Mazheik Rabbis

1. Introduction (below) to the Life and Times of Mazheik Rabbis Zeev Wolf Avrech and Yosef Zeev Mamyoffe by Ella Barkan

2. Article in Hebrew (being translated into English) by Oren Sarig, great-great grandchild to Rabbi Zeev Wolf Avrech (on the Family Research page)

Introduction by Ella Barkan

Zeev Avrech
The first rabbi of Mazeikiai was R. Zeev Avrech , son of R. Yitzhak Isaac Avrech.   R. Zeev Avrech was born in Ritova in 1845. At the age of 20 he got “Smichus” by   R. Yitzhak-Elchanan Spector and R. David Regensburg. He served as a teacher (“Moreh-Zedek”) at the Beth-Din of R. Avraham Harif in Pikaliai (1872), Head of Yeshiva in Shat (1875), and finally Av-Beth-Din (chief Rabbi) of Mazeikiai (since 1885 until his death in Mazeikiai on 13 Cheshvan Taf Reish Pey Bet, 14.11.1921). His wife’s name was Minna-Rachel. R’ Zeev Avrech had 2 sons and 7 daughters.

R. Zeev Aberach was the author of the Responsa book “Ravid Ha’Zaahv” (Warsaw, 1898).

Yosef-Zeev Mamyoffe
R’ Yosef-Zeev Mamyoffe was born in 1888. He was married to Hinda, one of the daughters of R’ Zeev Avrech (b. 1889).

After the passing away of R. Ze'ev Avrech in 1921, his-son-in Law, R. Yosef-Ze'ev Mamyoffe took his place as the local rabbi. He was the last rabbi of Mazeikiai.  R. Yosef-Ze'ev Mamyoffe and his wife were murdered in the summer of 1941 in Mazeikiai,  along with most of the Jews of Mazeikiai and surroundings yzb *.

picture below: Rabbi Yosef-Ze'ev Mamyoffe.  27thAugust 1934; this picture was sent by Sarah Sarig to Ella Barkan, who kindly forwarded it the webmasters of this site.

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below: Hebrew inscription (dated 16 Elul 5694 - 27th August 1934) on the back-side of the above photograph, which, translated into English, reads: Dear Son of my Brother-in-Law  Hereby do I bless you for your planned "Aliyah" to our Holy Land  With much success  For eternal remembrance  Hereby I do present to you my photograph   Yosef Mamyoffe. 

(click on image to enlarge)

below : The Rabbi with his family (picture supplied by Ella Barkan )

(click on image)

below: inscription behind the picture above, the year is 1938

below: Salary payrolls of R’ Ze'ev Averch (left) and R’ Mamyoffe from the Ministry for Jewish Affairs 

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