Klausenburg (Hasidic dynasty)

"This article below discusses the Sanz-Klausenburger dynasty that began with Rabbi Yekusiel Yehudah Halberstam and presently the two movements in Israel and America. For information on the original Sanz dynasty founded by Rabbi Chaim of Sanz please see the article Sanz (Hasidic dynasty)"

Klausenburg, /klo:zənbɛrg/ also known as Sanz-Klausenburg, is a Hasidic dynasty that originated in the Transylvanian city of Klausenburg (Cluj-Napoca, Romania). At the behest of the previous rebbe the Sanz-Klausenburg hasidim split into two separate movements. One is located in Borough Park, New York and the other Kiryat Sanz, Netanya, Israel. They also have modest followings in Jerusalem, Stamford Hill (London), Antwerp and in Union City, New Jersey.

Outline of Sanz-Klausenberg's hasidic rabbinical lineage

The Klausenberger Rebbes are descended from Rabbi Chaim Halberstam of Sanz, a disciple of Rabbi Naftoli Tsvi of Ropshitz. Rabbi Naftoli was a disciple of Rebbe Elimelech Lipman of Lizhensk, author of "Noam Elimelech". The Rebbe Elimelech was a disciple of the Rebbe Dovber, the "Maggid" (Preacher) of Mezritch, the primary disciple of the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidism.

The late Sanz-Klausenburger Rebbe

The dynasty was founded by Rabbi Yekusiel Yehuda Halberstam in 1927. Rabbi Halberstam was a scion of the Sanz dynasty founded by Rabbi Chaim of Sanz, Rabbi Halberstam's great-grandfather. Rabbi Halberstam grew up in Rudnick, a small town close to Sanz, and was known as a child prodigy and an excellent scholar. In 1927, he was offered the position of rabbi of the community of Klausenburg, which he accepted gladly. From then until World War II the Klausenburger Rebbe, as he began to be called, enjoyed a happy life. He had a great many young followers and a great number of Sanz Hasidim began to follow the young Rebbe. As a result of the Holocaust almost the entire community was destroyed. Approximately 15% survived the Holocaust, including the rebbe, who had lost his wife and eleven children. Though it had been the Klausenburger Rebbe’s wish to move to the Land of Israel, he felt that he would be needed more in America and emigrated there in 1947.

The Rebbe began a wide scale movement to increase Jewish observance. He founded many Jewish day schools and institutions of higher learning. He launched revolutionary programs for comprehensive study of the Talmud. He created a program called Mifal HaShas, in which students would master thirty folios of the Talmud in one month. His influence permeated areas as far as Canada, Mexico, and Israel.

The Rebbe wrote a 7 volume Responsa covering all aspects of Jewish law called "Divrei Yatziv".

In the late 1950s, the Rebbe finally was able to get his wish to move to Israel. He emigrated there and founded the Kiryat Sanz community on the outskirts of Netanya. The community is well known for its hospital, the Laniado Hospital, which is famous for its excellent service abiding strictly to halakha. They are also famous for their so called “Haredi beach”, it being one of the places that has separate beaches for men and women. When the Rebbe died in 1994, over 200,000 people attended his funeral. This was not anticipated by the police, even after advice from the Hasidim, causing the entire city of Netanya to shut down for one day.

anz-Klausenburg Today

Before he died the Klausenburger Rebbe requested of his two sons (both born after WWII) to each preside over one section of the Hasidic movement and to develop them into distinct entities. His request was followed.

* His older son, Grand Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech Halberstam currently is the Sanz-Klausenburger Rebbe in Kiryat Sanz, Netanya, Israel;
** Rabbi Yechezkel Shraga Boruch Halberstam, "Rav haTso'ir" (son of Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech)

* His younger son, Grand Rabbi Shmuel Dovid Halberstam, is the Sanz-Klausenbeger Rebbe in Borough Park, Brooklyn, USA.

Both are accomplished and well respected Rebbes in the Hasidic community.

The late rebbe's sons-in-law are:

* Grand Rabbi Shlomo Goldman, the Zhviller Rebbe, of Union City, NJ and Rov of the Sanz-Klausenburg community in Union City, N.J.;

* Rabbi Berel Weiss, Rav of the Kirat Sanz Jerusalem;

* Rabbi Fishel Mutzen, Rav of Kiryat Baal-Shem-Tov (Petach-Tikva);

* Rabbi Shaul Yuda Prizant, (Dayan of the Sanz Klausenburg community in Union City NJ & R"M Yeshivat Sanz Brooklyn;

* Rabbi Eliezer Duvid Shapiro, Rav of the Sanz community in Bnei-Barak.

In contrast to the custom among many Rebbes, the Klausenburger Rebbe did not take sons-in-law exclusively from rabbinic families; rather, he chose the best students of his yeshiva to marry his daughters. The only exception was Rabbi Shlomo Goldman who is the son of the previous Zhviller Rebbe in Israel.

Other figures in Sanz Klausenburg:

* Rabbi Fishel Herskowitz, the Holeiner Rov, is the Sanz-Klausenburger Dayan in Williamsburg;

* Rabbi Aaron Weider, The Linzer Rov is the father-in-law of the Klausenburger Rebbe of Borough Park;

* Rabbi Elya Schmerler, Rosh Yeshivas Sanz in Kiryat Sanz, Netanya.

ee also

* Hasidic Judaism

* Sanz (Hasidic dynasty)

External links

* [http://sanzusa.com/ The present Klausenburger movement in America]
* [http://www.klausenburg.org/ The website for Sanz Klausenburg Chasidim]
* [http://www.sanzusa.com/media/5765MTL.wmv performing a Mitzah Tantz, a ritual dance] (Windows Media Audio/Video file)
* [http://www.sanzusa.com/media/5765SPurim.wmv The Klausenburger Rebbe of America and his Hasidim celebrating the holiday of Purim] (Windows Media Audio/Video file)
* [http://sanz.org.il/ Klausenburg of E. Israel website]
* [http://www.tsofar.com/zofar/mashtap/view.asp?by=tag&var=צאנז A collection of videos on 'Tzofar Mashtap' website from the Rebbes of Sanz-Klausenburg] "Hebrew"
* [http://video.google.ca/videosearch?q=%D7%A6%D7%90%D7%A0%D7%96 A collection of videos on 'Google Video' website from the Rebbes of Sanz-Klausenburg] "English"