The Unsung Mother of Torah: Remembering Jennie Miller Faggen on Her 58th Yahrtzeit🕯️
Today marks the yahrtzeit of Jennie (Pesha) Miller Faggen, an extraordinary and largely unsung titan of Torah philanthropy who became one of the world’s most prolific supporters of Torah and chinuch during the interwar period.
Born in New York in 1874 and later settling in Philadelphia, she dedicated her life and substantial resources to sustaining harbotzas Torah and rabbinic scholarship across Europe and Eretz Yisrael after the passing of her husband, Harry Miller.
Her immense financial backing supported kollelim and institutions bearing her name, including kollelim at Telshe and Mir, as well as vital support for the Lomza Yeshiva and Rav Menachem Mendel Kasher’s monumental Torah Shelaimah project.
Great gedolei Yisrael held her in profound esteem, receiving correspondence and heartfelt letters of blessing from Torah leaders like the Chofetz Chaim, while roshei yeshivah who made the transatlantic journey to America—such as Rav Meir Shapiro—visited her regal Strawberry Mansion home where she maintained an unwavering commitment to kavod haTorah.
Described by Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky as a true tzadeikes whose life was “nisht poshut,” she left behind an eternal legacy of chesed and tzedakah that helped uphold the Olam HaTorah through its darkest and most crucial hours.
Three years ago, during a siyum in BMG yeshiva on the first anniversary of Adirei Hatorah which he always dedicates to her, Reb Laizer Scheiner spoke about her:
“How this woman had this unbelievable Zechus of supporting all the Lomdei Torah,…
I was unbelievable inspired, she went, and she was a regular working woman, she had no kids, and she took all of her money and she went and supported Yeshivos.
I was thinking how I am 53 years old… what’s taking my legacy? That what did I do, I went on vacation I went to Africa I went to the Safari, I bought nursing homes I made money. Everyone’s gonna forget about, it’s gonna be nothing I’m not gonna have nothing with my life.
This woman went and supported yeshivos and supported people that are sitting and learning Torah which is an unbelievable thing, and it’s an unbelievable zchus that my father after he passed away he was able to redirect that I should be able to get involved in helping and supporting yungeliet in learning Torah.”
Credit: Mishpacha Magazine
