List of Hasidic dynasties and groups

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A Hasidic dynasty or Chassidic dynasty is a dynasty led by Hasidic Jewish spiritual leaders known as rebbes,[1] and usually has some or all of the following characteristics:

  • Each leader of the dynasty is referred to as an ADMOR[2] (abbreviation for ADoneinu MOreinu VeRabeinu – "our master, our teacher, and our rabbi"), or simply as Rebbe (or "the Rebbe"), and at times called the "Rav" ("rabbi"), and sometimes referred to in English as a "Grand Rabbi";
  • The dynasty continues beyond the initial leader's lifetime by succession (usually by a family descendant);
  • The dynasty is usually named after a key town in Eastern Europe where the founder may have been born or lived, and sometimes, such as in the case of the Bostoner Chassidim, where the group began to grow and flourish or where a significantly influential Jewish teacher founds a court or yeshiva where students go to learn from, or consult with, that Rebbe;
  • The dynasty has (or once had) followers who, through time, continue following successive leaders (rebbes), or may even continue as a group without a leader by following the precepts of a deceased leader.

Distinguished from a dynasty, a Hasidic group or Chassidic group has the following characteristics:

  • It was founded by a leader who did not appoint or leave a successor;
  • It may be named after a key town in Eastern Europe where the founder may have been born or lived, or where the group began to grow and flourish, or it may be named after the founder himself;
  • It has followers who continue as a group under the direction of rabbis who expound and interpret the precepts of the deceased founder.

Dynasties with larger following

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Hasidic dynasties (arranged alphabetically) with a large following include:

Name Current (or last) Rebbe Founder Presently headquartered In City / Town of origin
Belz Yissachar Dov Rokeach Sholom Rokeach (1781–1855) Jerusalem, Israel Belz, Galicia, Austria-Hungary / Poland (now in Ukraine)
Bobov

(Bobov-45)

Ben Zion Aryeh Leibish Halberstam

Mordechai Dovid Unger (b. 1954)

Shlomo Halberstam of Bobov (1847–1905) Borough Park, Brooklyn Bobowa and Sanz, Galicia, Austria-Hungary (now in Poland)
Chabad Lubavitch Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902–1994) Schneur Zalman of Liadi (1745–1812) Crown Heights, Brooklyn Lyubavichi, Russia
Ger Yaakov Aryeh Alter (b. 1939) Yitzchak Meir Alter (1799–1866) Jerusalem, Israel Góra Kalwaria, Russian Empire (now in Poland)
Karlin-Stolin Baruch Meir Yaakov Shochet Aaron ben Jacob of Karlin (1736–1772) Givat Zeev,
Jerusalem, Israel
Karlin, Belarus
Sanz-Klausenburg Tzvi Elimelech Halberstam;
Shmuel Dovid Halberstam
Chaim Halberstam of Sanz (1796–1876) Kiryat Sanz, Netanya, Israel;
Borough Park, Brooklyn
Kolozsvár, Hungary (now Cluj Napoca, Romania), and Sanz, Galicia (now in Poland)
Satmar Aaron Teitelbaum (b. 1947);
Zalman Leib Teitelbaum (b. 1952)
Joel Teitelbaum (1887–1979) Kiryas Joel, New York;
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Szatmárnémeti, Hungary (now Satu Mare, Romania)
Skver David Twersky (b. 1940) Yitzchak Twersky New Square, New York Skvira, Russian Empire (now in Ukraine)
Vizhnitz Yisroel Hager;
Menachem Mendel Hager;
Yisroel Hager;
Menachem Mendel Hager;
Yitzchak Yohanan Hager;
Eliezer Ze'ev Hager;
David Hager;
Aharon Hager;
Baruch Shimshon Hager
Menachem Mendel Hager Bnei Brak, Israel;
Bnei Brak, Israel;
Kaser, New York;
Kiamesha Lake, New York;
Williamsburg, Brooklyn;
Jerusalem;
London;
Montreal;
Beit Shemesh
Vyzhnytsia, Bukovina, Austria-Hungary (now in Ukraine)

Dynasties with smaller following

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Hasidic dynasties (arranged alphabetically) with a small following include:

Name Current (or last) Rebbe Founder Presently headquartered In Town of origin
Aleksander Yisroel Tzvi Yair Danziger

Yosef Yitzchak Meir Singer

Yechiel Dancyger (1828–1894) Bnei Brak, Israel

Borough Park, Brooklyn

Aleksandrów Łódzki, Poland
Amshinov Menachem Kalish;
Osher Chaim Kalish;
Yaakov Aryeh Milikowsky
Yaakov Dovid Kalish of Amshinov (1814–1878) Borough Park, Brooklyn;
Beit Shemesh, Israel;
Jerusalem, Israel
Mszczonów, Poland
Ashlag Simcha Avraham Ashlag Yehuda Leib Ha-Levi Ashlag (1885–1954) Bnei Brak, Israel Warsaw, Poland
Biala Avraham Yerachmiel Rabinowicz;
Yaakov Menachem Rabinowicz;
Aaron Rabinowicz
Yitzchok Yaakov Rabinowicz (died 1905) Jerusalem, Israel;
Bnei Brak, Israel;
Borough Park, Brooklyn
Biała Podlaska, Poland
Boston Pinchas David Horowitz;
Mayer Alter Horowitz;
Naftali Yehuda Horowitz;
Chaim Avrohom Horowitz
Pinchas David Horowitz (1876–1941) Brookline, Massachusetts;
Jerusalem, Israel
Boston
Boyan Nachum Dov Brayer Yitzchok Friedman (1850–1917) Jerusalem, Israel Boiany, Bukovina (now in Ukraine)
Chernobyl several Menachem Nachum Twerski of Chernobyl (1730–1797) Bnei Brak, Israel;
Ashdod, Israel;
Borough Park, Brooklyn; Lawrence, NY
Chernobyl, Ukraine
Dushinsky Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky (1867–1948) Jerusalem, Israel Jerusalem, Israel
Machnovka Yehoshua Rokeach Yosef Meir Twersky of Machnovka Bnei Brak, Israel Machnovka, Ukraine
Melitz Naftali Asher Yeshayahu Moscowitz Yaakov Horowitz of Melitz
(son of Naftali Zvi of Ropshitz)
Ashdod, Israel Mielec, Galicia (now in Poland)
Modzitz Chaim Shaul Taub Yechezkel Taub of Kuzmir (1755–1856) Bnei Brak, Israel Dęblin, Poland
Munkacz Moshe Leib Rabinovich Shlomo Spira ("Shem Shlomo") of Munkacz Borough Park, Brooklyn Munkács, Hungary (now in Ukraine)
Nadvorna several Mordechai Leifer (1835–1894) Bnei Brak, Israel Nadvirna, Galicia (now in Ukraine)
Nikolsburg-Monsey Yosef Yechiel Mechel Lebovits Shmuel Shmelke HaLevi Horowitz of Nikolsburg (1726–1778) Monsey, New York Nikolsburg, Moravia
Novominsk Yoshua Perlow (Borough Park, Brooklyn)
Yisroel Perlow (Lakewood)
Yaakov Perlow I (1843–1902) Borough Park, Brooklyn Mińsk Mazowiecki, Poland
Pinsk-Karlin Aryeh Rosenfeld Aharon the Great of Karlin (1736–1772) Jerusalem, Israel Karlin, Belarus
Pupa Yaakov Yechezkia Greenwald II (b. 1948) Moshe Greenwald Williamsburg, Brooklyn Pápa, Hungary
Rachmastrivka Yitzchak Twerski;
David Twerski
Yochanan Twerski of Rachmastrivka Borough Park, Brooklyn;
Jerusalem, Israel
Rachmastrivka, Ukraine
Radzin or Izhbitza – Radzin Shlomo Yosef Englard Mordechai Yosef Leiner of Izhbitza Bnei Brak, Israel Izbica, Poland;
Radzyń Podlaski, Poland
Sadigura Tzvi Yisrael Moshe Friedman Ztl August 2020

Yitzchak yehoushoua Heschel Friedman

Avrohom Yaakov Friedman of Sadigura (1820–1883) Bnei Brak, Israel Sadagóra, Bukovina (now in Ukraine)
Slonim Shmuel Brozovosky;
Avrohom Weinberg
Avraham of Slonim Jerusalem, Israel;
Bnei Brak, Israel
Slonim, Belarus
Shomer Emunim
Toldos Aharon
Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok
Avrohom Chaim Roth;
Dovid Kohn;
Shmuel Yaakov Kohn
Aharon Roth ("Reb Ahrele") (1894–1947) Kiryat Shomrei Emunim, Jerusalem
Mea Shearim, Jerusalem
Jerusalem, Israel
Skolye Avrohom Moshe Rabinowitz Borough Park, Brooklyn Skole, Galicia, Ukraine
Skulen Yeshaya Yakov Portugal;
Efraim Yehuda Portugal  ;
Meir Portugal;
Zvi Noach Portugal;
Shmiel Mordche Portugal
Eliezer Zusia Portugal (1898–1982) Borough Park, Brooklyn; Williamsburg; Monsey; Lakewood; Jerusalem Sculeni, Bessarabia (now in Moldova)
Spinka Rabbi Yisrael Chaim Weiss - Rabbi Meir Eleazer Weiss Rabbi Mordecai Dovid Kahana Gedulas Mordechai (1932-2011), Rabbi Avraham Yitchak Kahana Shlit"a Rabbi Abraham Abish Horowitz Shlit"a - (A.K.A. Abish Spinka) Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac Horowitz (A.K.A. Isaac Spinka) - Nuta Horowitz Joseph Meir Weiss (1838–1909) Williamsburg, Brooklyn;
Jerusalem, Israel;
Bnei Brak, Israel
Szaplonca, Hungary (now Săpânţa, Romania)
Tosh Elimelech Segal-Lowy Meshulam Feish Segal-Lowy I Kiryas Tosh
Boisbriand, Quebec
Nyírtass, Hungary
Zvhil Avraham Goldman;
Shlomo Goldman;
Yitzhak Aharon Korff (of Zvhil – Mezhbizh)
Moshe of Zvhil (died 1831) Jerusalem, Israel;
Union City, New Jersey;
Boston, Massachusetts
Zvyahel, Volhynia (now Zviahel, Ukraine)

Hasidic groups (non-dynastic)

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Name Founder Headquartered in Place of origin
Breslov Nachman of Breslov (1772–1810) Jerusalem, Israel Bratslav, Ukraine
Malachim Chaim Avraham Dov Ber Levine haCohen (1860–1938) Williamsburg, Brooklyn Brooklyn, New York
Peshischa Yaakov Yitzchak Rabinowicz "The Yid Hakudosh" (1766–1813) Przysucha, Poland
Rybnitza Chaim Zanvl Abramowitz (d. 1995) Monsey, New York Rîbnița, Moldova / Transnistria
Vien Williamsburg, Brooklyn Vienna, Austria

Other dynasties

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Many of these dynasties have presently few or no devotees, due to most of the Hasidic groups being destroyed during the Holocaust, 1939–1945. Other communities are flourishing, and have growing Hasidic sects. There are many dynasties whose followers number around five to fifteen people, and are not listed here.

References

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  • Rabinowicz, Tzvi M. The Encyclopedia of Hasidism ISBN 1-56821-123-6 Jason Aronson, Inc., 1996.
  • Alfasi, Yitschak. החסידות מדור לדור Hachasidut miDor leDor (2 vols)
  1. ^ "Hasidism". World Book. Vol. 9. 2012. p. 82.
  2. ^ Ettinger, Yair (Jan 1, 2013). "Hasidic leader Yaakov Friedman, the Admor of Sadigura, dies at 84". Haaretz. Retrieved Oct 14, 2013.