A newly uncovered historical document that has come to light records the birth of Rebbetzin Rochel HYD, grandmother of the Rebbe – mother of Rebbetzin Chana, and wife of Harav Meir Shlomo Yanovsky.

The record appears to be the city record of Nikolaiev, which, as was the custom at the time, listed all births in the town.

It states: “A daughter was born, and her name is Rochel. Her father is Yitzchak Pushnitz and her mother is Chaya Sarah.” The record also notes her birthday both in the Jewish date, 19 Adar, and the secular date, March 1. While the year is not listed, it would seem that the only year fitting the circumstances is 5620 (1860).

Harav Yitzchak Pushnitz (5590–5664/1904) married Rebbetzin Chaya Sarah and initially resided in Nikolaiev. Following the birth of his daughter Rochel, he served as rabbi of Nehar-Tov in the Kherson district, and later as rabbi of Dobrinka, where he remained until his passing. Remarkably, Rabbi Pushnitz had 11 surviving children – a rare occurrence for the time.

The record also notes that he served as mohel for all Jewish boys in the town.

When Rebbetzin Rochel reached marriageable age, she married Harav Meir Shlomo Yanovsky, and they lived in the city of Romanovka. They had three daughters and one son: Rebbetzin Chana (wife of Harav Levi Yitzchak and mother of the Rebbe), Miriam Gittel, Atel Mariashin, and their son Reb Yisroel Leib.

In the year 5650 (1890), her husband, Harav Meir Shlomo Yanovsky, was appointed, according to the will of his grandfather Harav Avraham David Lvot, as the rov of Nikolayev.

When the Nazis invaded Ukraine, her grandson (the son of her daughter Miriam Gittel), Reb Menachem Mendel, fled with his family from Nikolayev to the city of Tschardzhou in Turkmenistan. They sought to take Rebbetzin Rochel with them. Her non-Jewish neighbors, seeing that she was about to embark on a long journey, suggested that she stay with them and promised to protect her from the Germans. After consulting with the family, Rebbetzin Rochel agreed to remain in Nikolayev at the home of the neighbors.

Indeed, the neighbors kept their promise, and after the Germans occupied Nikolayev, they hid Rebbetzin Rochel in their home, and the Germans were unaware of her presence. However, other neighbors noticed that Rebbetzin Rochel was hiding there and informed the authorities that an elderly Jewish woman was in the house. Immediately, a German vehicle arrived, removed Rebbetzin Rochel, and joined her with thousands of Jews from Nikolayev who were taken to the pyre.

On the 24th of Tishrei 5702 (1941), she was murdered along with many other Jews of Nikolayev, Hashem Yikom Damah. On this day, the Rebbe would recite Kaddish.

In 5750 (1990), in a handwritten addition to a sicha said on that day, the Rebbe included a note about his grandmother: “For several weeks at the end of the summer months – for several years I was in Nikolayev – and she took care of me, etc.”

Thanks to Rabbi Shmuel Super for bringing this discovery to our attention.