By COLlive reporter
On one of his busiest times of the year, R’ Nochum Markowitz made it a point to attend a Bris Mila ceremony in a private Sukkah in the Crown Heights neighborhood.
He was not a family member, yet was given a kibud honor at the simcha of Yerachmeal and Rivka Leah Jacobson last week.
The reason can be traced back to 1988 when the Rebbe announced at Simchas Torah that it was a time of mercy (“es ratzon”) for blessings. “The Rebbe said that people can ask for brachos from anyone,” recalled Markowitz.
“One guy came over to me for a bracha for a child. He said, if anyone can give a bracha – how much more so someone who has such a zchus to feed the guests of the Rebbe.”
Markowitz, who has been feeding 770 guests on Simchas Torah for 31 years now, gave the man a blessing and a baby was soon born, he says, and since then people have been asking him for blessings for children, parnasah, shiduchim and more.
Last year, with Shmini Atzeres and Simchas Torah falling out on Thursday and Friday – making it a 3 day yomtov, Markowitz turned to a few of his supporters to up their contributions to serve the growing crowd that comes to New York for the Tishrei month.
Yerachmeal Jacobson, a real estate broker with Bluejay Management, was one of them.
“We told him we want a baby boy,” Jacobson told COLlive on Wednesday. “Our first boy was born right after Gimmel Tammuz so we named him Menachem Mendel, but my father-in-law passed away at a young age and my wife really wanted to name (a boy) after him as well.”
What triggered the idea to ask for such a blessing, Jacobson said, was the story of the Alter Rebbe asking the Maggid for a boy and being told ‘bameh yezkeh naar, es orchoi” (in what merit will one have a boy – with guests) and the Mitteler Rebbe was born.
“So we thought the same, that perhaps in the merit of helping the guests we will have a boy,” he said. “We agreed to double our yearly contributon, and my wife asked for the bracha. Nachum said we should take out a new bottle of wine, and write on it that this will be served at our child’s bris. He then went to the Ohel to daven.”
Well, they soon found out that Mrs. Jacobson was to have a baby – with the baby’s due date on Yom Kippur 5773. And if a boy was to be born, the bris would be on Sukkos – a year after the blessing was given.
“I couldn’t beleive it,” Jacobson admits. “I said if this comes true, I’m actually witnessing a miracle.”
It was no wonder that Markowitz kept food vendors and his fleet of trucks on Eastern Parkway waiting for a while on Friday of Chol Hamoed Sukkos this year so that he could attend this bris. The baby was named Shloime Shmuel Aryeh after his grandfather.
Since then, another family gave a $10,000 check to Markowitz with a request for a blessing, helping him offer his annual spread of endless supply of food and drink during and after Simchas Torah for men, women and children.
In fact, this year breakfast was also served throughout the days of Sukkos, and hundreds of Crown Heights residents enjoyed hot meals as well, enhancing the Simchas Yom Tov of all. Markowitz and his sons stood on their feet for hours, preparing and serving soup, kugel, meat, hot dogs, sandwiches, salads and more.
Markowitz thanked the donors and Nati Abukasis of Mendy’s Delicatessen in Crown Heights for preparing the hot soup, meat and sandwiches.
i would love to get a bracha as well
I would definetely support this big time!
Take addvantage!
This is a real “bal shem maseeh.
this man and those trucks have been feeding the masses since i was a kid
still remmeber those non ending hot dogs and cold cuts
Nachum, may you and all the funders and enablers of your beyond belief kindness and care be blessed 1000x!
Never underestimate the impact of your acitivities
You are a true hero of Crown Heights
moved to tears literally that there are such jews still around
I appreciated how the cups and utensils were individually placed in cartons as opposed to stacked in piles which brings waste
well done.
This holy Jew doesn’t only help for yom tov he feeds families and helps students all year long with discreet respect and dignity
Rock on holy brother
“A few hours before Shabbat during Sukkot, Nachum Markowitz is in the managers’ office at Raskin’s fruit store in Crown Heights, frantically trying to source enormous quantities of fruits and vegetables to feed the thousands of visiting Lubavitchers who have no place to eat. Markowitz has parked four refrigerated trucks outside 770 Eastern Parkway, the Chabad movement’s headquarter synagogue, known as “770,” with a fifth truck on skids nearby. Breakfast – orange juice, chocolate milk, cereal – was served earlier today from crates stacked on the sidewalk. An expected delivery with produce for meals on Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah… Read more »
It is a privilege and honor to know your family. May Hakodosh Boruch Hu grant you and your entire Mishpacha all the Brochos you so richly deserve. Getzy – you, the Mrs. and the baby have to come for Shabbos
R’Nochum and Mashi Markowitz have taught their kids well. So happy to see Yanki and Getzi getting in on the mitzvah.
Yasher Koach Gadol _ it was beautiful to see and to be honest taste this year.
what a big heart. its beautiful to see a yid who has a geshmak in doing a toiva for other yidden. it is inspiring
Youve got a 3rd!!!
To 26- food for thought – the serving is done with utmost honor and put out on tables in bekavodik manner befitting yom tov with bachurim at hand to serve every person that comes – imagine serving thousands at your yom tov table – would your kitchen dining room house become a mess to say the least – possibly the ” guests” at this amazing yom tov spread should be more honorable after someone worked tirelessly on their behalf – but even that’s ok – let them eat and be merry and let’s see the beauty in this
This story moved me to tears, yes the Markowitz an Jacobson families are amazing
He deserves a great amount of credit for his effort. However, the serving needs major improvement, and should be done with some honor. since people fight for food and push their hands into it, the whole thing looks like a refugees camp. please do it in a more dignified way.
What a sight to see
the streets lined with food and yidin eating with no worry of lack
Nachum: Yevorechecha Hashem V’yishmirecha
Yaoer Hashem Ponov eilecha Vichuneka
Yisa Hashem Ponov Eilecha
Veyoseim Lecha Sholom
i second your brocha
can we get a third?
From someone who knows , Nochum gets energy from giving
A big mazal tov to yerachmeal & rivka
U should have much nachas from shloma shmuel aryeh and the whole family.
But can you PLEASE serve the food outside the Shul only. When the girls eat inside the Shul, the scene is indescribable! Perhaps make sure there are enough garbage cans and bags outside, so the Shul stays clean. Thank you, and a gebentched yohr.
There is a special place in my heart for people like Nochum that are so encouraging to people, and devote themselves to chesed,G-d shoul continue to bless the Markowitz and extended family.
this is no Chidush at all. After all the Talmud says “Lo Tehiye Birchas Hedyot Kala Be’einecha…” So any man can give a blessing…how much more so someone with such a huge merit. But Nochum is no “hedyot” indeed as R’ishmael bleseed the almighty in the Kodesh Hakdashim so does this wonderful soul. Giving out food in front of the Rebbes shul, the holierst of the holy, to the hungry, to the poor, or to anyone at all who just is in this holy of places to celebrate yom tov may all of your wonderful blessings come true and may… Read more »
the women recieve just as much if not more than the men
whats with you people
lots of nachas from your children and grandchildren
And mazal tov to the Jacobsons, they’re such an asset to our community!!!!!!!!!
A beautiful story indeed!
Beautiful – the man should live and be well for so many years ahead.
Just curious though – who feeds the women?
We should all learn from you!
the man did not stop this year. i dont knw where he gets energy from for all those days to just give give give give give give ‘
ashreichem yisroel! the malachim are jelous of us because we are able to perform real chesed like this man
ר׳ נחום דער אויבערשטער זאל דיר בענטשען מיט ליינגער געזונטע יארן
thank you
But Yankie a Jets fan??
Guests? The whole community eats there. Men, women,anc children. “Ha’Ani V’A’Sher”.
It is the single most beautiful thing
Yasher Koach to Rabbi Drizin, rabbi jacobson, rabbi levy, and everyone involved
Dear rabbi markowitz
Thank you for your tireless work on behalf of all of klal yisroel.
My husband and kinderlach ate to their hearts content on Yom Tov this year thanks to you.
May you be blessed with a good year filled with many good deeds
” zeh hakatan gadol neheye”
Thank you!!! we really appreciate the hard effort in feeding all guest…only Brachos and revealed good for all of Klal Yisroel
you rock nuchum!!!!!!
Kol hakavod reb nochum. you inspire us.
MH