The Dramatic Life of Reb Getzel Berger, builder of an empire of Chesed

To an outsider, Reb Getzel Berger’s life was just another exciting rags-to-riches story: The penniless immigrant who comes to England with nothing and winds up a multi-millionaire. And yes, young Getzel Berger did just that.

But that is a very small part of the story.

Because while it is true that the young immigrant’s pockets were empty, his heart and his neshamah were full: Full of a love for Torah learning, full of a chassidishe bren, full of devotion and empathy for his fellow Jews. Reb Getzel Berger did, indeed, create a business empire that made him one of the largest landlords in England -- but at the same time, even more importantly, he created an empire of tzedakah and chesed. And, as the follower of the Satmar Rebbe, Reb Yoel Teitelbaum, he was a shining example of the devotion a chassid has for his rebbe.

Bestselling author Rabbi Nachman Seltzer shares with us Reb Getzel’s dramatic life and extraordinary achievements. We meet the young man whose passionate love for a mitzvah sends him to the world of real estate, where he becomes more successful than anyone could have imagined. We see him become one of the major forces behind the construction of Reb Yoelish’s “shetl,” Kiryas Yoel. We see his endless generosity when it came to building Torah or saving Jewish lives -- and the marvelous simplicity of his own lifestyle.

As we look at Reb Getzel’s life, we are amazed at what one person -- with boundless love, endless energy, unbelievable Siyata D’Shmaya, and total devotion to Hashem and His people -- can accomplish. We are amazed -- and we are inspired.