The 11th of Cheshvan is the yartzeit of Rochel Imenu, matriarch Rachel. And it’s also the yartzeit of Bubbe Bluma Galperin, Raizy’s grandmother. Our daughter Bluma was born two months after her passing and is the first great-granddaughter to be named for her.
Bubbe Bluma’s mother, Miriam Rochel (nee Margolin) passed away young. Later Bubbe Bluma and her husband R’ Shimon Galperin named their one daughter for her.
Her father, the illustrious Chassid R’ Yankel (Yaakov Zecharia) Maskalik-Zuravitzer was a legendary Chassid in Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn’s “underground” valiantly seeking to keep Judaism alive under the communists. He crisscrossed Russia on reconnaissance missions of Jewish communities and their religious needs. He was arrested in 1937 and never seen again. (The story of establishing his unknown yartzeit and Bubbe Bluma’s question of the Rebbe are retold on another page of this website).
Her husband R’ Shimon Galperin was arrested, too, and served a lengthy prison sentence before returning home to his family in Tashkent.
Decades later, her brother Mendel Maskalik (more about him on this page about “A Chassid is a Baal Teshuvah“) was killed by Russian hooligans.
Bubbe Bluma worked two shifts at a vinyl records factory in Tashkent, just to keep her family going. Her in-laws lived with her and helped her raise her children, and educate them in the ways of Torah and Judaism and Chassidus.
Times weren’t easy. Circumstances were difficult. But she was a strong woman. She had a deeply rooted inner-strength and tremendous commitment.
And she was a giving person. She loved to bake and prepare treats and delicacies for Simchas and special events in the community, especially after her 1971 move to Israel, to Nachlat Har Chabad in Kiryat Malachi. Not only for her family, but any family. She wanted to help make the occasion special. She made gorgeous rose twists of fried dough (vodka was an ingredient) and other trademark goodies.
For Rosh Chodesh she would buy sweet yogurts for the school-children so they would know the day is special. Back in Russia she’d make a pot of the traditional black buckwheat Kasha for Yud-Tes Kislev which Raizy’s father would shlep (while it was still warm/hot) ona circuitous route to reach the secret farbrengen undetected – kasha intact!
May we continue her legacy. May her memory be a blessing!