AN OPEN LETTER

ב"ה

17th of Teves, 5767
12/26/2007

To Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser שליט"א,

It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter before the eyes of the public.

However you have ignored letters, phone calls invitations to Din Torah and even a subsequent siruv.

Reb Mottel Lifshitz שיחי', the subject of your book Comrade, Targum Press, (2004(, lived for close to seventy years under the communist regime in Russia, he was moser nefesh for

Yiddishkeit. In the face of extreme danger he was the Shochet, Mohel and Melamed in Moscow and surrounding areas, and for this he was sent to the Russian labor camps in Siberia where he suffered greatly for some seven years; something we cannot even fathom today. Upon returning to his home town, he continued spreading Yiddishkeit.

Whenever Reb Mottel is asked how and why he continued under such horrendous circumstances, he has one answer. The Lubavitcher Rebbe. The Rebbe was his life force. The Rebbe warmed him in the Siberian winters, and the Rebbe gave him the courage to walk into a darkened basement and perform a bris only moments after the KGB had broken in and dispersed the crowd.

And now, at the age of 91 biz hundret un tzvantzig, Reb Mottel is living out his golden years in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. But no, he is still unable to rest. You have caused him unending agmas nefesh. You took the Yiddish manuscript of his memoirs (published in Yiddish entitled Zichronos fun Gulag) and completely distorted his life story to create your fictitious version, Comrade. For the past three years he has not stopped speaking, with abundant pain, of how you violated him and humiliated him. Not only did you make up stories and write facts that never happened but you eliminated every mention of “Schneerson” and “Chassidus” which is the very thread of who he is.

Reb Mottel Lifshitz שיחי does not understand English and was initially unaware of what you had done to him. You shlepped the elderly man around to speaking engagements about your book, but never once allowed him to speak. You omitted pictures he had given you to put into the book, and fooled him into thinking that you were translating his work, but no, you used him for your own fame and glory.

Reb Mottel was persecuted by the KGB because of his connection to ‘Schneerson’. When they came searching his house it was his letters from the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe and maamarim Chassidus they wanted not his Gemorrahs. They would taunt him and while interrogating him they would mockingly call him “a Schneersoni”.

Today he sits in his home and is aghast to think that, in his words “a frume yid, with a beard and a hat has done the same to me as the Russian KGB”. He now agonizes over the fact that you took his manuscript, rewrote it, distorted it and used it in an attempt to eliminate the Lubavitcher Rebbe and Chassidus from it, and from history!

I do not know how you can sleep at night knowing that an old man is suffering greatly because of you. He has suffered enough in his life. You must right this wrong before it is chas vesholom too late.

Reb Mottel Lifshitz שיחי is awaiting your prompt action.

Samples of distortions.

Note to reader:

It would be disrespectful for anyone to comment regarding a “world-renowned Torah
personality1”as Rabbi Goldwasser himself claims to be, of which “There is hardly a Jewish community [that] has not come in contact with [him]. He is described as patient, warm, and a giving character.1” “[Which] is what makes thousands flock to seek his words, advice, and knowledge”, who “is renowned worldwide for his piety and for his efforts to spread Torah and Judaism1”, we therefore leave you to reach your own conclusion.

Sample #1:

From the introduction, signed by M. Lifshitz but actually written by Rabbi Goldwasser without Reb Mottel understanding the content:1

“I will thank Hashem for allowing me to meet Rabbi Goldwasser shlita. Rabbi Goldwasser is renowned worldwide for his piety and for his efforts to spread Torah and Judaism. Now he has assumed the task of recording my life story”.

“Rabbi Goldwasser, my dear friend, when I first met you in the darkness of Communist Russia, you captured my heart. I rejoiced to know that the Jewish people are not alone, that with Hashem’s grace they were blessed with a leader of stature who would guide them along the proper path to avodas Hashem.”
Later in Goldwasser’s introduction:

“When we met again in person, I was filled in on some of the details of his life story, the incredible story of a Jew who had put his life on the line countless times to be mekadeish shem shamayim. Right then and there I made a commitment that Reb Mottel’s story would not remain a secret… I set to the task of gathering all the information, background, and documentation of Reb Mottels’ life.2”
But is this true? Let us compare:

“Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser, shlita, whom I have known for almost three decades, thought it proper to collect the stories of Jews who lived under the brutal rule of the Soviets”. “Now he [Goldwasser] has assumed the task of recording my life story1”

”…Reb Mottel’s story would not remain a secret… I set to the task of gathering all the information, background, and documentation of Reb Mottels’ life.”

וואָס עס האָט מיך מאָטיווירט צו דערציילן און פאַרשרייבן די פאָלגענדע זכרונות – איז:
דער באוואוסטע אנווייזונג פון ליובאוויטשער רבי'ן צו פארהיטן די זכרונות פון עלטערע חסידים און דער מסירות נפש פון אידן אין סאוועטן-פארבאנד.

Translation from Yiddish:

What motivated me to tell and record these following memoirs? The known instruction of the Lubavitcher Rebbe to preserve the memoirs of the elder Chassidim and the self-sacrifice of the Jews in the Soviet Union.

Please note:

1) The manuscript was ready before Goldwasser arrived on the scene.

2) Reb Mottel writes in Yiddish who inspired him to record it, and the English has someone else’s name. Could it be that Rabbi Goldwasser received a ready manuscript of which he copied and distorted and gives no credit to the authors? Or perhaps did Reb Mottel himself copy, translate and distort Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser’s book about him?

Sample #2:

Comrade, by: Goldwasser Page 85:

“Comrade Mordechai Lifshitz had been found guilty of violating articles 58-10 and 58-11.
Lifshitz is occupied with collecting money for the families of those violating the laws (i.e., prisoners)

Lifshitz leads a full –scale operation to help Jews evade army conscription by providing them with eyeglasses and consequently ruining their eyesight.

Lifshitz communicates in writing with an agent of the Polish police force.

Lifshitz hosts gatherings of young boys and teaches them anti-Communist studies (i.e. Torah).

Lifshitz, organizes rallies that have been declared illegal by the Communist regime.”

Reb Mottel’s זכרונות פון גולאג (Goldwasser’s omissions are underlined)

הויפּט-שטריכן פון דעם באַשולדיקונגס-אַקט

איך וויל ביי דער געלעגנהייט ברענגען (אין איבערזעצונג פון רוסיש) אייניקע פון די הויפּט-שטריכן פון דעם באַשולדיקונגס-אַקט.
איך בין געפונען געוואָרן שולדיק אין דעם אַרטיקל 58-11, 58-10. וזה לשונם הטמא:

1) ליבשיץ פאַרנעמט זיך מיט קלייבן געלט פאַר די משפּחות פון די אַרעסטאַנטן [דאָס איז איינע פון די די גרעסטע עבירות, לפי דעתם הטמאה].
2)

ליבשיץ פירט-אָן מיט אַ גרויסן קאַמפּיין, אַז אידן זאָלן זיך אויסדרייען פון דינען אין דער רוסישער אַרמיי, דורך אָנטאָן

אויגן-גלעזער, און אַזוי אַרום קאַליע-מאַכן אַביסל די ראי'.
3)

ליבשיץ האַלט-אָן אַ שטאַרקן בריוו-קאָנטאַקט מיט אַן אַגענט פון דער פּוילישער געהיים-פּאָליציי – שניאורסאָהן, וועלכער וואוינט אין פּוילן.
4)

ליבשיץ קלייבט צוזאַמען אין זיין שטוב יונגע בחורים, און לערנט מיט זיי אַזעלכע זאַכן, וואָס די סאָוועטישע מלוכה האָט פאַרבאָטן עס צו לערנען, ווי צום ביישפּיל: שיחות און מאמרים פון שניאורסאָהן.
ליבשיץ האָט אַ גרויסן חלק אין דעם איינאָרדענען פון פאַרבאָטענע דורך דער מלוכה "פאַרברענגענישן".

English translation from original Yiddish זכרונות פון גולאג with Goldwasser’s omissions are bold:

A) Lifshitz is occupied with collecting money for the families of those arrested [this is one of the greatest sins, according to their contaminated minds]

B) Lifshitz leads a large campaign to help Jews evade the Russian army conscription by providing them with eyeglasses and consequently ruining their eyesight.

C) Lifshitz communicates in writing with an agent of the Polish force, [Schneerson, who lives in Poland].

D) Lifshitz hosts gatherings of young boys and teaches things that are banned by the Soviet regime, [For example: sichos and maamarim of Schneerson].

E) Lifshitz, organizes [Farbrengens] [rallies] that have been declared illegal by the Communist regime.”

Sample # 3:

In 1972 Reb Mottel’s first wife left the Soviet Union for Israel with their three children.

Goldwasser, for whatever reason, only depicts one wife (who was actually Reb Mottel’s second wife) and conjures up a mysterious Aunt who is credited with transferring the children to America. Why would he do that? Perhaps he would like to ask mechillah at the grave of Mrs. Henya Lifshitz a”h in the New Square cemetery.

This is only a sampling, one can compare page by page and see for themselves.

We are, however, left with a few questions to ask ourselves:

Did Rabbi Goldwasser simply miss a few words or was there something unpopular that would not contribute to his fame that he needed to omit?

Is this a small omission not important to the story? Or is this the thread of Reb Mottel’s entire story that has been re-written? (Like writing Mr. George W. Bush’s biography and neglecting to mention that he was the President of the U.S?)

Does Rabbi Goldwasser still have an opportunity to correct this?

Anyone who compares the documents3, or speaks with Reb Mottel in person will immediately see for himself what an outrageous disgrace and infringement this is.

***********

1 Comrade, Targum/Feldheim, (2004) written by Rabbi D. Goldwasser himself in the introduction he had M. Lifshitz sign. Reb Mottel does not understand English and when it was later translated for him, he was appalled.

2 Reb Mottel had no contact with Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser after their short meeting in Russia, nor did they have any contact in all the years Reb Mottel was living in Brooklyn, not until Reb Mottel’s manuscript was ready for publication in Yiddish did he meet again with his “life long friend1”.

3 Zichronos Fun Gulag זכרונות פון גולאג & Comrade.