Chortkov (Hasidic dynasty)

The hasidic synagogue in Chortkov

Chortkov (also Chortkow, Tshortkov, Czortkow) is a Hasidic dynasty that originated in Chortkov, present-day Ukraine. It had a large following before the Second World War, but most of its adherents perished in the Holocaust.

Lineage of the Chortkov dynasty

Yisroel ben Eliezer (1698-1760) The Baal Shem Tov Dov Ber of Mezeritch (1710-1772) The Maggid of Mezritsh (disciple of the Baal Shem Tov)   Avrohom the Angel Reb Avrohom HaMalach   Sholom Shachne of Prhobisht Reb Sholom of Prhobisht   Yisroel Friedman (1797-1851) Rebbe of Ruzhin                                                                                                       ↑ Father ↓ Son   - - - Son-in-law                                                         Dovid Moshe Friedman (1827-1903) 1st Rebbe of Chortkov   Yisroel Friedman (1854-1934) 2nd Rebbe of Chortkov                                                                                                                                                                                       Nachum Mordechai Friedman (1874-1946) 3rd Rebbe of Chortkov         Dov Ber Friedman (1882-1936) Rebbe of Chortkov         Zvi Aryeh Twersky (1890-1968) Rebbe of Zlatipol-Chortkov                                                       Shlomo Friedman (1894-1959) 4th Rebbe of Chortkov         Dovid Moshe Friedman (1914-1988) (did not become Rebbe)         Pinchos Biberfeld of Tel Aviv/Munich (d.1999) Rosh Kollel of Zlatipol-Chortkov and Chief Rabbi of Munich                                                                                                                                           Dov Ber Friedman of Antwerp Yisroel Friedman of Manchester Yitzcok Halpern of Bnei Brak son of Vasloier Rebbe Chaim Michoel Biberfel

Chortkov dynasty history

Dovid Moshe Friedman

The palatial home of the Rebbe in Chortkov

The first Rebbe of Chortkov was Rabbi Dovid Moshe Friedman, son of Rabbi Yisroel Friedman of Ruzhyn. He was born in 1827 on the festival of Shavuos. His first wife was the daughter of Rabbi Aaron Twerski of Chernobyl. His second wife was his first cousin, a daughter of his brother Rabbi Shalom Yosef Friedman of Sadhora. In 1867, 16 years after his father's death, he settled in Chrotkov forming his own community there. His followers were one of the largest hasidic groups in Galicia, numbering in the thousands. He led an ascetic life, secluding and preoccupying himself with study and prayer day and night. Although he preferred to detach himself from world affairs and distance himelf from communal disputes, he was nevertheless considered a major leader of Central European Jewry. To this instance, he agreed to meet with Theodore Herzl who had sent him a personal letter hoping to garner his support for the Zionist Movement, although the meeting never materialised. His oldest son, Reb Nuchem Mordechai died aged 21 in 1880. He died on Hoshana Rabbah, 1903 and was succeeded by his second son, Reb Yisroel. His teachings have been published in Divrei Dovid, Beis Yisroel and Knesset Yisroel.

Yisroel Friedman

Rabbi Dovid Moshe's son was Rabbi Yisroel Friedman. Rabbi Yisroel ran his Chasidic court with the concept of Hod ShebaTiferes ("Majesty in Glory"; in kabalistic terms). He died in 1934. After Rabbi Yisroel; his sons, Rabbi Nochum Dov Friedman and Rabbi Dov Ber Friedman, served as Rebbes. Rabbi Dov Ber died in 1936. Rabbi Nochum fled to the British Mandate of Palestine in 1939, and died in Jerusalem in 1946. His son Rabbi Shlomo Friedman led the Chortkover Hasidim until his death in Tel Aviv in 1959.

Chortkov today

Among the current leaders of the Chortkover Chasidim are Rabbi Yisroel Friedman of Manchester, England and Rabbi Dov Ber Friedman of Antwerp, Belgium. Both are grandsons of the Chortkover Rebbe Dov Ber, but have refused the title of Chortkover Rebbe. In addition to the Chortkover communities in Manchester and Antwerp, there is also one in Jerusalem. ^[1]

Image gallery

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  A portion of the ornately carved ceiling of the Hassidic Synagogue

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  The Holy Ark of the Hassidic Synagogue

See also

• History of the Jews in Poland
• History of the Jews in Galicia (Central Europe)
• History of the Jews in Ukraine

References

1. ^ The Chasidic Group of Czortków