The Hungarian village of Olaszliszka, or Liska as it is known to the local Jewish community, is a magical retreat that welcomes tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews annually.

Liska Jewish Cemetery is a distinctive site steeped in tradition and devoted faith. The holy burial site of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Friedman, known to the community as "Hershel Lisker," the founder of Hasidism in Europe, is situated here. Even in the face of his notable poverty, the first Lisker Rebbe’s life was a testament to the spirit of teachings, charitable deeds, and miraculous support. Associated with many miraculous events, his name is remembered for healing the ailing and blessing many to achieve prosperity. The inspiring life of the rebbe significantly impacted the present-day Orthodox Jewish communities of his time. Annually, tens of thousands of pilgrims make their way to the rebbe, with the yahrzeit observed on the 14th of Av drawing the most visitors.

The Liska Hasidic dynasty, along with Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Friedman, greatly influenced the dissemination of Hasidism in Hungary and worldwide. His student, Yeshaya Steiner, the Kerestir Rebbe (often called Reb Shaya'la of Kerestir), signed his letters in the following way:„Yeshaya son of R. Moshe, who attended the righteous Rebbe of Liska”

Far and wide, the Lisker Rebbe was acclaimed for his remarkable gift of healing. Many people from other countries also migrated to the village of Liska and asked him to heal them. The community trusted that the rabbi’s blessings and prayers could address and heal both bodily and mental afflictions.Despite his death, numerous visitors to his grave claimed to have felt his continued presence.

The two caretakers of the Liska Jewish cemetery performed an act that is not only the graves, but also the bearer of respect and remembrance for the past. The lighting of candles at each grave saw their flames bowing in tribute to the departed souls of this small village’s former inhabitants. The flame of the candles is considered a kind of bridge between the past and the present, the light of which shines from the depths of memory.

The light of candles serves as a profound emblem of the Jewish religion. The flames do not merely cast light, but also open a gate to all that is Eternal. As the Book says: "Man's soul is the Lord's lamp, which searches out all the innermost parts." Proverbs 20:27

The year 2024 marks the 80th anniversary of the Holocaust. The solemn lights burning in the Jewish cemetery of Liska not only honor individual graves but also evoke an entire era and the fate of a whole people. The candles’ flames safeguard not just the graves but also the memories of unrecorded lives and families that were never established. Through the lights of remembrance, these flames bring to life the tragedies suffered during the Holocaust, highlighting the reminder that each life that was never lived to its fullest is a loss to us all. 

Together, the flame of the candles and the legacy of the Liska Rebbe remind us that the light of remembrance lives on forever. The next similar commemoration will take place before the yahrzeit of Reb Shaya'la of Kerestir on Thursday, May 9, 2024, at sunset.