reb Yeshayahu ben Reb Moshe, z’tl, [1851- 1925] was a Rebbe in Krestir and was renowned for his incredible hachnasas orchim, providing food and other essentials for thousands of Jews, even during the scarce years of World War I. He became known as a miracle worker and tens of thousands of Jews flocked to him from all over Hungary and beyond. He had a place in his heart for every Jew and treated them all equally, with great kindness. Hundreds of Jewish workers who found work in the surrounding vineyards would join Reb Shayele for Shabbos, and he would feed them generous seudos. It happened more once that there were so many guests for Shabbos that the food would run out by Shalosh Seudos and all that was left was black bread.
Almost a century later, baalei chessed continue the tradition and no Jew who comes to visit the kever remains hungry.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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7 Responses
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Yahrzeit or Yahrtzeit is the correct spelling.
If they would’ve pooled all the money that was spent on airfare, hotels, car rental, and helicopter rentals and provided that money to local needy families instead , that would’ve been the biggest Aliyah for Reb Shayale neshamah
What a terrible bizayon for the rebbe. The amount of money needlessly being wasted flying across the world on charter flights and helicopters while there are actually people in our communities who can’t put food on the table. Does anyone think this is what the rebbe would have wanted? Surely he would want every available penny to go towards helping other yidden rather than some self aggrandizing adventure.
Guy Meshige and phatogre77. Its apparent from your comments that you haven’t even bothered to do basic research about what Reb Shayele said about going to Kerestir. Maybe donate all the money you spend on vacations or on anything else that you spend on to poor people and stop telling others what to do with their money.
“Rebbishe Yid” what’s the source that you are claiming to quote “what Reb Shayele said about going to Kerestir”.
Rebbishe Yid: I am still working on this week’s parasha ואהבת לרעך כמוך maybe one day I will be on a loftier lever and be zoche to have to fly around the world to come closer to Hashem. But you are right I didn’t do any research and I don’t mean to disparage the rebbe all I have heard is that he was a tremendous bal chessed and a great tzadik and someone to look up to. I just think its ironic that of all the tzadikim, money is being used for travel rather than for tzadaka. Also no one writes articles about the vacations I take. If you are going to do something so out there that it gets reported on in frum news outlets you should be prepared for push back from those who believe it doesn’t align with Torah principles.