Rav Nachman Bulman zt"l
הרב נחמן בן מאיר בולמן זצ"ל
Tammuz 26 , 5762
Rav Nachman Bulman zt"l
Rav Nachman Bulman (1925-2002). His parents, Reb Meir and Ettel Bulman were Gerrer chasidim who had moved to the Lower East Side from Poland. Reb Meir had lost his first wife in childbirth and his second wife in a pogrom. He had also lost two children. In their 40s, the Bulmans received the Imrei Emes of Ger for a bracha for children. The result of that blessing was Nachman, who was born in New York. He attended Yeshivas Rabbenu Yitzchak Elchonon and then studied in its rabbinical program. He received semicha and a B.A. (in philosophy) from Yeshiva College. During the week, he learned in the Litvishe yeshiva way. On Shabbos and Yom Tov he absorbed the atmosphere of his parents' Polishe shteibel with a love of chassidus. For years, he was also a frequent visitor at the tishin of the Modzitzer Rebbe, Rav Shaul Yedidya Taub. In 1950, Reb Nachman married Shaindel Freund, his aiyshes chayil for 52 years. He found a position in the town of Danville, Virginia, a small Orthodox community which consisted of about 30 families. He held the position for 3 years. From 1953-1954, Rabbi Bulman served as mashgiach in Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yitzchak Elchonon. He was once again pulled to the world of rabbonus when he became rov in South Fallsburg, N.Y., in 1954. During this time, he founded the National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NCSY), together with Rabbis Weitman, Goodman, and Chait. His next position was as head of Adas Jeshurun synagogue in Newport News, Virginia, beginning in 1957. Rabbi Bulman then returned to his position as mashgiach in Yeshiva University from 1962-1963, and then worked for Torah Umesorah from 1963-1967. In 1967, he took his next rabbinical position as the rav of the Young Israel of Far Rockaway. During this time, he founded Sarah Schenirer High School and Seminary in 1968, and the Yeshiva of Far Rockaway (Yeshivas Derech Eison), and he taught in both places.