The Drimmers
Skala's Rabinic Dynasty

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The year 1830 was the beginning of what might be termed Skala's rabbinic dynasty, when Shlomo Drimmer became rabbi of Skala's Jewish community. As sons succeeded their fathers, Rabbi Drimmer's descendants were to serve as the town's religious leaders for the next 112 years, until the destruction of Skala's Jewish community in 1942.

The 19th century Rabbi Shlomo Drimmer was a respected scholar who wrote the treatises Beth Shlomo and Shoresh Yaakov. When he died in 1872, his son Abraham Drimmer, author of Be'era shel Miriam, inherited his position. After the death of Abraham Drimmer in 1918, his son Nathan (known as Noote) became Skala's rabbi. Noote Drimmer, who was regarded as a talmid chochom (wise Talmudist), served the community until his death in 1930.

Skala's next rabbi again was named Shlomo Drimmer, in memory of his great-grandfather who had come to Skala one hundred years before. A reknowned speaker, the 20th century Shlomo Drimmer was a rabbi in Skala from 1930 to 1935. He also was a captain in Poland's army and rose to become Deputy Chief Rabbi in the chaplaincy corps. He was succeeded by his brother, Rabbi Yiddel Drimmer, who was the community's rabbi until 1942.


Grave of Rabbi Nute Drimmer in Skala's Jewish cemetery

Bibliography:

Sefer Skala (Skala Benevolent Society, New York and Tel Aviv, 1978) (Skala's yizkor book)

“Skala (Skala Podolskaya)” in Pinkas Hakehillot Polin (Encyclopedia of Jewish Communities in Poland), Volume II (Yad Vashem, Jerusalem) (translated by Lancy Spalter)

Skala on the Border” (Skala Benevolent Society, New York, 2001) (video)


Photo of Grave copyright by Max Mermelstein
Text copyrighted by Helene Kenvin
This page created by Max Heffler
Updated Oct 18, 2006. © Copyright 2005 Skala Research Group. All Rights Reserved.