The chassidic group Karlin is famous for two things: for hospitality and its extraordinary enthusiastic unique prayer.
Those of you who have never been to Karlin, have never faced a real chassidic prayer service. The prayers are being shouted out loud and thus, the Karliner seemingly reach the highest Devekut (closeness to G – d). Almost every Friday night, I spend the Kabbalat Shabbat prayer at the Karliner – Stolin Synagogue in Mea Shearim (Jerusalem).
Today, Chassidut Karlin is divided into two groups: Into a small group called "Karlin – Pinsk", located in the religious neighbourhood of Beit Israel (Jerusalem) and a much larger group, "Karlin – Stolin", located in Yoel Street in Mea Shearim (right across Satmar). Karlin is one of the oldest chassidic groups. Founded by Rabbi Aharon the Great of Karlin in approx. 1770. The place Karlin itself is a suburb or the Lithuanian town of Pinsk.
Rebbe Aharon the Great (1736 – 1772) was a student of the famous Rabbi Dov Bear Friedman, the Maggid of Mezritch. And the Maggid, on the other hand, was the successor of the Baal Shem Tov. Besides Chabad, Karlin is one of the oldest chassidic groups and both of them have their roots in Lithuania. Today you can find the Chassidim of Karlin – Stolin in New York, Bnei Brak, Beitar, Jerusalem and in the Jerusalem suburb of Givat Ze'ev where the present Stoliner Rebbe built his headquarter. Unfortunately, the Rebbe doesn't come too often to Jerusalem and throughout all my time with Karlin, I have only seen the Stoliner Rebbe once.
The present Stoliner Rebbe, Rabbi Baruch Yaakov Me'ir Shochet
As usual, I went to Karlin – Stolin last Erev Shabbat (Friday night). Actually I passed the Munkatch Synagogue first and thought about walking in. Maybe it is good having a change. However, a Karliner Chassid I know had told me about the Aufruf of his son the next day, so, I felt a little obligated going to Karlin. And when I walked into the Karliner Ezrat Nashim, a elderly woman was already praying there. I know her by sight, as she is there every Friday night. After the service, she came up to me. This is nothing new and we always exchange a few words. I asked her about the Aufruf the next morning and she told me that there are three and not only one.
Last Shabbat morning, again I went to the Karliner in Mea Shearim and this time, I took a friend with me. For some time, I have been starting using the Karliner Sidur (called: Beit Aharon ve'Israel) while I am in their synagogue. Although my own Sidur is chassidic, some parts being said during the Karliner service are obviously missing.
As we entered, the Torah reading was almost finished. The Ezrat Nashim was packed but we found a great place behind the Mechitzah. The Stolin Mechitzah consists of huge glass windows and fortunately, the women are able to see everything. The men downstairs, on the other hand, cannot look into the Ezrat Nashim. Due to the special glass, the only see windows.
The three grooms were called up to the Torah and all of them looked quite proud with the new Streimel (fur hat) on the head. It is a chassidic custom that a groom getting married, is wearing his Streimel the entire week before his wedding. Otherwise the Streimel is only being worn on Shabbat, Semachot or holidays. After the Torah reading, the women opened one of the windows and threw down sweets and little plastic bags full of junk food. The young boys downstairs were pushing and grabbing for the bags. I just wondered if really all the boys got a share, as some walked away with four or five bags. I asked a woman and she assured me that all of them are sharing. But I am still not too convinced.
The elderly lady came up to me and told me that there is a special Kiddush for the women downstairs. The men were already eating their Kugel inside the synagogue. My friend and I walked downstairs into a small room with set tables. It was a little embarrassing being their as outsiders among all the Karliner women. We were standing like something lost until one woman came up to us and organized some chairs. However, you can hardly imagine what kind of cakes they had set up. Marzipan, chocolate, rum balls, fruits cake.
We took our seats and starred at all the cakes but we were too embarrassed to run over and grab. Instead, we took a little, as we just didn't want to make a greedy impression. Kugel and pickles were served. The traditional Jerusalem Kugel consisting of noodles. A woman in a brown costume came up to me and investigated who were after all. I told her that we were told to go downstairs and that I write about chassidic groups. It turned out that she grew up Karlin but married a Vishnitzer Chassid. She lives in Bnei Brak now and is the sister of one of the grooms. We had a nice chat about Bnei Brak and different groups. And, as the Vishnitzer always do, she told me to come to Vishnitz and look at the Tish.
When we were making our way out, the Vishnitzer came again and invited us for another meal. She said that all the women are now going to a hall in Chassidut Zhvil and if we would like to join. I agreed and somehow she had to explain to her mother that she had invited two strangers. So, the mother came over and asked me a few questions. I told her the same things and didn't hide that I write about Chassidut on the Internet. The mother seemed to agree and we were taken along to the hall for the meal.
To be honest, we had expected that all the Karliner will be there. But as we entered this rather small room with a wooden Mechitzah in the middle, we realized that this was a family meeting only. And we were the only outsiders which was embarrassing to us. Again we stood around a little lost until someone came up to us and placed us at a table. A waiter started serving and we had all kinds of salads, gefilte Fish, meat, Tsholent, cake and water melon. It was hard to eat, as we were so full from the Kiddush. Too much marzipan and coconut cake. And now Tschund and more fruit cake with cream.
In the meantime, a few more women sat down at our table and they started talking to me in Hebrew. There was the mother of the groom, another woman from Karlin and two women from the Chassidut Slonim. Somehow their families were all related. It was interesting talking to the Slonim women, as I had never done so. Although I went to their Tish in Jerusalem, I never saw their women there. However, the Slonimer told me that usually only their young girls go to the Rebbe's Tish. But we should definitely come for Simchat Torah. Then there will be action. I admitted that I found the Slonimer niggunim rather heavy and sleepy. The women started laughing and said that this is true. They feel the same way and the Slonimer Rebbe of Jerusalem is slowly slowly trying to bring about a slight change into their niggunim. More melodies and not so heavy anymore.
After we walked out, we were finished. Actually we couldn't even walk anymore and promised ourselves a diet for a few days. We made our way to Rabbi Mordechai Machlise's lunch. Not in order to eat but just to be there. And we weren't far anyway.
The third meal (Se'udat Shlishit) we were planning to spend with Ruzhin – Boyan, as their Rebbe was giving a Tish. When we arrived, the Ezrat Nashim was locked and either we were too early or the women gathered somewhere else. So, we went back to the Machlises and had our third meal. After Shabbat was over, I couldn't see any more food but was still dreaming about the marzipan.
A great thanks to Karlin and the family whose name I don't even know.
Nevertheless, the Karliner weren't the only ones having an Aufruf last Shabbat. Also the anti – Zionist group "Mishkenot HaRoim" celebrated an Aufruf and unfortunately, we missed it. But you cannot be at two places at the same time and we really enjoyed Karlin.
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