More Yichus … Going back farther ...

Dov Levinson, oleh to Israel, is the son of
Jacob Levinson, the son of
Yitzhak Eizik Levinson
(who came to America as a child), the son of
Rabbi Eliyahu Ber Levinson,
(born 1821 in Kreitinga, Lithuania and died 1888 in Kreitinga) the son of
Rabbi Yitzhak Eizik Levinson, the son of
Rabbi Arye Leib Levinson

Rabbi Yitzhak Eizik Levinson, married
Treina Ragoler, the daughter of
Rabbi Eliyahu Ragoler,
(born 1745 in Neustadt-Sugind), the son of
Rabbi Avraham Ragoler,
(born 1722 in Vilna, Lithuania and died 1804 in Neustadt-Schirwindt, Lithuania), the son of
Rabbi Shlomo Zalmen
(born 1695 in Vilna and died 1758 in Vilna, Lithuania), he married Treina of Setz, Byelorussia, and was known as a righteous Rabbi,
humble & honest. He had 5 sons and one daughter, among them Avraham of Eragola, and Eliyahu, the Gaon of Vilna (perhaps the
most prolific commentator since the Rambam); he was son of
Rabbi Yissakhar Ber, the son of
Rabbi Eliyahu “Khassid”
(died 1710), he married the daughter of Rabbi Moshe Rivkas (a scholar who wrote a commentary and died 1671); he was father to 3
Rabbis, among them Yissakhar Ber; he was son of the very prominent
Rabbi Moshe Kramer
(died 1688), the chief Rabbi of Vilna, the son of
Rabbi David Ashkenazy
(died 1645), the Rosh Yeshiva of Lemberg, Poland, and the son of
Rabbi Mordechai Ashkenazy

Rabbi Moshe Kramer, married
Leiba Heilprin, daughter of
Rabbi Yosef Heilprin, son of
Rabbi Elyakim Getzel Heilprin of Lemberg…

The identity of the wife of Moshe Kramer may be established in that David Ashkenazy’s daughter-in-law is recorded as ‘Lieba, the wife of Moshe ben David. ‘Lieba’ was the name of a daughter of Rabbi Yosef, son of Elyakim Getzel Heilprin of Lemberg. The acceptance of such a match would have reflected the circles of influence involved.

Through the lineage of Rabbi Moshe Kramer and Rabbi Elyakim Getzel Heilprin, my father’s family’s ancestry would continue across futher successive and well-known European Rabbinic families, including the famous medieval Biblical and Talmudic commentator, Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhak, 1040 – 1105), whose work is perhaps the most frequently cited today, appearing yet in modern Chumash.

The uncovering of this history has connected recurrent themes of the Levinson Family history tree as they trace through specific members of the Lithuanian-Polish-Belarussian Jewish Scholarly and Leadership Community, without having been aware previously of where many of these merits arose from in recent generations, and in my personal life:

Scholarship, Piety, High Intelligence, Memorization, Fatherhood, Wisdom Literature, Published Commentary, Administration, Applied Worldly as well as Religious knowledge, Messianism, Aliyah and Zionism. More of the detail, further relatives, their accomplishments, published works and some individual profiles in future posts…

From research by Dean Aaron (Dov) Levinson, performed at the Tel Aviv University Diaspora Center, the Jewish Studies Reading Room at the National Library at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Historical Archives at Yad VaShem and based on past interviews with Jacob Levinson (of blessed memory) and Sophie (Levinson) Lebow Harris. Large portions of material are taken from Eliyahu’s Branches: The Descendants of the Vilna Gaon and His Family.

© Copyright 2006 Dean Levinson

On Some Jewish History -- Global and Personal

Sokolow's famous History of Zionism (1911) greets modern-day Zionism in Two Volumes with its forerunners of Jewish and Gentile (notably British) Philosophical, Political, and Pragmatic Supports. Of interesting note, I had no idea that Napolean Bonaparte, not only invaded 'The Holy Land' for his own purposes of conquest, but reinstituted a Sanhedrin, in Paris, of seventy leading Rabbis, with the intent of restoring it and the Jewish people, with regional Jewish leadership to Israel (under his control of course).

Today, I read for the first time, Theodor Herzl's, The Jewish State, his first of two Books on Zionism. A literary figure before becoming a leader and diplomat, his diaries are extensive and preserved completely. The impact of the Dreyfus affair, also in France, on this otherwise fully assimilated and non-religious Jew is significant. That he devoted the rest of his brief life, in persistent and only partially successful diplomatic and fund-raising efforts is a testament not only to himself, but to the impact of injustice to the innocent, and of ever-virulent anti-semitism in popular feeling.

So here, examples from two sides of the tensions between assimilation and Zionism. Composed within and perhaps from the same motives of the Zionist himself.

Since arriving in Israel last Summer I have made opportunities to study my Yichus (genealogy), when time has permitted. The discoveries have been significant, particularly on my father's father's side of the family, as I only knew of my grandfather, and never met him, having spoken with or interviewed my father and my aunt, Sophie Levinson Lebow Harris in times past. There have been some Zionistic activities in Levinson history. Turns out I am not the first in my family to have made aliyah to Israel or Jerusalem. Some came from Lithuania, as my father's family from America, came originally from the Lithuanian-Poland-Byelorussia diaspora.

I will write topically or in profile about (eye-opening) family matters or members again in future posts. However, for now, a basic trace ...

Dean Aaron Levinson, who has made Aliyah to Israel, is the son of
Jacob Levinson, the son of
Yitzhak Eizik Levinson (who came to America as a child), the son of
Rabbi Eliyahu Ber Levinson, the son of
Rabbi Yitzhak Eizk Levinson, the son of
Rabbi Arye Leib Levinson

Rabbi Yitzhak Eizik Levinson, married
Treina Ragoler, the daughter of
Rabbi Eliyahu Ragoler, the son of
Rabbi Avraham Ragoler, the son of
Rabbi Shlomo Zalmen (c.1700 and also the father of Rabbi Eliyahu of Vilna, the Gaon, aka HaGra, whose followers popularized prot-Zionism among the London Society)
More to present here in a future post. Some related discoveries are prompting a new book.

For one Zionistic profile: Rabbi Yitzhak and Treina Levinson had five children, of these --
Daughters Khaya (wife of Yehekial Heller) and Gisa Levinson were both known to make aliyah to Jerusalem, and died here later.

Son, Rabbi Eliyahu Ber Levinson was born 1821 in Kretinga, Lithuania and later married Sheitel Levinson. Known as ‘Reb Elinka Kretinger’, Eliyahu was also a merchant, who made a fortune from the dredging of the Venta Canal, and from banking. Together with wife Sheitel he had 3 children: Yitzhak Eizik Levinson (my grandfather who came to Bessemer, Pa, USA as a child), Zalmen Levinson, and Brakha Levinson. Recognized as a scholar, Eliyahu Ber Levinson refused all offers of a Rabbinic post. Gabbei of Kollel Vilna, he was responsible for collections of donations to Eretz Israel. Eliyahu died 1888 in Kretinga.

In the Shoah, Lithuania (including part of Poland and Byelorussia) saw the fewest percentage of survivors in Europe, 8,000 of 324,000 Jews. The Yeshiva system in use in Israel today came from my forefathers in the Lithuanian scholarly community. (It would be positive if the American and Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community would stop persecuting me here).

© Copyright 2006 Dean Levinson

Albert Einstein. Part II…

Albert Einstein was investigated and harassed by the FBI as I have learned in previous research on that matter. A matter of personal consequence. Like Ernest Hemmingway, Martin Luther King, Jr., and others, he decried totalitarianism and exploitation wherever it could be found. He made some of the ‘wrong’ pacifist, socialist, and League of Nations friends, earning him American investigative scrutiny. One such friend was Upton Sinclair.

Upton Sinclair first approached Einstein in a letter in 1930, noting that the two of them repeatedly found themselves on the front page of Le Monde newspaper. In particular, the New York Times had published an article on Einstein’s experiments in telepathy and clairvoyance, something Sinclair’s wife had been researching for three years, and she was coming out with in a book, “Mental Radio”, both in English and in German. Albert Edison ended up writing the preface.

Upton Sinclair was noted for his Socialist Newspaper, The New Leader, and was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature, which Einstein recommended in writing along with others. Sinclair wrote “The Jungle,” “Love’s Pilrimmage,” “Oil,” and “Boston” among other later novels and plays that all showed concern for the unemployed and the exploited. Sinclair offered help arranging assistance when Einstein needed to leave Germany in 1933.

By 1941, Einstein was writing to Sinclair regarding what he considered a dangerous situation for Socialists in the US, and the tradgedies involved in what had overtaken any true socialist movement in Russia.

In 1944 Einstein confessed how little time he ever had for reading the novels Sinclair always sent, but how profoundly effective he thought Sinclair was as a writer bringing influence artistically, ‘reaching’ people more effectively than ‘objective reasoning’ ever could.

In a letter in 1947, Einstein related the contents of a new Sinclair play, to his own concern regarding an all-powerful FBI. And by 1950, Einstein was expressing concern over military nationalistic totalitarianism throughout the world, including in America.

Perhaps we think Albert Einstein was highly analytic, prone to use scientific hypothesis and observation, and could draw accurate conclusions only in one field?

© Copyright 2006 Dean Levinson

Albert Einstein in Jerusalem. Part I…

The National Archive Library at Hebrew University in Jerusalem holds some wonderful and unique collections for research. I’ve made use of resources there for study on my yichus (genealogy), among other things. (More on my ancestors another time). Perhaps the most inspiring stained glass windows I have encountered in the world occupy a central location there, created by artist Mordechai Ardon.

Many people are not aware that Albert Einstein once turned down the Presidency of the State of Israel, but was very much a Zionist, helped establish Hebrew University, and donated all of his papers and correspondence to the National Library here. (A much better fate than his undonated but repetitively posthumously stolen brain suffered). International attention has been generated lately (Time, Newsweek, etc) because some of his very personal family correspondence, stored here, has been recently released and published.

Wanting to make the most of singular resources, I asked if I could sit and read some selected original Einstein correspondence for a couple hours. I requested folders that I thought might contain more English - letters with Mahatma Gandhi, Upton Sinclair, and Baruch Spinoza.

People have fascination with ‘genius’ in science, nothing remarkable to the genius. But beyond A. Einstein’s scientific prowess and problem-solving, he was regarded for kind-heartedness, reflection, and even poetry. His written expression in correspondence carries color, warmth, clarity, and his concern for humanity in the throes of real trouble.

Einstein’s admiration for Gandhi is reflected well in a contribution made in 1939 for a volume of essays commemorating Gandhi’s 70th birthday, at the request of an Oxford philosopher friend of the latter:

‘A Leader of his People, unsupported by any outward authority: a politician whose success rests not upon craft nor the mastery of technical devices, but simply on the convincing power of his personality; a victorious fighter who has always scorned the use of force; a man of wisdom and humility, armed with resolve and inflexible consistency, who has devoted all his strength to the uplifting of his people and betterment of their lot; a man who has confronted the brutality of Europe with the dignity of the simple human being, and thus at all times rises superior…’

Gandhi invited him to visit.

In a 1949 response to an Indian Professor of Physics who wrote to Einstein and blamed Gandhi for the plight of murdered Hindus, likening him to Hitler, labelling him an anti-rationalist, and pointing out that one of his assassins was reading and teaching Einstein’s theory of relativity in prison before execution, Einstein wrote:

‘…it is true that Gandhi was to some extent anti-rationalist or at least a man who did not believe in the independent value of knowledge, But the unique greatness of Gandhi lies in his moral fervor and in unparalleled devotion to it. What he achieved in convincing the people of India of his method of non-violence cannot be overestimated. I believe it is by far the greatest achievement in the political field in the last centuries - not only for India but for the whole of humanity…’

An again in 1949 on behalf of his friend, to another critic:

‘…There may be some truth in your criticism of Gandhi’s attitude towards technology. I think, however, that his merits with respect to the liberation of India and the principle of non-violence are so unique that it seems not justified to search for such small weaknesses in such a great personality.’

Einstein was absorbed in problem-solving and the horrible consequences of what governments could do, with little time to read novels as he told his friend, Upton Sinclair. Regarding Gandhi, he told the Thoreau Society in 1953:

‘ …I have never read anything by Thoreau, nor am I acquainted with his life history. There are, and have been, many – but not enough – people of independent moral judgement feeling it their duty to resist evil even if sanctioned … It may well be that Thoreau has in some way influenced Gandhi’s thought. But it should not be forgotten that Gandhi’s development was something resulting from extraordinary intellectual and moral forces in connection with political ingenuity and a unique situation. I think Gandhi would have been Gandhi even without Thoreau and Tolstoy.

Mishleh (Proverbs) tells us that ‘what is desireable in a man is chesed (the kindness that goes outside oneself)’. Even more valued than his own values of rationality, science and technology, the brutality Einstein had seen in the world that could corrupt all of these enabled him to discern true nobility of spirit by contrast. Einstein’s papers, with his thoughts on these matters, are a real treasure. As his opinions were sought out, he wrote prolifically and pointedly, his scientific fame providing a valuable platform from which to do so (and for which he was investigated and persecuted as well)…

© Copyright 2006 Dean Levinson

Jerusalem Forest II...

So, I spent another weekend 'camping' in the Jerusalem Forest. Perched in an even more beautiful spot at the edge of a terrace under a gracious pine bough. An unimpeded view of and between two forested hills, the setting sun and the valley below.

So, what is a guy who once made $300,000 per year, has international healthcare, executive administration and technology management and consulting experience (and enjoys it) doing in the woods?

Shabbos. A rational spot to spend it for what I've lived through in the last several years, including this past year and currently in Israel.

Dignity, Autonomy, Privacy. The holiness and dignity of quiet, all more valuable than even the view.

I would definitely return to this vantage point for holy moments in the future. Preferably with a house and career to go back to afterwards. And a family who would like to join me or just to return to.

I'm a Jew. I came under The Law of Return. This society processed my Tehudat Zehut (Citizenship ID), but will it let me be a citizen? The invasions of privacy, networked vetting, disinformation and coercion -- awful.

I've had a year of my time, money and health wasted, while investigators and provocateurs impede every effort, and pretend it is all HaShem (or me). Criminal abuse through government, religious, and social institutions. People who behave and govern this way will repair the world? They should take turns in the Forest with a Chumash where I have been.

© Copyright 2006 Dean Levinson

Today is September 5, 2006. I am 45 years old. Born September 5, 1961.

'Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be,
The last of life, for which the first was made:
Our times are in His hand
Who saith “A whole I planned,
Youth shows but half; trust
God: see all nor be afraid” '
(Robert Browning, ‘Rabbi Ben Ezra’:I)

© Copyright 2006 Dean Levinson

Camping in the Jerusalem Forest ...

This weekend I went camping in the Jerusalem Forest and went down to Ein Karem for Shabbos. I pitched westward on a terrace with a view of the sunset dropping behind the mountain ahead. Hadassah Hospital forms the farthestmost point in view.

I look to the hills. Where does my help come from? ... the Maker of heaven and earth.

As a teen I hiked in the state and national parks of Western Pennslvania and West Virginia in the US. As a freshman at the U. of Michigan, I braved a trip alone in a cold November to Mt. Rainier in Washington state and made it up one of the 'glacial' slopes, against the better advice of the Park Service. It was a self-imposed desire, and a time of discovery.

The silence and sounds, the forms and context of the natural environment are very conducive to acknowledging the Creator, the very subject of Shabbos. My mind wanders thinking about people in other places and times and their lives before the innovations of modern conveniences, or places they may still not exist. The impact of those innovations. Of the evolutions of individual societies, and mentally back again to this one.

Of Daniel, who saw the innovations of the future beforehand. Who prayed three times a day, advised kings, lived faithfully, and could perceive both in the present, as well as the future, the presence of HaShem. Whose example I instructed and admonished my sons to follow - and I hope they are.

© Copyright 2006 Dean Levinson