Iconic Williamsburg: Rav Daniel Shapiro

Way back in the 1920’s, when Eastern European Jews were fleeing the upheaval, poverty, starvation and suffering in the aftermath of WWI, a respectable number of great Rabbonim settled in Williamsburg—true Ge’onim of the greatest caliber. A number of them organized a Vaad Harabonim of Williamsburg. Prominent among them was Rav Daniel Shapiro of Kovno—one of the most senior Rabbonim in New York during his time. 

Svintziyan 

This small shtetl outside Vilna (Švenčionys, at is written in Lithuanian) teemed with Jewish life during the mid-1800’s. This was where Daniel was born on 12 Elul, 1862 to his father Rav Zalman Mordechai. He learned in cheder and yeshiva in Svintzyan, and later went on to some of the great yeshivos in the region. He was given semicha by the greatest men of his generation. As a young man, he was appointed the Av Beis Din of Kurkil, (Kurkilai, another shtetl in old Lita). 

Rav Daniel married Pesche Sanitzky in the year 1886, and she gave birth to their son Naftoli Until his bar mitzvah, Daniel learned with his father. Given its remoteness, Svintzyan boasted quite a few yeshivos, and this is where he likely learned. The semichos that he received from a variety of great rabbonim—including Rav Yitzchok Elchonon Spektor of Kovno—who laud his greatness in Torah, are quite impressive.  

 (later the famed Assemblyman Nathan D. Shapiro) the following year. They set their eyes on America, and in order to seek a rabbinic position, he knew he would need letters of reference. Rav Nachum Shraga Revel (father of Dr. Bernard Revel), rov of Pren (a suburb of Kovno) wrote about his brilliance and deep learnedness, as well as his fine character. Rav Yitzchok Elchonon also added his endorsement to the family’s move to America. 

Torah Education 

The first public endeavor with which Rabbi Shapiro became associated was the Talmudical School of Brooklyn—known as the venerated Yeshiva of Brooklyn, under the leadership of Rav Manis Mandel, zt”l. Founded in 1908 at 57 Graham Avenue, it moved to a grand building at 655 Willoughby Avenue, where it remained until moving to Midwood. It hosted the first Pirchei branch in America. 

Next was the Stockton Street Talmud Torah. He was among the founders in 1917, and in 1937 appears as the head of the board of directors.of the Talmud Torah. Here we find a newspaper account of a meeting of Williamsburg’s greatest Rabbonim—including Rabbi Shapiro—who met at 146-148 Stockton street to discuss charity work. Rabbi Shapiro was one of the few who comprised the committee for distributing funds.

In 1920, Rav Daniel appears as the director of the 

Finally, the third Torah institution which Rabbi Shapiro shaped was the Crown Heights Talmud Torah, at 312 Crown Street. 

It was a family effort. Rabbi Shapiro, along with his son Nathan D. Shapiro, his wealthy father-in-law Meir Nemerov, as well as Meir Katlowitz (another mechutan it Rav Daniel) pooled the funds to launch the school which would serve as a full time yeshiva, and double as an afternoon Talmud Torah for public school children. 

In 1927 the cornerstone was laid for the grand building, and it was completed in the winter of 1928. Rav Daniel would serve as the Chairman or the Board of education until his passing in 1941.