Rabbi Moshe Eliyahu Gerlitzky

Rabbi Moshe Eliyahu Gerlitzky (26 Iyar 5675 - 20 Nissan 5770 / 1915-2010) was among the founders and mashpia of the Chabad community in Montreal. He was one of the founders of the local Camp Gan Israel, and a shadar (fundraising emissary) for Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim.

Life History

Born on 26 Iyar 5675 (1915) in Lodz to a family of Alexander chassidim.

In his youth, he studied at the Ostrovtza Yeshiva and at the yeshiva of the Chelkas Yoav. In Menachem Av 5690 (1930), he was brought close to Chabad chassidus by his relative R' Pinchas Moshe Katz. In Tishrei 5691 (1930), he transferred to Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim Lodz and studied under R' Baruch Friedman and R' Menachem Mendel Rosenmoter. On 12 Tammuz, he traveled for the first time to a farbrengen of the Frierdiker Rebbe in Warsaw. In 5694 (1934), he moved to Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim Otwock. In 5697 (1937), he was sent by the Frierdiker Rebbe to serve as director of Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim Lodz as a replacement for the previous staff.

In Kislev 5700 (1939), he received instructions from the Frierdiker Rebbe to flee toward Russia. He and his friends escaped to Vilna, and from there they moved to Shanghai. There they worked and studied at Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim Shanghai, and were under the guidance of R' Meir Ashkenazi.

In the summer of 5701 (1941), the Frierdiker Rebbe obtained nine Canadian visas and chose nine tmimim to travel from Shanghai to Montreal, among them R' Moshe Eliyahu Gerlitzky and Rabbi Menachem Zev HaLevi Greenglass.

Due to special instructions from the Frierdiker Rebbe that arrived via telegram, they traveled at the first opportunity (despite having to fast for two days on Yom Kippur due to crossing the international date line), and it later became clear that this was the last ship that managed to depart until after the war.

Upon arriving in Montreal in Cheshvan 5702 (1941), they established Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim Montreal under the instruction of the Frierdiker Rebbe.

The tmimim in Montreal, including R' Moshe Eliyahu, were very close to the Rebbe, and the Rebbe's relationship with them was like a father to his sons.

In Tishrei, his engagement was arranged with his wife Mrs. Chana Etka, daughter of Rabbi Nota Zev Rosenblum. Before his wedding, the Frierdiker Rebbe stated that he and his father the Rebbe Rashab were the 'mechutanim' from his side at the wedding.

His wife, Mrs. Chana Etka, was the first Jewish woman in Canada to wear a sheitel after her marriage. This was following a special yechidus where the Frierdiker Rebbe requested this of her.

R' Moshe Eliyahu was appointed by the Frierdiker Rebbe as responsible for the 'Dmei Maamed' (financial support) in Canada, and even merited that the Rebbe, who served at that time as director of Machne Israel, would call him by telephone and give him instructions about what to do with the money collected.

He was a pillar of the community, established Gan Israel Montreal, served as gabbai of the synagogue and as mashpia of the community.

For years he served as a meshulach and shadar on behalf of the yeshiva, traveling throughout the United States, Canada, and even Europe, and despite his advanced age, worked energetically to obtain funding for the yeshiva. During his activities, he spoke about matters of Yiddishkeit and repeated sichos of the Rebbe, and made many baalei teshuva.

Passing

Passed away on Erev Shvi'i Shel Pesach, 20 Nissan 5770 (2010), in Montreal.

Family

• His wife, Chana Etka - passed away 17 Kislev 5761 (2000)
• His son, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Baruch Gerlitzky, Rosh Mesivta at Tomchei Tmimim Oholei Torah Crown Heights and author of Yemos HaMoshiach B'Halacha (3 volumes)
• His son, Rabbi Yosef Shmuel Gerlitzky - The Rebbe's shliach to Tel Aviv
• His son, Rabbi Menachem Nachum Gerlitzky - Gabbai in 770
• His son-in-law, R' Yisroel Shemtov - Crown Heights
• His son-in-law, Rabbi Shalom Leib Eisenbach - Mashpia of the Chabad community in Montreal
• His son-in-law, Rabbi Mordechai Berger A"H - Ottawa
• His son-in-law, Rabbi Eliezer Rivkin - Tampa, Florida
• His son-in-law, R' Chaim Spiegelman - Montreal