Moshe Teitelbaum (Satmar)
Encyclopedia
Moshe Teitelbaum (November 1, 1914 – April 24, 2006) was a Hasidic
rebbe and the world leader of the Satmar Hasidim
, which is believed to be one of the largest Hasidic communities in the world, with some 120,000 followers.
, author of Atzei Chaim, the previous Sigheter Rebbe and the nephew of Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum
. His mother was Bracha Sima Halberstam. Moshe was born in Ratzfert
, Hungary
. He and his older brother, Yekusiel Yehuda Teitelbaum, were orphaned in 1926, when they were eleven and fourteen, respectively. Moshe was raised by family friends and relatives, including his uncle, Joel, and his grandfather, Rabbi Shulem Eliezer Halberstam of Ratzfert.
In 1936, he married his cousin Leah Meir, daughter of Rabbi Hanoch Heinoch Meir of Karecska, where Teitelbaum held the position of rosh yeshiva
(dean). In 1939, he became the rabbi of Zenta
, Yugoslavia
(now Serbia
).
In late spring 1944, the Hungarian government, assisted by Nazi forces led by Adolf Eichmann
, began deporting Jews en-masse. Teitelbaum and his wife were sent to Auschwitz, where Leah and their three children died. Teitelbaum was then transferred to Traglitz and after that to Theresienstadt, where he was liberated in 1945.
and then setting sail for New York
, where they arrived in fall 1947. There Teitelbaum became known as the Sigheter Rebbe. Moshe initially established a beth midrash
, Atzei Chaim Siget in his uncle Joel's Satmar enclave in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
, and later moved to Boro Park in 1966. He succeeded his uncle as Satmar rebbe, following his death in 1979, though some dissidents in Satmar opposed him, including the Bnei Yoel
(or Kagners, opponents), a group of Satmar Hasidim that did not accept Teitelbaum as rebbe and remained loyal to Joel's wife Alta Fayga Teitelbaum, and her candidate for rebbe, Nachman Brach.
Teitelbaum was the author of a five-volume Hasidic commentary on the Bible entitled Berach Moshe. He was survived by his wife, four sons, two daughters (his eldest daughter from his second marriage died in his lifetime), over eighty-six grandchildren, many great grandchildren, and one great-great granddaughter, born earlier on the day that he died.
. Eulogies in the main Satmar synagogue in Williamsburg were said by all the rebbe's children or their husbands in order of their respective ages. Teitelbaum was buried near his uncle Joel in the sect's cemetery in Kiryas Joel.
Following Teitelbaum's death, a major split developed among the Satmar Hasidim as to who should become their leader.
Two of Teitelbaum's sons, Rabbi Aaron
and Rabbi Zalman were crowned by their fellow supporters to succeed their father. Rabbi Aaron's main residence is in Kiryas Joel, New York and Rabbi Zalman's main residence is in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
, though each has supporters and institutions in both locations.
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...
rebbe and the world leader of the Satmar Hasidim
Satmar (Hasidic dynasty)
Satmar is a Hasidic movement comprising mostly Hungarian and Romanian Hasidic Jewish Holocaust survivors and their descendants. It was founded and led by the late Hungarian-born Grand Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum , who was the rabbi of Szatmárnémeti, Hungary...
, which is believed to be one of the largest Hasidic communities in the world, with some 120,000 followers.
Early life
Teitelbaum was the second son of Rabbi Chaim Tzvi TeitelbaumChaim Tzvi Teitelbaum
Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Teitelbaum, , , the Sigheter Rebbe, author of Atzei Chaim, was the oldest son of Rabbi Chananyah Yom Tov Lipa Teitelbaum the Kedushas Yom Tov...
, author of Atzei Chaim, the previous Sigheter Rebbe and the nephew of Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum
Joel Teitelbaum
Joel Teitelbaum, known as Reb Yoelish or the Satmar Rav , was a prominent Hungarian Hasidic rebbe and Talmudic scholar. He was probably the best known Haredi opponent of all forms of modern political Zionism...
. His mother was Bracha Sima Halberstam. Moshe was born in Ratzfert
Újfehértó
Újfehértó is a small town in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county, in the Northern Great Plain region of eastern Hungary.- See also :* Teitelbaum, Satmar, Klausenberg* Nagykalló, Kalov-External links:*...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. He and his older brother, Yekusiel Yehuda Teitelbaum, were orphaned in 1926, when they were eleven and fourteen, respectively. Moshe was raised by family friends and relatives, including his uncle, Joel, and his grandfather, Rabbi Shulem Eliezer Halberstam of Ratzfert.
In 1936, he married his cousin Leah Meir, daughter of Rabbi Hanoch Heinoch Meir of Karecska, where Teitelbaum held the position of rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva, , , is the title given to the dean of a Talmudical academy . It is made up of the Hebrew words rosh — meaning head, and yeshiva — a school of religious Jewish education...
(dean). In 1939, he became the rabbi of Zenta
Senta
Senta is a town and municipality on the bank of the Tisa river in the Vojvodina province, Serbia. Although geographically located in Bačka, it is part of the North Banat District...
, Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
(now Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
).
In late spring 1944, the Hungarian government, assisted by Nazi forces led by Adolf Eichmann
Adolf Eichmann
Adolf Otto Eichmann was a German Nazi and SS-Obersturmbannführer and one of the major organizers of the Holocaust...
, began deporting Jews en-masse. Teitelbaum and his wife were sent to Auschwitz, where Leah and their three children died. Teitelbaum was then transferred to Traglitz and after that to Theresienstadt, where he was liberated in 1945.
Post-war
In 1946 Teitelbaum married Pessel Leah, the daughter of Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum of Volovo. It was his second marriage and her first. The couple moved back to Sighet, briefly reviving Jewish life in Teitelbaum's father's hometown. But they were soon forced to flee Communist persecution, leaving for PraguePrague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
and then setting sail for New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where they arrived in fall 1947. There Teitelbaum became known as the Sigheter Rebbe. Moshe initially established a beth midrash
Beth midrash
Beth Midrash refers to a study hall, whether in a synagogue, yeshiva, kollel, or other building. It is distinct from a synagogue, although many synagogues are also used as batei midrash and vice versa....
, Atzei Chaim Siget in his uncle Joel's Satmar enclave in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Williamsburg is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, bordering Greenpoint to the north, Bedford-Stuyvesant to the south, Bushwick to the east and the East River to the west. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 1. The neighborhood is served by the NYPD's 90th ...
, and later moved to Boro Park in 1966. He succeeded his uncle as Satmar rebbe, following his death in 1979, though some dissidents in Satmar opposed him, including the Bnei Yoel
Bnei Yoel
The Bnei Yoel are a group of Satmar Hasidim, followers of Rebbe Joel Teitelbaum, who after the death of Rebbe Joel refused to accept the leadership of the new Grand Rabbi of Satmar, Rebbe Moshe Teitelbaum a nephew of Rebbe Joel, as well as a leadership from any other Rebbe.They are also known...
(or Kagners, opponents), a group of Satmar Hasidim that did not accept Teitelbaum as rebbe and remained loyal to Joel's wife Alta Fayga Teitelbaum, and her candidate for rebbe, Nachman Brach.
Teitelbaum was the author of a five-volume Hasidic commentary on the Bible entitled Berach Moshe. He was survived by his wife, four sons, two daughters (his eldest daughter from his second marriage died in his lifetime), over eighty-six grandchildren, many great grandchildren, and one great-great granddaughter, born earlier on the day that he died.
Ideology
Teitelbaum continued to oppose modern Zionism as developed by his predecessor, Joel Teitelbaum.Death and succession
On April 24, 2006, at the age of 91, Teitelbaum died of cancer. Tens of thousands of members of the Jewish community attended his funeral and burial procession in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and later in Kiryas Joel, New YorkKiryas Joel, New York
Kiryas Joel is a village within the town of Monroe in Orange County, New York, United States...
. Eulogies in the main Satmar synagogue in Williamsburg were said by all the rebbe's children or their husbands in order of their respective ages. Teitelbaum was buried near his uncle Joel in the sect's cemetery in Kiryas Joel.
Following Teitelbaum's death, a major split developed among the Satmar Hasidim as to who should become their leader.
Two of Teitelbaum's sons, Rabbi Aaron
Aaron Teitelbaum
Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum is one of two Grand Rebbes of Satmar, and the chief rabbi of the Satmar community in Kiryas Joel, New York...
and Rabbi Zalman were crowned by their fellow supporters to succeed their father. Rabbi Aaron's main residence is in Kiryas Joel, New York and Rabbi Zalman's main residence is in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Williamsburg is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, bordering Greenpoint to the north, Bedford-Stuyvesant to the south, Bushwick to the east and the East River to the west. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 1. The neighborhood is served by the NYPD's 90th ...
, though each has supporters and institutions in both locations.
Reactions
- George PatakiGeorge PatakiGeorge Elmer Pataki is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York. A member of the Republican Party, Pataki served three consecutive four-year terms from January 1, 1995 until December 31, 2006.- Early life :...
, Governor of New York State: "The Rebbe touched and inspired the countless people who came into contact with him while shepherding his congregation to enormous growth over the past decades of his leadership. May his memory be a blessing for all of us."
- Michael BloombergMichael BloombergMichael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
, Mayor of New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
: "[The] Rebbe was a gentle soul who carried himself with poise and distinction. From the fires of the Holocaust, the grand rebbe and his uncle [Joel Teitelbaum] performed a miracle here in New York by rebuilding their community to match its glory days in Europe. Our hearts and prayers are with the Satmar community in this city and worldwide as they mourn the passing of their beloved spiritual leader." See also, Mayor Bloomberg attending the funeral procession.
Sources
- Rabinowicz, Tzvi M. The Encyclopedia of Hasidism. New York: Jason AronsonJason AronsonJason Aronson is an American publisher of books in the field of psychotherapy. Topics dealt with in these books include child therapy, family therapy, couple therapy, object relations therapy, play therapy, depression, eating disorders, personality disorders, substance abuse, sexual abuse, stress,...
, 1996. ISBN 1-56821-123-6
External links
- New York Times obituary, 4/25/06.
- http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Teitelbaum+&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=15494175& Find A Grave