Lejbus Engel, also called Rabbi Leibish Esikmacher because his family made vinegar, was called Rabbi Yehuda Nachum Leibish Halevi Horwitz in his later years. He was born on 8 August 8 1855, in Ryki, Poland. His parents were Israel Engel and Ryfka Cukierman.
His son Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Horowitz wrote in the Ryki memorial book, page 36:
“When he was young, Rabbi Leibish was considered a genius. People wanted him to be a Chief Rabbi in different cities, even in his own town of Ryki. But he liked working in his family’s vinegar factory more than being a Rabbi. He despised the idea of making money from teaching Torah.
Regardless, people still came to him for advice. He was known for being wise and knowing a lot about Jewish religious law, called Halacha. He often helped settle arguments in arbitration alongside prominent rabbis and had a reputation for being a good judge.”
Rabbi Leibish married first to Sura Kozicki. Together they probably had five children.
After her death (or maybe a divorce), Rabbi Leibish married Sarah Rechel Kosman, who also had children from a previous marriage. Rabbi Avraham Mordechai mentioned in the Ryki memorial book that she used to deal with manufacturing so that her husband could be engaged in the Torah and public needs.
Rabbi Lejbus started a yeshiva (Jewish secondary school) in Ryki many years before World War I. He taught there, and some other teachers helped too. His oldest son Chaim Aharon studied there until he got sick and died. His other son, Israel Tzvi, taught there until he got married.
In 1934, Rabbi Lejbush and Sarah Rechel emigrated to Israel, where they spent their remaining years. Rabbi Lejbush passed away in Jerusalem in 1948, at the age of 93 years, at the time when Jerusalem was bombed. Sarah Rechel died in Jerusalem before him in 1940.
They were buried on the Mount of Olives.
Children from Rabbi Leibish and Sura Kozick
2.1 Rabbi Chaim Aharon Engiel 1881- 13 April 1902
The Torah scholar and proficient, deeply engrossed in Torah and meticulous in observance, Rabbi Chaim Aharon Halevi Horowitz (Engel), of blessed memory, passed away in his youth in 1902, in Ryki, Ostrowiec or Botoșani, Poland [Romania]. He had no children.
2.2 Jankiel Engiel 12-Aug-1885
From his birth certificate, Ryki 1885, number 20:
“In the settlement of Ryki, on the twelfth / twenty-fourth day of August of the year one thousand eight hundred and eighty-five, at eight o’clock in the evening, there appeared before us, the Officials of the Civil Status, the Jew Leibus Engel, a merchant aged thirty, residing in the settlement of Ryki, in the presence of the witnesses Itska Weinberg, aged seventy-two, a schoolteacher, and Maer Shtambukh, aged twenty-seven, a merchant, both residents of Ryki.
He presented a newborn male and declared that he was born in the settlement of Ryki on the twelfth / fourteenth day of August of the year one thousand eight hundred and eighty-five, at eight o’clock in the morning, to his lawful wife Sura, born Kozitskaya, aged thirty.
To this child, during the religious ceremony, the name Yankel was given. This act was read to the declarant and the witnesses, and then signed by us and the witnesses. The father declared that he cannot write.
Signed by Itsik Weinberger / Mshimboul, Officials of the Civil Status.”
Jankiel died young.
2.3 Ester Gitel Hurvitz, around 1887 – 1937
Ester Gitel,a pious, modest Jewish woman, who performed good deeds, the wife of Mr. Moshe Chaim Weim Hantkan HaCohen, the cantor, passed away in 1937. She left behind six sons and one daughter, all of whom observed the Torah and commandments and pursued wisdom: Meir Shalom, Avraham, Yehuda, Aharon, Elazar, Pinchas, and their sister Chayneh. They married women and had children and grandchildren. They were all murdered in the Holocaust.1
2.4 Israel Zvi Engel 1891 Ryki – 1943
Israel Zvi Engel was born in Ryki, Poland in 1891 to Yehuda Nakhum and Sura, born Kozitskaya
“To us, from the registry office, appeared the Jew Leibus Engel, a thirty-five-year-old merchant residing in the town of Ryki, accompanied by witnesses Maf Shkatozh, a thirty-three-year-old merchant, and Bulf Raynberger, a thirty-three-year-old schoolteacher, residing in the same settlement. He presented to us a male infant, declaring that he was born in the town of Ryki on the twelfth of October of the current year at five o’clock in the morning to his lawful wife Sura, born Kozitskaya, aged thirty-five. To this child, during the religious ceremony of circumcision, the names Srul-Gershk were given. This act was read aloud to the declarant and witnesses, and signed by us and the witnesses, as the declarant is illiterate.”
Israel Zvi was a merchant and married Khava Veinberg. Prior to WWII he lived in Gniewosz, Poland. During the war he was in Gniewosz, Poland.
Israel Zvi was murdered in the Shoah, together with his wife Khava and their three children Chaia, Rivka and Shlomo.2
Children from Rabbi Leibish and Ruchla Kosman
2.5 Moszek ca 1896, died 18-5-1907 Ryki
His death certificate, Ryki 1907:
“It took place in the settlement of Ryki on the eighteenth day of May, one thousand nine hundred and seventh year, at ten o’clock in the morning.There appeared personally: Lejbuś Wejndorf , an undertaker, forty-eight years of age, and Szulim Mencer, a sexton, forty-one years of age, residing in the settlement of Ryki, and declared that yesterday, on the seventeenth of May of the current year, at four o’clock in the morning, there died in Ryki, Moshek Engel, eleven years of age, son of the spouses Lejbuś and Ryklia (née Chosman) Engel, permanent residents of the settlement of Ryki.After visual verification of the death of Moshek Engel, this document was read aloud to those who appeared and was signed only by us and the witness Mencer, as the other witness, Wejndorf, is illiterate.Civil Registrar Official: (Signature)Witness: Szulim Mencer”
2.6 Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Horvitz 1898 Ryki – 1985 Jerusalem
Born in Ryki, 11 Nov 1898 as Abram Mordka Engiel. His first entry in Palestine was 17 May 1926.
In 1938 he applied for Palestine naturalization. His occupation was Rabbi and author. He now used the name Horowitz; the application form mentioned:
Abram Mordka Horowitz, formerly Engiel.
Address: Jerusalem, Batte Warstrau 39
He was married with Ryfka / Rebecca Rosenberg, born in 1899/1900 Breziny, Poland. Rebecca Rosenberg died 12 May 1958.
Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Horvitz was Rabbi in Jerusalem and author of many books, such as “Honor of Jerusalem”, “Treasure of the Temple Language” and “Baget from Tel Aviv” He also published articles in “Noam” and other rabbinical journals. He left commentaries, reports and poems in manuscripts. He wrote a lot about family members in the memorial book of Ryki.
He died 8 July 1985 Jerusalem.
Children
2.6.1 R. Moshe Gershom Engiel Horowitz 1924 Ryki – Apr 11 2000 Israel
Mosche, formerly Gerszon Moszek. According to the application form born 1924 in Ryki. Others state 30 Jan 1922.
He married Hannah Leah Wellman (24 Mar 1924 Lodz Poland – Jan 6 2021 Jerusalem Israel)
Children Sarah Horovitz 1951-1995 and Jacob Horovitz
2.6.2 Hannah Scheindle Horowitz 1932 Israel – 2005 Israel
Chana Scheindle, born 6-dec-1932 Jerusalem. She died 6 February 2005 in Israel.
2.7 Chawa Angel Hurvitz 1904 Ryki – 1942 Warsaw
Chawa Kuzycki nee Angel was born in Ryki, Poland in 1904 to Leibush and Rakhel. She was married to Yehoshua Kusycki. Prior to WWII she lived in Falenica, Poland. During the war she was in Warsaw, Poland.
Chawa was murdered in the Shoah3.
Children from first marriage of Ruchla Kosman
2.8 Yokheved Angel, died 1968, Israel
The righteous, pious, and modest Mrs. Yocheved, of blessed memory, came with her husband, the pious Rabbi Aryeh Zvi Nachtaler, and their family, to Jerusalem in the year 1925. She passed away on the 6th of Kislev, 1968 in Kfar Hasidim near Haifa, and her husband, the pious Rabbi Aryeh Zvi Nachtaler, of blessed memory, passed away on the 26th of Cheshvan, 5726 (1965), and they were buried in Kfar Hasidim near Haifa. May their souls rest in peace.4
2.9 Tzimal Hurvitz, died 19 April 1924
Mrs. Tsimal, of blessed memory, wife of the Torah scholar, the Rabbi Yitzchak Meir who passed away on the 25th of Nissan, 5675 (9 april 1915). She died before the First World War, on the 25th of Nisan in the year 5685 (19 April Jan 1924) and left behind two sons.
Children:
2.9.1 Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Lebendiger 1892 Ryki – 1943
Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Lebendiger was born in 1892 in Riky, Poland to Yitzkhak and Tzimal nee Hurvitz. He was married to Fraidel. Prior to WWII he lived in Lubaczow, Poland. Yaakov Moshe was murdered in the Shoah, with his children and grandchildren.
2.9.2 Chaim Pesach Levendiger, died 1975 Jerusalem
He moved to Israel and married Ester Gitel (she died 18 Aug 1994). Chaim Pesach died 3 March 1975 and is buried in Holon cemetery, Israel. On the tombstone: A perfectly honest and God-fearing man; A God-fearing woman and a kind-hearted man
2.10 Chaia Engel, around 1889 – 1911
Chaia Engel Horowitz, the righteous, pure, and good woman, the wife of Mr. Avraham Lererhandl, passed away in 1911. She left behind two sons, Mr. Moshe Elimelech Lererhandl and his brother, Mr. Yisrael Shmuel Lererhandl, who, along with their wives, children, and grandchildren, were murdered in the Holocaust.
- 1 Rabbi Chaim Meir Yechiel (Majer) born 1850
- 2 Rabbi Yahuda Nahub Lejbus (Leib) 1855 – 1948, Israel
- 3 Chuma 1866
- 4 Rubin 1870-1916, Kaluszyn – ancestor
- 5 Lejzor Engiel 1872
Start: Introduction
- https://yvng.yadvashem.org/nameDetails.html?language=en&itemId=7699018&ind=1 ↩︎
- Brother Avram https://yvng.yadvashem.org/nameDetails.html?language=en&itemId=918177&ind=1 and https://yvng.yadvashem.org/nameDetails.html?language=en&itemId=9466538&ind=2 ↩︎
- This information is based on a Page of Testimony submitted by her sister, Yokheved Nakhteiler https://yvng.yadvashem.org/nameDetails.html?language=en&itemId=545835&ind=1 ↩︎
- Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Horvitz, Ryki Memorial book ↩︎