By COLlive reporter
Unknown portrait drawings of the 6th Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, of blessed memory, were discovered.
Rabbi Jacob Biderman, director of Chabad-Lubavitch of Austria, reported that copies of the drawings were given to him by Danielle Spera, Director of the Jewish Museum Vienna.
The drawings are dated 1935 show the Frierdiker Rebbe sitting in a thoughtful mode. Two of them show the Rebbe without a hat. In a third, the Rebbe is seen wearing his Shabbos clothing – a shtreimel, kapota and gartel.
Spera said these portraits were drawn by a Jewish artist named Gertruda Zuckermandel and they were believed to have been done while the Frierdiker Rebbe stayed in a sanatorium hospice in Vienna.
The Frierdiker Rebbe’s visit, for health reasons, happened after being tortured and then released from imprisonment in Soviet Russia for working to strengthen Jewish life behind the Iron Curtain.
Vienna was visited by 3 Chabad Rebbes – the Rebbe Rashab, Frierdiker Rebbe and the Rebbe – and the influence they had during those times are spelled out in the book “Admurei Chabad VeYahadut Austria” by Rabbi Zusha Wolf.
Rabbi Biderman called the drawings “more precious than anything” and noted that “I have never seen them before.”
it might be a handkerchief, and the frierdiker rebbe is saying a maamer!
In the picture with a streimel it looks like the frierdiker rebbe is wearing teffilin on right hand but it’s actually Tzitzis which means this was the middle of shema possibly, but then where’s the Tallis if the sketch is from shabbos shachris
The Frierdiker Rebbe is holding on to his Gartel no Tzitzis or handkerchef if you look closely. you can see its a gartel
These pictures have been sighted years ago, the Rebbe’s librarian can attest to the fact that they are of the Rebbe Rashab.
The caption says they were shown to Rabbi Biderman and the article says they were given to him, which one is it?
A different “look” at the Rebbe. In the second picture his left eye look like it is looking into another realm. Wow…
Very special!