Who was Referent Hodakov

History of Latvia:
The original inhabitants, the Letts, were conquered and Christianized in the 13th century by German knights who ruled until 1561, when it passed to Poland. Under Russian control from the 18th century but even under the Russian regime German �Baltic barons� retained their power, and German remained the official language until 1885! Latvia became independent after World War I but was annexed in 1940 by the USSR.

Photo of a Synagogue in Riga

Karlis Ulmanis was a fascinating man, read about his education, an amazing life. In 1934 the country was pulled in different directions. One group wanted to be annexed by Germany to counteract Soviet power. Communists leaned in the opposite direction. With the ascendance of fascist rule on both side of the border and the prospect of loosing his power in a democratic elections Karlis Ulmanis established authoritarian rule that lasted until 1940 when Latvia was forcibly occupied by the Soviet Union. This is what Shaul Shimon Deutsch writes about the events on page 26 of the 2nd volume.

Dubin's power and influence in Latvia grew to new heights in May of 1934. The President of Latvia, Karl Ulminus, was about to lose his power in the democratically elected Saeima. On the night of May 15th 1934 Ulminus, with the help of General Baludis, dissolved the democracy of Latvia and arrested all the opposition members of the Saeima. He also banned all political parties in Latvia, with one exception: Agudath Israel was allowed to continue. Ulminus and Dubin had become very close friends and Ulminus gave Dubin the power to direct all Jewish affairs.

Obviously Ulmanis was not threatened politically by the Jewish party and amazingly it was the only legal political party during the totalitarian rule.

Shaul Shimon Deutsch writes about Hodakov on page 27:

In 1904, Sholom Yisroel relocated to Riga with his family. Little Chaim Mordechai was educated in the secular Jewish school system. At the time, there were no Orthodox Jewish schools in Latvia and his father hired private tutors to teach him Torah. One of Chaim Mordechai's tutors was Rabbi Yoel Baranchick, a leading disciple of the Navaradok school of Mussar. The Previous Rebbe once observed about Reb Yoel that, "There is Orthodoxy in Latvia thanks to Reb Yoel." In 1920, Rabbi Baranchick, together with Mordechai Dubin, founded the Torah Im Derech Eretz School. The school taught Torah studies for half a day and secular studies during the other half. When the school was founded, Chodakov was only 18 years old, but yet he became the dean. The success of the school grew rapidly. The following year, a girls' school was established. Before long, branches of Torah Im Derech Eretz schools were opened throughout Latvia, in Dvinsk, Leffa, Rezekne and Karsava. Chodakov served as the dean of the entire Torah Im Derech Eretz school system.

Given the unusual powers under the regime of Ulmanis Hodakov advanced with the totalitarian measures particularly against many Jewish secular teachers. One can speculate perhaps himself being a product of secular Jewish Scholl the young Hodakov was on an ultimate dream trip of every student to settle scores with his teachers. Some of draconian measures described in SSD book are rather amazing by the standards of the democratic society. This chapter of the book is the most eye opening because the Latvian core including Hodakov were the people who retained power in the Lubavitch monarchy.

Now imagine you are a High Scholl Principal in USA and you have in front of you a resume of young candidate whose qualification are that he was a politicall appointee in an authoritarian country who gained power due to the political abnormalities and displayed the highest level of intolerance to the expressions of secularism amongst teachers and students (I personally would look immediately for the Hungarian roots G-d forbid). But if you were the Principal, would you think that this resume qualifies the person for a job in an American School? Yet that man was arguably the second most powerful person in Chabad and the person responsible for the school system in Lubavitch. Now you know...

Schneur Zalman of NY remembers:
Since all involved in no longer with us, may I recall the following. Bere Gourary never said anything bad about Rabbi Hodakov. But he repeated to me many times that the Rayaatz kept him where he belonged in the backroom as a beaurecrat, not as a decision maker. Under the Rayaatz , Rabbi H did not occupy a position of power, neither did Dr. Mindel A"H. Only under the new regime did this educational bureaucrat become the No. 2 man in Lubavitch.

Bere had a minimal regard for any talents, wisdom etc that this educator possessed. To understand the mentality of Hodakovs, one must read about the fascist regime that took over Latvia in the 1930's and installed a Orthodx leader Mordechai Dubin as its Jewish caudillo. All aspects of Jewish life in Latvia were under Dubin's control, from the shuls to the Yiddish theatre including Yiddish papers and libraries. Dubin launched a war against all secular Jewish orgs in Latvia. While we may be sympathetic to this struggle in substance if NOT in style it was like the War of Jewish communists against Yiddishkite in Soviet Russia.

Fortunately Dubin was a kind man a Ish Chesed, who not only did not abuse his power, but helped all Jews. Dubin knew who his Christian handlers were and knew their true intentions. As such Dubin will go down in Jewish history as one of the last great shtadlanim and baale Chesed. Halevai we had lay leaders like him today. Zecher zaddik Livrocho!