Unknown Photograph of Rabbi Avraham Schneerson of Kishinev (Grandfather of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, Father-in-law of ...

Unknown Photograph of Rabbi Avraham Schneerson of Kishinev (Grandfather of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, Father-in-law of the Rayatz) – With Letter of Authenticity by His Granddaughter Rebbetzin Chana Gurary

Unknown photograph of R. Avraham Schneerson, son of Rebbe Yisrael Noach of Nizhyn and grandson of the Tzemach Tzedek; mechutan of the Rebbe Rashab and father-in-law of Rebbe Rayatz – his daughter Rebbetzin Nechama Dinah married the Rebbe Rayatz; grandfather of the sisters Rebbetzin Chana Gurary, Chaya Mushka Schneerson and Sheina Hornstein.
The photograph was presumably taken in the yard outside of Rabbi Avraham Schneerson's house in Kishinev.
Letter of authenticity enclosed (handwritten note, in English), signed in Hebrew by Rebbetzin Chana Gurary (1899-1991), eldest daughter of Rebbe Rayatz: "I hereby gift... a photo of my grandfather Avraham Schneerson. I was very close to him". The letter is dated November 5, 1989.

R. Avraham Schneerson, eldest son of Rebbe Yisrael Noach (the Maharin) of Nizhyn and grandson of the Tzemach Tzedek; maternal great-grandson of R. Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev. Born in Lubavitch in Sivan 1860, in the lifetime of his grandfather the Tzemach Tzedek. After his wedding in 1875, he lived near his father-in-law in Kishinev, Romania (today capital city of Republic of Moldova) studying Torah at day and at night.
R. Avraham was the mechutan of his cousin the Rebbe Rashab. On 28th Sivan 1896, his daughter Rebbetzin Nechama Dinah became engaged to Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson, the Rebbe Rayatz. The wedding took place one year later on Friday, 13th Elul 1897. On one occasion, the Rashab told his son the Rayatz that the traits of truth and modesty can be learned from his father-in-law, R. Avraham.

After the passing of his father, the Maharin of Nizhyn in 1883, R. Avraham refused to succeed him as rebbe and became close to Rebbe Rashab.
In 1929, R. Avraham arrived in Warsaw to attend the wedding of his granddaughter Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka with R. Menachem Mendel Schneerson, later the Lubavitcher Rebbe. The groom's father R. Levi Yitzchak did not attend the wedding and R. Avraham sat at the head of the head table next to the groom. As a wedding gift, R. Avraham gave the groom the Chanukah menorah which belonged to his father, the Maharin of Nizhyn. After the wedding, the Rayatz and his father-in-law travelled together by train to Riga to celebrate the sheva berachot.

R. Avraham lived in Kishinev his entire life, studying Torah and serving G-d. He made a living by producing and trading in wine, with the kashrut supervision of the Rayatz and of R. Chaim HaLevi Soloveitchik. He led a close and long-lasting friendship with R. Yehuda Tzirelson (Chassid of R. Avraham's father, the Maharin), Chief Rabbi of Serbia and Kishinev and member of the Romanian parliament. R. Avraham was one of the leaders of the Chabad community of Kishinev. He died on 2nd Cheshvan 1937. In 2002, his tombstone was discovered in the Jewish cemetery of Kishinev. In 2012 it was restored by the Chabad emissary in the city, R. Zalman Abelsky.

Photograph: approx. 12.5X18 cm. Mounted on card (card cut and torn at edges). Good condition. Minor damage to photograph. Silvering to edges.