Editing Rabbi Avraham Zaltzman

Rabbi '''Avraham Zaltzman''' (1 Cheshvan 5660 - 14 Shevat 5744 / 1899-1984) was a Chabad chossid in Samarkand, and after moving to Eretz Yisroel served as the head of the Kollel Avreichim in Nachalat Har Chabad.

== Life History ==
Born in Smorgon on Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan 5660 to his father R' DovBer Zaltzman and mother Mrs. Sheina. His family had many children, and he had ten siblings.

Following the influence of the Shadar R' Tuvia Shkolnik, he was sent at age eleven to learn in Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch, and during his years studying in the yeshiva, he merited to sleep for a certain period in the home of [[the Rebbe Maharash]].

When he reached marriage age, he married in 5685 (1925) Bracha, the younger sister of the Mashpia R' Avraham Baruch Pevzner from Minsk. When they asked [[The Rebbe Rayatz|the Frierdiker Rebbe]] about the shidduch, the Frierdiker Rebbe remarked about him: "Avrahaml Smorgoner? Nu... he is a pnimi!"

After his wedding, he learned about a town in Siberia where the shochet had passed away and they had no ability to shecht chickens. For this purpose, he traveled to learn shechita from his brother-in-law Baruch Duchman, and on his way to the town of Cherepovets he had a yechidus with the Frierdiker Rebbe, who instructed him to receive kabbalah for shechita both from the Chassidic Rav of Leningrad Rabbi Shimon Lazarov and from Rabbi Dovid Tevil Katzenellenbogen, the "misnagdish" Rav of the city, and also blessed him to have children.

Due to persecution by the KGB, he was forced to flee to Kharkov in Ukraine, where he managed a kosher restaurant.

In 5691 (1931) he changed professions to become a photographer, and in 5701 (1941) he fled with his family to Samarkand following the German invasion of Russia during [[World War II]].

== In Eretz HaKodesh ==
About half a year after the passing of his wife Mrs. Bracha, he succeeded in leaving the Soviet Union in the winter of 5728 (1968), and settled together with his daughter and her family in Kfar Chabad. In 5729 (1969) he visited the Rebbe for the first time.

With the establishment of Nachalat Har Chabad in Kiryat Malachi at the Rebbe's initiative, he was among the first chassidim who moved to live in the neighborhood, and was appointed as manager of the Kollel Avreichim.

In Israel, he married for the second time to Mrs. Eidele, who was a Holocaust survivor and had served until their marriage as a mikvah attendant in Lod.

Along with his role as head of the Kollel, he devoted himself to helping the neighborhood residents and the settlement of new immigrants, established a gemach (free loan fund) from his salary as Kollel manager, and was counted among the elder Chabad chassidim in the neighborhood and one of its most respected figures.

Despite various attempts to replace him, he served at the Rebbe's instruction as head of the Kollel until his passing on 14 Shevat 5744 (1984) and was buried according to his request in the Mount of Olives cemetery in Jerusalem. On his matzeivah was engraved the text: "Here lies Avraham Zaltzman, who merited to learn in Lubavitch," according to his request that no other text be added to the matzeivah.

== Family ==

* His daughter, Mrs. Fruma Sarah, wife of R' Chaim Eliyahu Mishulovin
* His son, R' Berel Zaltzman
* His son, R' Hillel Zaltzman - Chairman of CHAMAH in the United States
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