Shlomo Shleifer
Encyclopedia
Shloime Mikhelevich Shleifer was born on December 23, 1889 in the village of Smela, near Kiev
. His father was the rabbi of Alexandria, a town near Kherson
. During the First World War, the Shlifer family moved to Moscow
, where Rabbi Shleifer worked as a bookkeeper until 1943. He also served as the secretary of the Choral Synagogue. In 1941, he attempted to register for military service, but was turned down because of his age.
In 1943, Rabbi Shlifer was appointed to lead the Choral Synagogue, which was the largest synagogue in Moscow. Its last rabbi, Shmarya Yehuda Leib Medalia
was arrested and executed for alleged disloyalty in 1938. At the time, the synagogue was suspected of being a meeting place for Zionists, and was constantly under NKVD
surveillance. A year before his appointment, Rabbi Shmuel Leib Medalia
was appointed. Due to his Chabad
affiliation, he was viewed as too extreme, and was replaced with Shleifer.
, which was set up to represent the Soviet Jewish voice in the war effort. In a 1944 meeting, he declared the war to be a "holy war" to "free the sons of Israel." For that year's Passover, he stood alongside the leading Soviet Jewish scientists, writers, and fighters to note the great effort Soviet Jews were making to ensure victory.
To demonstrate loyalty to the government, he composed a "prayer for peace on earth," and a prayer for the health of Joseph Stalin
that were to distributed to synagogues around the country. In 1946, he removed the words "From Zion Shall come forth Torah" from above the synagogue ark, judging them to be too Zionist. He replaced these words with a verse from the Prophets about social justice. He also quoted Lenin and Stalin in his sermons.
.
On September 2, 1948, the newly-appointed Israeli Ambassador to the USSR, Golda Meir
visited the synagogue for Sabbath, and the following Rosh HaShana. The sizable crowds that greeted Meir and the concluding prayer of "Next Year in Jerusalem" stoked suspicions of Zionism against the rabbi. On November 20, 1948, the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee was disbanded, and its leading members were arrested and charged with Zionist activities. Rabbi Shleifer escaped suspicion by writing a personal appeal to Stalin.
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
. His father was the rabbi of Alexandria, a town near Kherson
Kherson
Kherson is a city in southern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Kherson Oblast , and is designated as its own separate raion within the oblast. Kherson is an important port on the Black Sea and Dnieper River, and the home of a major ship-building industry...
. During the First World War, the Shlifer family moved to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, where Rabbi Shleifer worked as a bookkeeper until 1943. He also served as the secretary of the Choral Synagogue. In 1941, he attempted to register for military service, but was turned down because of his age.
In 1943, Rabbi Shlifer was appointed to lead the Choral Synagogue, which was the largest synagogue in Moscow. Its last rabbi, Shmarya Yehuda Leib Medalia
Shmarya Yehuda Leib Medalia
Shmarya Yehuda-Leib Medalia - was the chief rabbi of Moscow between 1933 and 1938.Shmarya Yehuda-Leib Yankelevich Medalia was born to a family of Lubavitcher hasidim. He is an alumnus of the original Slabodka yeshiva.Between 1899-1903, he served as the rabbi of Tula, Russia; and between 1905-1917,...
was arrested and executed for alleged disloyalty in 1938. At the time, the synagogue was suspected of being a meeting place for Zionists, and was constantly under NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
surveillance. A year before his appointment, Rabbi Shmuel Leib Medalia
Shmuel Leib Medalia
Shmuel-Leib Yankelevich Medalia was the chief rabbi of Moscow for a brief period in 1943. He was known among Chabad hasidim as Shmuel Leib Paritcher, for his birthplace of Paritch, Belarus, where he was born in 1890...
was appointed. Due to his Chabad
Chabad
Chabad or Chabad-Lubavitch is a major branch of Hasidic Judaism.Chabad may also refer to:*Chabad-Strashelye, a defunct branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism*Chabad-Kapust or Kapust, a defunct branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism...
affiliation, he was viewed as too extreme, and was replaced with Shleifer.
Patriotism
During the Second World War, he lost one son in combat, and actively participated in meetings held by the Jewish Anti-Fascist CommitteeJewish Anti-Fascist Committee
The Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee was formed on Joseph Stalin's order in Kuibyshev in April 1942 with the official support of the Soviet authorities...
, which was set up to represent the Soviet Jewish voice in the war effort. In a 1944 meeting, he declared the war to be a "holy war" to "free the sons of Israel." For that year's Passover, he stood alongside the leading Soviet Jewish scientists, writers, and fighters to note the great effort Soviet Jews were making to ensure victory.
To demonstrate loyalty to the government, he composed a "prayer for peace on earth," and a prayer for the health of Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
that were to distributed to synagogues around the country. In 1946, he removed the words "From Zion Shall come forth Torah" from above the synagogue ark, judging them to be too Zionist. He replaced these words with a verse from the Prophets about social justice. He also quoted Lenin and Stalin in his sermons.
Relations with Israel
Towards the end of the war, a growing number of people came to the synagogue to pray for the survival of their relatives. On one occasion, 20,000 people came to pray at a synagogue that could only accommodate 1,600. Worshipers included leading Jewish figures, such as the wife of Vyacheslav MolotovVyacheslav Molotov
Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov was a Soviet politician and diplomat, an Old Bolshevik and a leading figure in the Soviet government from the 1920s, when he rose to power as a protégé of Joseph Stalin, to 1957, when he was dismissed from the Presidium of the Central Committee by Nikita Khrushchev...
.
On September 2, 1948, the newly-appointed Israeli Ambassador to the USSR, Golda Meir
Golda Meir
Golda Meir ; May 3, 1898 – December 8, 1978) was a teacher, kibbutznik and politician who became the fourth Prime Minister of the State of Israel....
visited the synagogue for Sabbath, and the following Rosh HaShana. The sizable crowds that greeted Meir and the concluding prayer of "Next Year in Jerusalem" stoked suspicions of Zionism against the rabbi. On November 20, 1948, the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee was disbanded, and its leading members were arrested and charged with Zionist activities. Rabbi Shleifer escaped suspicion by writing a personal appeal to Stalin.