Sunday marks the 40th yahrzeit of the Steipler, z”tl, the Ba’al Kehillos Yaakov, and the father of HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, z’tl.

A collection of stories about the Steipler that were heard over the years from HaRav Chaim, z’tl, were recorded by his grandson, HaRav Aryeh Kanievsky.

One story involved an American Jew who wasn’t strictly Chareidi but was a leader of a Jewish kehilla. He once visited the Steipler, z’tl, and handed him a note with his name for a bracha. The Steipler looked at the note and said, “Boys and girls? Chas V’Shalom!”

The Jew reeled from shock because at that time he was involved in the construction of a swimming pool for the local Jewish community center that was slated to hold mixed swimming hours.

He left the Steipler’s home in a panic and searched for the nearest public telephone. He called home and firmly declared that there would never be a mixed swimming pool in his community.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)