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Wednesday, 17 Shevat, 5786
  |  February 4, 2026

Picture of the Day

Photographer Meir Pliskin snapped this shot after Shacharis at Shain's Shul in Crown Heights. What do you know about this person? More

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one of the 36 tzadikim???
May 18, 2010 2:49 pm
speciel
May 16, 2010 3:05 am

a lamed vovnek

He is a Special Guy
May 15, 2010 3:31 pm

He gave me Brochos to have a boy first & to be a millionaire. I had a girl fist (so that didn’t work) but the second brocho worked. He is amazing.

wow
May 14, 2010 10:09 am

it might be a great tzadik

wow!
May 14, 2010 9:54 am

thanks for showing someone like him, and thanks to everyone for the comments, its nice to know that people like him exist, and that they are very close everyone

hidin tzadik!!!!!!!!!
May 14, 2010 5:14 am
A special person - spoke to him at length
May 14, 2010 4:53 am

His name is Shmeil. He’s always very careful to go to Mikveh. Once when we were waiting outside lefferts Mikveh to get in, when it was after closing time , he told me that if I come back around 2 o’clock I can go – he said that he had the key. “I’m a kohen,I have to go to Mikveh”,he said. He told me a story that happened to him many years ago where “tatty” saved from some shvartzas that wanted to kill me. He said that he likes drinking, so one time he was completely drunk and it was… Read more »

he once told me at a sholom zochar
May 14, 2010 4:41 am

He use to go to a shiur of “ayin yankel”

He's nice
May 13, 2010 6:14 pm

He once randomly helped me carry something a few blocks

Abba
May 13, 2010 6:01 pm

to 21 :

Not true.he does not go to every sholom zochur

sydney aka lamed vovnik
May 13, 2010 4:57 pm

A soecial Yid with a Hoiche Neshoma who went out of his way to help me when I arrived alone in Crown Heights 27 years ago and the family I was meant to stay by wasn’t home. He lugged my 2 heavy suitcases to his apartment and showed me the way to a different friend. I’ll never forget his kindness. I wish him only good health and we should greet Moshiach together!

From Sydney's quotable quotes
May 13, 2010 4:55 pm

1. Talk to hashem like he’s your Tatty. Just look up and say “Tatty, I need…”
2. “No need to worry”.

sidney fan
May 13, 2010 4:46 pm

his name is sidney. he is kalman’s uncle. he is a kohen and always gives brochos.
he also says to daven for what you need by saying “tate’le tate’le”

his brocho
May 13, 2010 4:14 pm

once i crosse kingston ave from teh bakery and saw him siting , so i went to give him tzdaka lthough he wasnt asking for. he said that that afternoon there would be a bris mila by rabbi shain shul and so that i should come. and he gave me a brocho to have a ben zachar ( i was about 8 months after marriage). i had no clue who the bris was, but i came, and about 9 months after that, i had a baby boy BH. when i came back and i told him what happen he didnt… Read more »

LEVI
May 13, 2010 4:11 pm

1. HE IS A VETARIN 2.HE USUALLY WEARS A 770 CAP
3.HE DOSNT REALY TALK

LAMED VOVNIK
May 13, 2010 3:44 pm

He is definatley one of the Lamed Vov Tzadikim!

to 49
May 13, 2010 3:16 pm

amen

i know him
May 13, 2010 3:00 pm

he’s my neighbor
lives on 6th floor
lives on empire blvd.
always first to know the news
secretive
very talkative
i think he’s a tzaddik…

shmuli:
May 13, 2010 2:47 pm

i once asked him to tell me a story he never told anyone else he said it would take him a hour and a half!

arichas yomim
May 13, 2010 2:17 pm

he should live untill 120

sweet and perceptive
May 13, 2010 2:14 pm

He takes care of shteibels in CH. His brochos really work. Loves humanity. Humble, sincere, devout. Sidney’s awesome.

His Last Name
May 13, 2010 1:52 pm

is Rus

i no him he is very nice,sweet,kind,cute....ect.
May 13, 2010 1:29 pm
hes scary
May 13, 2010 1:29 pm

he gives a LOT of brochos and everything that happenes good is because of his brochos and hes a hidden tzaddik

to #16
May 13, 2010 1:05 pm

thanks for reminding me (living in australia) i was tryi9ng to remember where i always saw him

he blessed
May 13, 2010 12:56 pm

me twice
1 to get engaged and within a year i did!!
2 to have kids after a year of not having and i had twins!!

great shot
May 13, 2010 12:46 pm

looks like a painting.

anonymous
May 13, 2010 12:44 pm

A tzadik. An amazing person. Always gives brachos.

he can give Berochos
May 13, 2010 12:16 pm

hes a proud Kohen and baal teshva bc he is one and he says the rebbe wished he can be one

Sidney
May 13, 2010 12:13 pm

Sidney has 2 cats, Spooky & ?????? Can’t remember the second one’s name.

I had a big problem with my sons hinuk ...
May 13, 2010 11:28 am

… and he knocks to my door sees my son and says he should grow talmid chochom. It almost made me cry and I gave him $10 without thinking. Recalling the story, I don’t really remember he asked for money, I think he just knocked the door to give brocho.

He Gives Brokos and makes likaims
May 13, 2010 10:48 am

and he remembers everyone … i recently came into CH for a chassunah and gave him a ride home to his apt on empire and he remebered me from years ago…

last name
May 13, 2010 10:48 am

I believe his last name is berkowitz. he told me he is a cohen

Kindness in full definition
May 13, 2010 10:26 am

he lends money and doesn’t care if he gets it back
take care of his sister
attends all brisim
he cannot sleep since in Korea he was up all night watching the ennemy
does all shuls errands
tremendous Ahavas Yisroel
A tzadik Pashut

to 22
May 13, 2010 10:25 am

i like that!

He gives brochos
May 13, 2010 10:15 am

HE gives brochos that work. HE is special.

he is a cohen
May 13, 2010 10:10 am
he is a cohen
May 13, 2010 9:34 am

he says to get married early or you end up like him
a cohen who cant get married

gorgeous portrait
May 13, 2010 9:33 am

wow!

mendy good one!
May 13, 2010 9:13 am

mendy good one!

Last Jew Out of Brownsville;
May 13, 2010 9:11 am

He used to Daven On Howard & Dumont ave in Brownsville Where Rabbi Elye Gross z’l Was the Last Rov Out Of Brownsville/east New york He Has a Brother Gilbert; And was very close to a Yid Called the Mighty Adam;

sidney
May 13, 2010 9:08 am

i personally think his eliyahu hanavi- or simply just a very special neshama

A really sweet person- he should be healthy
May 13, 2010 9:08 am
random question
May 13, 2010 9:04 am

he gives alot of blessings

Sidney/Shmiel - Tzaddik Nistar
May 13, 2010 9:00 am

I think he actually served in Korea and I remember that he told me he is a descendant of the Baal Shem Tov on his mother’s side.

A tzaddik nistar.

Sidney!
May 13, 2010 8:52 am

He addresses G-d as Tatteleh, and advised me to do the same, saying that “He can’t refuse you when you call Him Tattaleh”.

Sydney
May 13, 2010 8:48 am

..has not missed a Sholom Zachor or a Bris in years!

A Great man
May 13, 2010 8:42 am

and a Cohen

80-90
May 13, 2010 8:27 am

HE’S ONE OF THE 80 -90 SADIKIM OF CRUNCH HAITS.
HE’S CHARLIES BEST FRIEND.
HE’S THE EARLY BIRD FEEDER HE HAS THEM SITTING ON HIS HEAD AND ARMS.
HE’S THE CAT LOVER HE’S PRACTICALLY ALMOST LIKE ONE OF THEM.

Sydney is great
May 13, 2010 8:21 am

Sydney is a wonderful human being. He always bring a smile to my face!!

to #15
May 13, 2010 8:15 am

yup…….

Sidney..........
May 13, 2010 8:10 am

Sidney is one of those guys in Crown Heights with a direct line to the Guy above.

old timer
May 13, 2010 8:09 am

he used to work doing shlepping with Shuchat

to #10
May 13, 2010 8:08 am

are you kidding me?

crown heights only has 36 tzaddikim? i was always sure there were much much more…

Sydney
May 13, 2010 8:04 am

Sydney always gives ppl berochos!

a BaalShem-ske yid
May 13, 2010 8:03 am

walks around giving yiddin brochos, and demands that everyone say “amain”
i heard he is a viatnom vet, and as far as i know he doesnt collect tzedoko

Lefferts ave buddy
May 13, 2010 7:57 am

Sidny is a Cohen that always gives braches, always at simchas! and always smiling..

LAMUD VOV
May 13, 2010 7:56 am

he is one of the hundreds of the thirty six tzadikim in crown heights

HE IS NOT A KOHEN
May 13, 2010 7:52 am

BUT IF YOU ARE YOU CAN BLESS

a mushpa of sydney
May 13, 2010 7:52 am

sydney is a very kind and spiritual man and i had only very nice experiences with him (mainly at lechaims)

....
May 13, 2010 7:49 am

hes a cohen

he is the l'chaim guy
May 13, 2010 7:48 am

the one hew comes to each l’chaim

ummm?
May 13, 2010 7:45 am

sumthing in connection 2 the rebbe

Shmiel/Sydney
May 13, 2010 7:44 am

!) Served in Korea
2) Can count well more than 36 Lamed Vovniks in Crown Heights alone! (“He’s a lamed vov asadik.”)
3) Says L’Chaim.

He's a Kohen
May 13, 2010 7:43 am

Ask him, he’ll tell you

zalman
May 13, 2010 7:43 am

A tzadik. A real Tzadik. One special guy.
he earned my respect.

that he looks poor
May 13, 2010 7:42 am
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