Memory Lane: Rav Yosef Peimer, Slutzker Rov

Rav Yosef Peimer, at one time the rov of Slutzk—who immigrated to America, and settled in Boro Park, where he served as the rov of Congregation Beth El from 1930, until his passing in 1939. 

During his years in American Rabbonus, Rav Yosef accomplished many things that impacted Yiddishkeit in America long after his passing. Today, we glimpse into his remarkable story. 

Slutzk

Rav Yosef was born in 1875, in the town of Berezin (near Minsk) where his father Rav Meir was then a rov (he also served as the rov of Slutzk, Karlin, and Lechovitz. His father was the son of famed Rav Yossele, and his mother was Tzivia, the daughter of Rav Noach Chaim Avrohom Shapira of Smargon, a son of Rav Leibele Shapiro, 

Yossele learned under his illustrious father, and was known for his sharpness and hasmodoh from an early age. He was among the metzuyanim in Slabodka, and married the daughter of the gevir, Reuben Sochrovitz of Kovno. 

From 1910-1920, he served as rov in Slutzk. In 1913, the area underwent terrible pogroms, beginning in Kishinev. Many families in Slutzk were suffering and displaced, and Rav Yosef felt their plight deeply, dedicating himself to alleviating it through every possible means. During WWI, he was in Baranovitch, where he valiantly worked to assist his suffering brethren, utilizing connections at the highest levels of government who saw him as “a holy man” and gave him free rein to help his people. 

Rabbonus in America 

Rav Yossele arrived in 1925, and the Slutzker landsleit rallied to his side. The catalyst for his position at Beth El was that its president, Morris Kulok (inscribed on the cornerstone to this day) was a Slutzker. 

We find Rav Yosef appearing alongside his counterparts—the great names of American Rabbonus at many gatherings, such as the testimonial dinner by Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yisroel Salanter in the Bronx in honor of Rav Shmaryahu Leib Hurwitz, founder of Degel Harabonim, or at the funeral of a Boro Park rov by the name of Rabbi Yisroel Sussman. He also appears at a meeting at which it was resolved to purchase a cemetery plot for the Rabbonim, to attend the Chanukas habayis of the RIETS building, and to support yeshivos that were greatly beleaguered at that time (1927; when Rav Baruch Ber and Rav Shimon Shkop were in America for that very purpose—and indeed, Rav Yosef met with these Gedolim at the great asifah in New Town).

It seems that he had an outsized role in Degel Harabonim, and served as its recording secretary. Thus we find notes of a meeting at which Rav Yosef spoke about the need to support Rabbonim who could not find positions, since they only spoke Yiddish, and the need for those fortunate enough to be employed to support them. It was also resolved that an official beis din from Degel Harabonim would sit each day at its offices at 198 East Broadway, and Rav Yosef was part of this group. Among the issues they dealt with was agonus, with which they enlisted the help of the District Attorney. We also find him delivering a hesped for the Maitcheter iluy in the Ohav Shalom Shul in Williamsburg, and traveling to outlying areas to erect mikva’os. 

Another anecdote from the Slutzker Rov’s tenure comes from A Fire in his Soul, on the legendary Irving Bunim (another important Boro Park story). “One particularly great influence was Rabbi Yosef Peimer, the kind and scholarly Slutzker Rov, whom Bunim met upon his arrival in the United States in 1925. Their relationship was so close that he asked Slutzker Rov to serve as sandak of his only son, Amos.” 

Rav Yossele was niftar in 1939, at an untimely age.