Rabbi David Twersky (born October 28, 1940), originally spelled Twerski, is the Grand Rabbi and spiritual leader of the village of

New Square, New York New Square ( yi, שיכון סקווירא, Shikun Skvir) is an all-Hasidic village in the town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located north of Hillcrest, east of Viola, south of New Hempstead, and west of New City ...

, and of

Skver Skver (also Skvir, Skvere, or Skwere; yi, סקווירא) is the name of a Hasidic dynasty founded by Rebbe Yitzchok Twersky in the city of Skver (as known in Yiddish; or Skvyra, in present-day Ukraine) during the mid-19th century. Followers o ...

Hasidism Hasidism, sometimes spelled Chassidism, and also known as Hasidic Judaism (Ashkenazi Hebrew: חסידות ''Ḥăsīdus'', ; originally, "piety"), is a Jewish religious group that arose as a spiritual revival movement in the territory of contem ...

worldwide.

Early life

Twersky was born in Iaşi,

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

, in 1940. In 1945, at the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, his family moved to

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...

. In 1947, they emigrated to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, where they settled in

Borough Park, Brooklyn Borough Park (also spelled Boro Park) is a neighborhood in the southwestern part of the borough of Brooklyn, in New York City. The neighborhood is bordered by Bensonhurst to the south, Dyker Heights to the southwest, Sunset Park to the west, ...

, and later in

Williamsburg, Brooklyn Williamsburg is a Neighborhoods in Brooklyn, neighborhood in the New York City borough (New York City), borough of Brooklyn, bordered by Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Greenpoint to the north; Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, Bedford–Stuyvesant to the s ...

. Twersky's father, Rabbi

Yakov Yosef Twersky Rabbi Yakov Yosef Twersky (June 23, 1899 – March 31, 1968) was the Grand Rabbi and spiritual leader of the village of New Square, New York, and of Skverer Hasidism worldwide. Biography Born in Ukraine, Twersky was a Holocaust survivor. In ...

, established the all-Hasidic village of

New Square New Square ( yi, שיכון סקווירא, Shikun Skvir) is an all-Hasidic village in the town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located north of Hillcrest, east of Viola, south of New Hempstead, and west of New Cit ...

Rockland County Rockland County is the southernmost county on the west side of the Hudson River in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. It is about from the Bronx at their closest points. The county's population, as of th ...

in 1954.

Family

At the age of 18, Twersky married Chana Chaya Hager, the elder daughter of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of

Bnei Brak, Israel Bnei Brak or Bene Beraq ( he, בְּנֵי בְּרַק ) is a city located on the central Mediterranean coastal plain in Israel, just east of Tel Aviv. A center of Haredi Judaism, Bnei Brak covers an area of 709 hectares (1752 acres, or 2.74 squ ...

, Rabbi

Moshe Yehoshua Hager Moses ( el, Μωϋσῆς),from Latin and Greek Moishe ( yi, משה),from Yiddish Moshe ( he, מֹשֶׁה),from Modern Hebrew or Movses (Armenian: Մովսես) from Armenian is a male given name, after the biblical figure Moses. According to th ...

. The couple has four sons and three daughters: *Rabbi Aaron Menachem Mendel Twersky is the eldest son of the Skverer Rebbe. He is often sent as an emissary of his father. He married Chavah Reizel, daughter of his uncle, Grand Rabbi

Mordechai Hager Rabbi Mordechai Hager (14 July 1922 (18 Tammuz 5682) - 16 March 2018 (29 Adar 5778), he, מרדכי הגר; yi, האגער) was the Admor of Vizhnitz Hasidic sect for 46 years, and had a following of tens of thousands of chassidim. Biog ...

of Viznitz-Monsey. *Rabbi Yitzchok, married Malka Henya, daughter of his uncle, Grand Rabbi Yisroel Hager of

Vizhnitz Vizhnitz is the name of a Hasidic dynasty founded by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Hager. Vizhnitz (ויז׳ניץ or וויזשניץ) is the Yiddish name of Vyzhnytsia, a town in present-day Ukraine (then, a village in Austrian Bukovina). Followers of ...

Bnei Brak Bnei Brak or Bene Beraq ( he, בְּנֵי בְּרַק ) is a city located on the central Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean Israeli coastal plain, coastal plain in Israel, just east of Tel Aviv. A center of Haredi Judaism, Bnei Brak covers an are ...

. *Rebbetzin Hinda, the wife of Rabbi Avrohom Yehoshua Heschl, son of her uncle, Grand Rabbi Chai Yitzchok Twersky of Rachmistrivka Borough Park. *Rabbetzin Tzipporah, the wife of Rabbi Eliezer Goldman, son of the previous Grand Rabbi of Zvhil. *Rebbetzin Sima Mirl, the wife of Rabbi Yakov Yosef, a grandson of Grand Rabbi Mordechai Hager of Vizhnitz-Monsey. *Rabbi Yakov Yosef, previously married to Chana Yenta, a daughter of Grand Rabbi Yeshaya Twersky, the Rebbe of Chernobyl in Borough Park. The couple divorced in Kislev of 5781 (approx. November or December 2020). *Rabbi Chaim Meir, married Rochel Dina, daughter of the Grand Rabbi of Barnov, who is the son of the Grand Rabbi Moshe Halberstam of Kiviashd and the son-in-law of Grand Rabbi Chai Yitzchok Twersky of

Rachmastrivka (Hasidic dynasty) Rachmastrivka is a Hasidic dynasty named after the town of Rotmistrivka, Ukraine. It is an offshoot of the Chernobyl dynasty dating back to the 19th century. The founder of the dynasty, Rebbe Yochanan Twersky (1816-1895), was the youngest son ...

Rachmastrivka-Boro Park.

Lineage

Twersky is considered to be the nearest living descendant of the

Ba'al Shem Tov Israel ben Eliezer (1698 – 22 May 1760), known as the Baal Shem Tov ( he, בעל שם טוב, ) or as the Besht, was a Jewish mystic and healer who is regarded as the founder of Hasidic Judaism. "Besht" is the acronym for Baal Shem Tov, which ...

, and of the Ba'al Shem Tov's disciple Rabbi

Menachem Nachum of Chernobyl Menachem Nochum Twersky of Chernobyl (born 1730, , Volhynia - died 1787, Chernobyl, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth) was a Ukrainian rabbi, and the founder of the Chernobyl Hasidic dynasty. He was a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid of ...

Lineage from Ba'al Shem Tov

** Rabbi Tzvi *** Rabbi Aaron of Tituv **** Rabbi Tzvi of Tituv (Hershele Skverer) ***** Chana Sima (married Rabbi Yitzchak Twerski of Skvira) ****** Rabbi David Twersky of Skvira ******* Rabbi

, previous Rebbe of Skver ******** Rabbi David Twersky

Lineage from Rabbi Menachem Nachum Twerski of Chernobyl

* Rabbi

Menachem Nachum Twerski Menachem Nochum Twersky of Chernobyl (born 1730, , Volhynia - died 1787, Chernobyl, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth) was a Ukrainian rabbi, and the founder of the Chernobyl Hasidic dynasty. He was a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid of ...

of Chernobyl ** Rabbi

Mordechai Twersky Mordechai Twersky (1770–1837), known as the ''Maggid'' of Chernobyl, was a Ukrainian rabbi. He was the son of Rabbi Menachem Nachum Twersky of Chornobyl and the second rebbe of the Chernobyl Hasidic dynasty. (The family surname originally come ...

of Chernobyl *** Rabbi Yitzchak Twersky of Skvira **** Rabbi David Twersky of Skvira ***** Rabbi Yakov Yosef Twersky, previous Rebbe of Skver ****** Rabbi David Twersky

As Grand Rabbi

In April 1968, following his father's death, Twersky assumed the leadership of

, and of Skverer Hasidim worldwide. According to ''

The Jewish Daily Forward ''The Forward'' ( yi, פֿאָרווערטס, Forverts), formerly known as ''The Jewish Daily Forward'', is an American news media organization for a Jewish American audience. Founded in 1897 as a Yiddish-language daily socialist newspaper, '' ...

'', most New Square residents "revere their rebbe as a Saint, and look to him for guidance on all issues", showing their devotion, singing and praying at his weekly "

tish ''TISH'' was a Canadian poetry newsletter founded by student-poets at the University of British Columbia in 1961. The publication was edited by a number of Vancouver poets until 1969. The newsletter's poetics were built on those of writers associa ...

". The ''Forward'' also reports that Twersky lights his

Hanukkah or English translation: 'Establishing' or 'Dedication' (of the Temple in Jerusalem) , nickname = , observedby = Jews , begins = 25 Kislev , ends = 2 Tevet or 3 Tevet , celebrations = Lighting candles each night. ...

candles on a large sterling silver menorah that a wealthy follower bought him. He exerts authority through a body of about 15 persons appointed by him, known as "the Kehilla". Square and Clinton

Political influence

As in many Hasidic communities, the community in New Square tends to exercise its voting power as a bloc, under the guidance of the Grand Rabbi. He usually supports incumbents or those likely to win, putting the community in a good position to receive government support. In 1992, New Square voted 822 for President

George Bush George Bush most commonly refers to: * George H. W. Bush (1924–2018), 41st president of the United States and father of the 43rd president * George W. Bush (born 1946), 43rd president of the United States and son of the 41st president Georg ...

, to 93 for

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...

. In 1996, voters supported President Clinton over

Bob Dole Robert Joseph Dole (July 22, 1923 – December 5, 2021) was an American politician and attorney who represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996. He was the Republican Leader of the Senate during the final 11 years of his te ...

, 1,110 to 31. In 1994, voters backed

Mario Cuomo Mario Matthew Cuomo (, ; June 15, 1932 – January 1, 2015) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 52nd governor of New York for three terms, from 1983 to 1994. A member of the Democratic Party, Cuomo previously served as t ...

against

George Pataki George Elmer Pataki (; born June 24, 1945) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 53rd governor of New York from 1995 to 2006. An attorney by profession, Pataki was elected mayor of his hometown of Peekskill, New York, and went on ...

, 907 to 63, and in 1998, voters backed Governor Pataki over Democrat

Peter Vallone Peter Fortunate Vallone Sr. (born December 13, 1934 in New York City) is an American politician. Background His father, Judge Charles J. Vallone (1901–1967) of the Queens County Civil Court, encouraged young Peter to broaden his horizons b ...

, 1,132 to 8. In November 2000, vice president

Al Gore Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore was the Democratic Part ...

received more votes than

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

, 1,388 to 25, after Mr. Gore visited Twersky in February of the year. During the 2000 Senate campaign, First Lady

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...

visited Rabbi Twersky and his wife in New Square, while running for the U.S. Senate, and received nearly 100 percent of the local vote. Twersky was invited to the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...

in December 2000, and secured commutations for the criminal sentences of four Skver Hasidim, who had been convicted of defrauding the government of more than 30 million dollars to benefit the educational institutions of New Square.

References

External links

* *
Complaint ''Rottenberg vs. Twersky and Spitzer''
Supreme Court of the State of New York {{DEFAULTSORT:Twersky, David Skver (Hasidic dynasty) People from New Square, New York People from Iași People from Williamsburg, Brooklyn Romanian Orthodox rabbis American Hasidic rabbis Romanian emigrants to the United States Living people 1940 births Hasidic rebbes Descendants of the Baal Shem Tov People from Borough Park, Brooklyn Rabbis from New York (state) Rebbes of Skver