The Kasket

A Cap. A Story. A Journey Across Generations.

By Boruch Meir Greenbaum

“I love your casket!” said the fashion designer.“Do you mind if I borrow it so I can measure and sketch it?”

The famed Chassid, Reb Mendel Futerfas, smiled. He lifted the weathered black cap that crowned his signature look—and handed it to the visibly excited Mr. Silverman.

London. Post-war.

Mr. Silverman was a Jewish English businessman. He’d been called to meet a saintly rabbi. That’s what they told him. A holy man. A survivor of brutal Soviet gulags who had spent two decades in harsh exile before being miraculously released—and who had since become a spiritual force in postwar London.

What Silverman walked away with from that encounter wasn’t just inspiration.

He walked away with Reb Mendel’s kasket.

That modest cap—rumpled, worn, and imbued with history—became a phenomenon. An iconic fashion accessory. And, legend has it, when The Beatles were later photographed wearing nearly identical flat caps, it was Reb Mendel’s kasket they were unwittingly echoing.

Reb Mendel Futerfas, post-Gulag, London. A quiet spiritual giant with an iconic cap.

The Beatles, unknowingly echoing Reb Mendel’s kasket style—London meets Lubavitch.

This story found me over this past Passover. The Festival of Freedom. A time where we tell tales of Exodus and miracles, of slavery and redemption.

My dear friend Sholom shared the story late one night at a nostalgic farbrengen (a Chassidic gathering—part TED Talk, part therapy, part alcohol-fueled group hug). I was immediately enthralled. Much to my family’s chagrin, I retold it at every opportunity I could.

They joked, “You’re definitely putting this in a blog post.”

They were 100% right. They always are.

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We were enjoying a sumptuous holiday lunch at our dear cousins’ home—our home away from home.

Amongst the many delicacies and copious amounts of food, there was leber. For the uninitiated, that’s gehakte leber—chopped chicken liver kissed with caramelized onions and topped with golden shards of crispy chicken skin. A Jewish delicacy. And a cardiologist’s worst nightmare.

Seated across from me was a woman I had long heard about, but never met in person: Nechama. A quiet matriarch with a regal presence and deep Lubavitcher roots.

She is Reb Mendel’s niece.

I told her the story with cautious excitement, unsure if she’d heard it before. I can’t recall if she confirmed it, but it moved her deeply. And at my coaxing, she began to share stories of her own.

Tales of her father—of heroism, of sacrifice, of stoic strength in the face of horror. Tales of smuggling faith through border crossings, of rebuilding life in Australia, and of keeping spiritual flame alive when so much had gone dark.

It was the kind of lunch that nourishes more than just the body.

I left feeling happy, sluggish, and sated.

Eight days of wine, heavy meals, soulful conversations, and late nights had taken their toll. I resolved to call my trainer and get back into it. I need to be at least bathing-suit-adjacent for the upcoming summer.

I also resolved to visit my family in Australia more often. I’ve been reminded just how much there is to come home for.

In the last few weeks, we celebrated the beautiful wedding of my niece Tzivi to her wonderful new husband, Levi—a union full of light, joy, and laughter. Beyond the simcha itself, being here for Pesach allowed us to spend meaningful, uninterrupted time with our parents, sisters, brothers, extended family, and dear friends. There was laughter, deep conversation, and rich nostalgia. Cousins who barely knew each other arrived as strangers and left as best of friends. Uncles and aunts bonded with my children in ways that were touching and unforgettable. These days were filled with warmth and reconnection—old stories retold, new ones created, and moments that will echo far beyond the Yom Tov.

Tomorrow, I’ll head back to Los Angeles with my family, eager to see our grandchildren—who spent Passover in Croatia with my daughter's in-laws. I can’t wait to smush their little faces.

I’m also looking forward to jumping back into the launch of our Platform Partners MVP, growing the Business of Soul series, and generating value with people and Companies I genuinely admire.

Just this morning, I woke up to a photo that made me beam: the daughter of my dear friends and business partners, Pat and Sue, had just been proposed to. A glittering ring. Smiles that stretched across the screen. And behind them, a breathtaking Arizona sunset—the perfect backdrop to a new story just beginning. Amanda and Neil—mazel tov.

A Personal Blessing

To my beloved elder brother Lishi and his incredible wife Leah, To Tzivi and Levi as you begin your journey together, To Pat and Sue, and to Amanda and Neil as you start this new chapter:

May your homes be filled with joy, light, peace, and purpose. May you be blessed with lange, zisse, gutte yoren biz hundert un tsvantsik—long, sweet, good years all the way to 120 and may we all wear our “kaskets” proudly—badges of where we’ve been, what we’ve survived, and what we still dream of becoming.

Yours in partnership,

Boruch

A Note on the Story

This story, like many passed around a farbrengen table, came to me secondhand—shared with warmth and conviction, and retold here as I understood it. I haven’t yet heard directly from the son of Mr. Silverman, so there may be details to refine or clarify down the line. But this is what I took away from it. And it’s what stayed with me.

Glossary

Kasket – A flat cap traditionally worn by Chassidic men in Eastern Europe. In this post, it refers to Reb Mendel Futerfas’ iconic black cap.

Farbrengen – A Chassidic gathering that includes song, stories, Torah insights, food, and often l’chaims. Think TED Talk meets group therapy, with soul.

Simcha – A joyous celebration, typically referring to a wedding, bar mitzvah, or other major life event.

Leber / Gehakte Leber – A traditional Jewish dish made of chopped chicken liver, caramelized onions, and often topped with crispy chicken skin. Equal parts nostalgic and artery-clogging.

Nachas – A uniquely Jewish word meaning pride and joy, particularly from one’s children or family. Not to be confused with nachos.

Yom Tov – Literally “Good Day” in Hebrew, referring to Jewish holidays. In this post, it’s referring to Passover (Pesach).

Lange, zisse, gutte yoren biz hundert un tsvantsik – Yiddish for: “Long, sweet, good years—until 120.” A traditional Jewish blessing for a full and meaningful life.

Hachnasas Orchim – The mitzvah (commandment) of hosting and warmly welcoming guests into one’s home.

Lubavitch / Chabad – A branch of Chassidic Judaism known for outreach, scholarship, and joyful devotion. Originated in the town of Lubavitch in Russia.

Chassid – A devout follower of Chassidic Judaism, known for deep spiritual practice and often colorful stories.

Mazel Tov – A classic congratulatory phrase meaning “Good Luck” or “Congratulations.”