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R. Yosef Hillel son of R. Yisrael Berman

Jaunjelgava / Friedrichstadt / Neiru

His origin is from the city of Telshe. A descendant of the Gaon R. Chaim of Volozhin.

He served as rabbi in Palanga from 56491) (1889), and in 5658 (1898) was accepted as rabbi here.2)

In 5667 (1907) he moved to serve as rabbi in Rostov.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe (Maharshab) lived in Rostov from 5676, and it is told that there was a close bond between him and R. Berman, and the Rebbe even went to visit him. When the Rebbe fell ill, on the holy Shabbat before his passing, R. Berman announced that all residents of the city — not one to be absent — should come to his synagogue or minyan at noon to say Psalms and pray for mercy on his behalf.3)

He passed away in the summer of 5686 (1926) while staying at a summer retreat in Slavyansk.4)

Torah novellae from him were printed in the monthly Ohel Yitzchak (Satmar) and in Yagdil Torah (Slutsk). An approbation from him appears in Sha'ar Shimon (Vilna 5662).

Di Geshikhte, p. 173. Ohalei Shem, p. 198. Heikhal HaBe'sht, issue 15, p. 104. Sefer Telshe, p. 44.

Latvia and Rabbis

1)
In Ohalei Shem — 5648.
2)
So in Yahadut Lita, vol. 3, p. 334. In Di Geshikhte — 5659. In the newspaper HaMelitz, 14 Cheshvan 5659, he is already mentioned as rabbi here.
3)
Ashkavta DeRebi, p. 82.
4)
Zikhronot Aharon, vol. 2 (Zakon), p. 34, and not as written in Dorshei Tzion BeFo'al, p. 187, that after the Soviet revolution he disappeared without trace. In Yahadut Lita, vol. 3, p. 36 — that he passed away in 5688.