Horav Kalman Avroham Goldberg zt’l was born in Semiaticz, Poland in 1895. He was sent by his father, Reb Nochum Yehuda, to the Yeshiva in Brisk before Bar Mitzvah. At 16 he was accepted as a student of the Alter of Novordhok, zt”l and throughout his lifetime followed the path of piety of Novordhok. The Rav was known throughout Europe as the shining example of a “Baal Mussar” never deviating from his the Novordhok tradition. Throughout the tumultuous years of wars and pogroms Reb Kalman managed to avoid conscription at great risk while courageously traveling on behalf of his Rosh Yeshiva, “Der Alter”, Reb Yossef Yoizel zt”l. He was sent into the ranks of the Russian Army to save the life of a fellow student and return him to the Yeshiva. Stories were retold many times of his personal successes confronting armed anti-semites. Years later, one such event was retold in New York to Reb Elchonon Wasserman, zt”l describing a confrontation in 1919 with rampaging Cossacks who were prepared to murder yeshiva students, yet miraculously, after Reb Kalman stood in their path, they withdrew without harming anyone.

The event was witnessed by the Menahel, Reb Kalman Semiaticzer and Reb Yisroel Shapiro, later to become mashgiach of the Yeshiva in Meszritch, Reb Simcha Wasserman and Reb Tzvi Meltzer, later to both become great scholars and well known Rabbis.

Reb Kalman married Ita Malka, the daughter of Harav Yaakov Nosson Nuta Handelsman zt”l, author of the Nesivas Or and Nesiv Olom. He received S’micha from Harav Aaronson, Rav of Kiev and thereafter became the Rabbi of Vaslykov, a city near Kiev. Six years later, in 1927, he left for America. In his early years in New York he struggled to support his family. Because of his sterling reputation, Reb Kalman was offered positions which he refused. He would not compromise his firm halachic standards regardless of the compensation offered as a pulpit rabbi in the suburb of Astoria, Queens or as a mashgiach. He moved into a tenement on the Lower East Side near the Rabbi Jacob Joseph School where his sons attended Yeshiva.

In 1928 he was hired to assist R' Gavriel Ze'ev Wolf (Velvel) Margolis zt"l, the Rabbi of the United Hebrew Community of N.Y., Adas Yisrael of New York. At the time the Bais Din, under his leadership, was extremely active. Reb Kalman remained with Reb Velvel until his death in 1935. He then assumed the full responsibilities of the Bais Din, the Shul and a Kolel established by the United Hebrew Community of N.Y. He was the Rabbi of the organization until his death on 27 Teves 5728/1968. He was buried in Jerusalem.

Throughout his years in New York Reb Kalman modestly revered Rabbi Eliyahu Henkin zt”l. In the eras of the great European Rabbonim, he never considered himself equal to them. He chose to sit in the back of the room and refused high office in the Agudas Harabonim. Yet, they all considered him a colleague of superior knowledge and great midos. Reb Moshe Feinstein zt’l eulogized Reb Kalman with this statement, (translated from Yiddish)“He was a Rabbi’s Rabbi ... other Rabbis could look up to him because he was completely pure in his work for the sake of Hashem ... For his tzidkus he received no reward in olom hazeh, Therefore, he will merit a greater reward than any of us in olam habo”.