Reb Yisrael Baruch Wieder of Kiryat Vizhnitz related:
I live on Rechov Tal Chaim in Kiryat Vizhnitz in Bnei Brak. When I was a young man, right after my marriage, the only grocery in Kiryat Vizhnitz was located quite far from my house. I would make my purchases at the Shikun Vav grocery on Rechov Rimon, and the short walk took me through the park near Rechov Tal Chaim. One day, we suddenly noticed that the municipality was building a kindergarten there, and the structure was blocking the path that we took to the grocery. We would be compelled to take a much more roundabout route. I knew that if I would ask the municipality to change its plans, I wouldn’t accomplish anything. I was just a young man, and no one would listen to me and change anything because of my request.
Then I remembered Reb Shmuel, who had recently been appointed as a city councilor. I knew that he was a very approachable person and a baal chessed, and I thought maybe he’d help me. I was a bit nervous to contact him — who was I anyway? But I put my worries aside and, with a pounding heart, approached him and asked to speak to him.
It was unbelievable. He listened to me with so much respect, you would have thought I was the mayor. He heard me out and asked questions, clarifying exactly what I wanted and what could be done. After thinking for a short time, he said, “Don’t worry. I’ll ask the municipality to take a meter (three feet) off the building so that there will be a path to Rechov Rimon even with the kindergarten there.”
He immediately translated his words to action. To this day, thousands of people have used the path as a shortcut, not knowing that it exists thanks to one Yid, who would always go out of his way to benefit another Yid: Reb Shmuel Daskal.
I call it “Shmuel Daskal Alley.” He is certainly worthy of having this place named for him!
