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Everyone among Kosov's Jewish residents knew Reb Shmuel Avraham Heisler–the teacher, Zionist, and enlightened individual. Surely, any member of our community would wish to read about this remarkable individual in the Kosov memorial book, where his many years of faithful service to the Jewish community are honored.

Reb Shmuel Avraham Heisler was a man of distinguished countenance, whose large and handsome beard lent him a touch of grace. He left his mark on the town, and the people widely accepted his opinion. Although always busy and preoccupied, he was fully attentive and focused when you spoke to him, always responding with a gentle, soft answer that got straight to the point.

As a Zionist,

Shmuel Avraham Heisler

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he stood firm in his convictions and never accepted compromise. As a public servant, his purity and integrity were unparalleled, earning him universal respect and admiration.

Reb Shmuel Avraham Heisler was born in Kosov during the Festival of Light in 5,622 [November 1862] to poor but honest parents who struggled to make a living. His father sewed burial shrouds, and Shmuel Avraham was the youngest of three brothers and five sisters. From an early age, he understood the harsh realities of poverty. Like many children of his time, he did not attend school and learned only in a Cheder. Reb Shimshon taught him to write; he was known as “The Shreiber” [“The Scribe” or “The Writer”]. Shmuel Avraham pursued his general education on his own, overcoming many obstacles. He struggled to obtain educational books because he lacked the means to buy them. Even when he managed to acquire a book, he had to hide it from his devout father, who viewed any non-religious text as forbidden and destined only for burning. Because his older brothers dedicated themselves exclusively to religious studies, his father saw Shmuel Avraham as a misfit and subjected him to relentless criticism. Only his clever mother supported him, shielding and assisting him however she could.

From a young age, he was compelled to work as a tutor to help support his family. He also assisted his elder brother, Pini, who served as a Ba'al Tefilah [prayer leader] at the courts of the Admo”rs, the Hasidic Rebbes of Kosov–Rabbi Yaakov Shimshon and Rabbi Moshe'le, of blessed memory. He accompanied Pini as a meshorer (a singer who assisted the cantor during prayers). As his assistant, his brother brought him beyond Kosov, where he was hired as a Ba'al Tefilah for the Days of Awe, Shabbat Mevarchim (the Sabbath of the Blessing of the New Month), and other occasions.

Despite obstacles and harassment, he earned a broad education through extraordinary diligence and tireless perseverance. His thirst for knowledge was so great that he repeatedly traveled to Kolomyia, the large town about thirty kilometers from Kosov, to hear the teachings of the maggid [a preacher], a man of learning, and to seek answers to the questions and difficulties he encountered in his studies.

He also taught himself bookkeeping and became an exceptionally skilled bookkeeper. For many years, he worked at the cooperative bank, the “Komertsieler Kredit Fareyn” (Commercial Credit Association), which Reb David Altis and Yudel Tenenzapf managed from its founding until its dissolution at the outbreak of the First World War.

In 1915, as they fled from the advancing Russian forces, Reb Shmuel and his family sought refuge in Knittelfeld, Upper Styria, Austria–a German town with only five assimilated Jewish families. He secured a clerical position at an enamelware factory whose management and workforce were entirely Austrian German. As the sole Jewish employee, his exceptional bookkeeping skills set him apart and earned him respect.

He was an outstanding teacher and an excellent educator. With remarkable efficiency, he taught nearly every subject: language, Hebrew and German grammar, as well as general and Jewish history,

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Bible, geography, and arithmetic. He was also proficient in French. In his conversations and speeches, he enriched his words with biblical verses and quotations from classical authors. His students loved and revered him for his many fine qualities and for the breadth and depth of his knowledge.

Reb Shmuel Avraham was the father of the Enlightenment in our town. He helped establish an enlightened generation. Without exaggeration, he was the foremost educator of his generation in our town. Among his pupils were Dr. Pesler, who later became secretary of the World Organization of “Agudat Israel”, and Dr. Yosef Meir, who for many years served as director of “Kupat Cholim” [HMO]. The Hasidim would whisper disparagingly about him behind his back, although they could not point to a single actual transgression on his part. Although he was a freethinker, he remained scrupulous in observing the religious commandments. He was close to the Hassidic Rebbe, Reb Moshe'le of Kosov, of blessed memory, and visited him from time to time, especially on festive occasions.

He was a devoted Zionist, for whom the movement was inseparable from his identity. A passionate orator whose words radiated conviction, he championed Hebrew with fervor and resolutely opposed Yiddishism. On one occasion, Reb Shmuel Avraham Heisler was sent as a delegate to the Yiddish Language Conference in Czernowitz to advocate for Hebrew. He took the stage and spoke with his characteristic enthusiasm and booming voice, but one of the Yiddish language leaders leaped up and slapped him in the face. The “[Yiddishe] Velt” [“The Jewish World”] reported the incident that very day. Yet during conscription in Austria under Emperor Franz Joseph, he also worked to preserve Yiddish. The Poles wanted Jews in eastern Galicia to register Polish as their mother tongue, hoping to increase the number of Polish-speaking citizens as a counterweight to the Ukrainians. In this scheme, the Poles were aided by assimilating Jews, while the Zionists advocated neutrality in the conflict between Poles and Ukrainians. Reb Shmuel Avraham not only registered his mother tongue as Yiddish, but also led a vigorous campaign urging the Jewish community to do the same. For this, the Polish authorities fined him.

No Zionist or national undertaking in our town ever took place without his active participation–whether through the spoken word, the written word, or fundraising. He took part in every endeavor and never shirked any task, however humble. His influence extended across all sections of the community, rich and poor alike. Everyone loved him and was therefore friends with him. No Zionist gathering was complete without his presence as a speaker, and at most of these gatherings he was the principal orator. When he spoke, “the very foundations shook” [Isaiah 6:4].

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Before setting out to solicit donations throughout the town, he would reach into his own pocket and be the first to contribute, for, as he used to say, “Only after I have given myself can I ask others to give.”

As a public servant, he made a point to avoid any role that might cast suspicion on his integrity. He lived by the rule: “Put away from thee a forward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee” (Proverbs 4:24). Although he managed accounts, bookkeeping, and correspondence, he never handled public money himself. For this reason, he never served as treasurer. He did not care about his time; he used it for the public good, and although he was very busy, he never handled the money. The banks were always in other people's hands. One story is from the days of the Joint [American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee], when they wanted to send him food products from America; he declined the offer but agreed to manage the accounts, lists, and correspondence. He dedicated days and nights to this work, but left the handling of goods to others.

He was elected as a delegate to the 10^th Zionist Congress in Vienna, an experience he recounted and reflected on for the rest of his life.

His seventieth birthday was celebrated with great pomp and ceremony by the Zionists of Kosov, representing every political faction, before a large and distinguished gathering. They presented him with a commemorative album as a token of appreciation, in which they extolled his personal virtues and devoted service to the community. The album was written in Hebrew.

Poetry and Prose by Avraham Kreizel.
Calligraphy and Vocalization: Eliyahu Finster
Illumination and Decoration of the Letters: Avraham Pinder

The album was beautifully crafted and arranged with exquisite taste. Its binding was made of olive wood, with covers gently curved along their length.

The front cover featured a Star of David set between two burning candles, whose stems also served as the staffs of two Zionist flags. At the center, a rising sun fashioned from mother-of-pearl radiated its light from Zion to Israel's far-flung communities.

Below, within a rectangular panel embellished with beads and mother-of-pearl, were inscribed the Hebrew dates 5622–5692 (1862–1932), on either side of a menorah, together with the dedication:

“To Sh. A. Heisler, on the occasion of his seventieth birthday.”

And here is what was written about him by his colleagues, who had worked alongside him throughout the years:

On the title page:

“A Blessing Upon the Head of Our Teacher, Our Esteemed Honorary President.
Mr. Shmuel Avraham Heisler

For his seventieth birthday 26 Kislev 5692 [December 6, 1931]
Presented by
The Local Zionist Committee of Kosov”

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The First Stanza

Blessed be you, our guiding light,
Our teacher, leader, shining bright.
Your seventieth birthday we celebrate,
Our choicest feast, a day so great.

After five stanzas describing his personal qualities, the seventh stanza tells us:

The Seventh Stanza

From childhood's dawn, in tender years,
You sought the seers' wisdom.
Honored name of scholar you earned,
Through tireless toil and all you learned.

The following five stanzas recount his efforts to spread enlightenment among his people.

The Thirteenth Stanza:

Yet the zealots, in their pride,
Could not see the truth you tried;
“Heretic!” they called you, too–
But only when you were out of view.

The next three stanzas describe the arguments of those who opposed enlightenment, as well as his own misgivings about its possible consequences.

The Eighteenth Stanza:

And sevenfold your joy would grow,
When Zion's vision came to glow;
A path to guide the young anew,
And keep extremes beyond their view.

The Nineteenth Stanza:

Opening wide the sacred gate,
to our fathers' land of fate;
That he might help its walls to raise,
A cornerstone for future days.

Four stanzas recount his tireless Zionist endeavors and how, largely through his efforts, our town became a model of Zionist dedication.

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The Twenty-Fourth Stanza:

And held up as a shining light,
Before the world, in glory bright;
in HaOlam [“The World”], whose pages were seen, in Vienna, the capital queen.

The next seven stanzas describe his continued dedication to the Zionist cause despite his advancing years, followed by a blessing in the next stanza.

The Thirty-Second Stanza:

May your eyes yet live to see,
Our fathers' land reborn and free;
Her sons returning to her shores,
In thousands, tens of thousands more.

And indeed, this blessing came to pass. In 5694 (1933–1934), he immigrated to Eretz Israel together with his wife, Sosia, and made his home with his daughter, Penina Stein.

He passed away in 5702 (1941–1942) and was laid to rest in the Nahalat Yitzhak Cemetery, where his devoted wife was also buried.

The following words were engraved upon his tombstone:

Here lies a man of upright character, pure of heart and clean of hands,
who devoted himself faithfully to the service of the community. A loyal and dedicated Zionist,
who labored tirelessly for the cause of Israel's redemption and national revival.

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