Aharon Mordechai Rokeach
Encyclopedia
Aharon Mordechai Rokeach (b. 12 October 1975 – 7 Cheshvan
5736 on the Hebrew calendar
) is the only child and heir of the current Rebbe of Belz
, Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach
. Born in Jerusalem, Israel
, he was named after his father's uncle, Rabbi Aharon Rokeach
, the fourth Belzer Rebbe, and his father's father, Rabbi Mordechai of Bilgoray
.
Rebbe, after 10 years of marriage. His birth was a cause for great celebration in the Belz Hasidic
dynasty, as it meant that the dynasty would continue to be passed down within the Rokeach family line. His father, Rabbi Yissachar Dov, was also an only child, born in 1948 to Rabbi Mordechai of Bilgoray after the latter's escape from Nazi
-occupied Europe with his half-brother, Rabbi Aharon. Rabbi Mordechai died suddenly a year after his son's birth, and the boy was raised and groomed to be the next Rebbe by his uncle, Rabbi Aharon, who died in 1957. Yissachar Dov was crowned Rebbe in 1966.
Aharon Mordechai celebrated his bar mitzvah on 18 October 1988 (7 Cheshvan
5749) in the half-finished Belz World Center
in Jerusalem.
In August 1993, Aharon Mordechai married the daughter of the Makova Rebbe. He and his wife have seven sons and three daughters.
I 5768). The bar mitzvah tish
was conducted by the Belzer Rebbe in the presence of thousands of Hasidim and dozens of other Rebbes and Torah leaders. As the Belz World Center was not large enough for the crowd, a giant tent with bleacher
s was erected in the courtyard of the World Center. Festive meals and other events were held for the women in all five halls of the Jerusalem Convention Center
.
The bar mitzvah of Aharon Mordechai's second-eldest son, Avraham Shmuel Tzvi, on 14 March 2010, generated a similar celebration.
Cheshvan
Marcheshvan , sometimes shortened to Cheshvan , is the second month of the civil year and the eighth month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew...
5736 on the Hebrew calendar
Hebrew calendar
The Hebrew calendar , or Jewish calendar, is a lunisolar calendar used today predominantly for Jewish religious observances. It determines the dates for Jewish holidays and the appropriate public reading of Torah portions, yahrzeits , and daily Psalm reading, among many ceremonial uses...
) is the only child and heir of the current Rebbe of Belz
Belz (Hasidic dynasty)
Belz is a Hasidic dynasty named for the town of Belz in Western Ukraine, near the Polish border. The town has existed since at least the 10th century, with the Jewish community being established during the 14th century. The town became home to Hasidic Judaism in the early 19th century...
, Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach
Yissachar Dov Rokeach (II)
Yissachar Dov Rokeach is the fifth and present Rebbe of the Hasidic dynasty of Belz. He is the son of Rabbi Mordechai of Bilgoray, the grandson of the third Belzer Rebbe, Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach, and the nephew of the fourth Belzer Rebbe, Rabbi Aharon Rokeach, who raised him...
. Born in Jerusalem, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, he was named after his father's uncle, Rabbi Aharon Rokeach
Aharon Rokeach
Aharon Rokeach was the fourth Rebbe of the Belz Hasidic dynasty. He led the movement from 1926 until his death in 1957....
, the fourth Belzer Rebbe, and his father's father, Rabbi Mordechai of Bilgoray
Mordechai Rokeach
Mordechai Rokeach , also known as Mordechai of Bilgoray, was a scion of the Belzer Hasidic dynasty and the right hand man to his half-brother, Rebbe Aharon of Belz, the fourth Belzer Rebbe. He was the son of the third Belzer Rebbe, Rebbe Yissachar Dov Rokeach...
.
Background
Aharon Mordechai was born to Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach and Sarah Hager, daughter of Rabbi Moshe Yehoshua Hager, the VizhnitzerVizhnitz (Hasidic dynasty)
Vizhnitz is the name of a Hasidic dynasty founded by Rebbe Menachem Mendel Hager. Vizhnitz is the Yiddish name of Vyzhnytsia, a village in present-day Ukraine.Followers of the rebbes of Vizhnitz are called Vizhnitzer chasidim....
Rebbe, after 10 years of marriage. His birth was a cause for great celebration in the Belz Hasidic
Hasidic Judaism
Hasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
dynasty, as it meant that the dynasty would continue to be passed down within the Rokeach family line. His father, Rabbi Yissachar Dov, was also an only child, born in 1948 to Rabbi Mordechai of Bilgoray after the latter's escape from Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
-occupied Europe with his half-brother, Rabbi Aharon. Rabbi Mordechai died suddenly a year after his son's birth, and the boy was raised and groomed to be the next Rebbe by his uncle, Rabbi Aharon, who died in 1957. Yissachar Dov was crowned Rebbe in 1966.
Aharon Mordechai celebrated his bar mitzvah on 18 October 1988 (7 Cheshvan
Cheshvan
Marcheshvan , sometimes shortened to Cheshvan , is the second month of the civil year and the eighth month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew...
5749) in the half-finished Belz World Center
Belz Great Synagogue
The Belz Great Synagogue is the largest synagogue in Israel. It was built by the Belz Hasidic community with financial help from its supporters and admirers around the world.-Planning:...
in Jerusalem.
In August 1993, Aharon Mordechai married the daughter of the Makova Rebbe. He and his wife have seven sons and three daughters.
Eldest son's bar mitzvah
The occasion of Aharon Mordechai's eldest son's bar mitzvah was also a cause for tremendous celebration in Belz. Sholom, named after the first Belzer Rebbe, the Sar Sholom, celebrated his bar mitzvah on 26 February 2008 (20 AdarAdar
Adar is the sixth month of the civil year and the twelfth month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew calendar. It is a winter month of 29 days...
I 5768). The bar mitzvah tish
Tish (Hasidic celebration)
A tish , also spelled tisch, is a gathering of Hasidim around their Rebbe. It may consist of speeches on Torah subjects, singing of melodies known as niggunim and zemirot , with refreshments being served. Hasidim see it as a moment of great holiness...
was conducted by the Belzer Rebbe in the presence of thousands of Hasidim and dozens of other Rebbes and Torah leaders. As the Belz World Center was not large enough for the crowd, a giant tent with bleacher
Bleacher
Bleachers is an American term used to describe the raised, tiered rows of seats found at sports fields or at other spectator events...
s was erected in the courtyard of the World Center. Festive meals and other events were held for the women in all five halls of the Jerusalem Convention Center
International Convention Center (Jerusalem)
The International Convention Centre , commonly known as Binyenei HaUma , is a concert hall and conventional center in Giv'at Ram in Jerusalem, Israel. It is the largest convention center in the Middle East...
.
The bar mitzvah of Aharon Mordechai's second-eldest son, Avraham Shmuel Tzvi, on 14 March 2010, generated a similar celebration.