By Rabbi Yair Hoffman Every once in a while a neshama comes down from shamayim that is so filled with talent and gutzkeit that it is difficult to believe that such people exist.   But Gitty Nee Porges Pultman did exist. And she touched the lives of tens of thousands. She was a talented artist, writer, brilliant teacher,  baalas chessed and baalas hachnassas orchim.  She taught in numerous schools – Bais Yaakov D’Rav Meir  was the first.  There were many other schools, Bnos Yaakov, Machon, Bobov, for example. Her very shidduch was brought about by virtue of her prodigious talents.  A guest who ate at the Pultman house met a woman, a daughter of a Belz family who was in Pearl Paint.  Both were highly talented, tall and artistic. Reb Shmiel Pultman, owner of Betzalel of Crown Heights (the art gallery) was captivated immediately, but they waited for the sixth date to get engaged.  At the shiva, her husband said in tears, “She was my soulmate.” Her middos were beyond exceptional.  She was enormously talented and yet demonstrated  such anivus that one would think that she had no talent whatsoever. When she helped her in-laws in their illness, the doctors told her that she should become a doctor.  She could have, but she felt that she could be more effective in teaching klal Yisroel.  Another aspect of her personality was that she always attributed the source of everything she did – even if it was just a mere recipe. She personified the statement of Rav Chaim Volozhin in the hakdama to the Nefesh HaChaim that we are here on this earth in order to help others.  It seemed to the casual observer that her personal mission in life was to build the self-esteem of others.  Perhaps this is why she chose the career of a teacher. Mrs. Pultman had a fabulous sense of humor and was mekabel everyone b’saiver panim yafos.  It was her cheerful disposition that made her so beloved to others. Like the Gemorah in Shabbos describing Hillel, no one can recall her ever expressing anger.  There were certainly challenges that life presented, but her Emunah Bashem and her highly developed hashkafos never allowed her to become angry. While she was sick in one of the hospitals, a pediatrics nurse would visit her twice daily.  Reb Shmiel asked, “Mai hai?  You are in the pediatrics dept.  How is it that you come and help and assist her?”  “She was my teacher.  I was not the best of students.  Your wife saw things in me, she understood me and appreciated me and brought out my latent talents.  I am what I am today because of your wife.” In the summer, she would bring out the talents of her charges in drama.  Her genuine free-flowing compliments created a loving atmosphere.  Most people who are familiar with productions know that it is often a veritable pressure cooker.  Not so with Mrs. Pultman.  One of the most significant thing that the world is missing after her loss is the fact that she did not write a book for teachers. Gitty Pultman was a brilliant student at Tomer Devorah – her high school, located in Boro Park, where she was valedictorian.  For seminary she went to Rebbitzen David’s BJJ in Yerushalayim.  She quickly because […]

The post Miriam Gittel (Gitty) Pultman a”h appeared first on The Yeshiva World.

  | Read More The Yeshiva World