Rav Chaim Kreiswirth, Rav and Av Beis Din of Antwerp and son-in-law of Rav Avraham Grodzinski. Rav Chaim was well-known to have memorized Talmud Bavli and Yerushalmi, as well as Rishonim and Acharonim (1920-2001).
Today in History – 16 Teves
· The Turkish leader Morad IV conquered Baghdad from the Persians with the help of the Jews, 1640. This day became Baghdad Purim.
· Emperor Joseph II of Austria issued an Edict of Toleration in 1782 which repealed most restrictions on Jews that had been imposed by the Church.
· The ship, “The 29th of November”, with illegal Jewish immigrants, was driven off the coast of Eretz Yisrael by the British, 1947