Ben Zion Aryeh Leibish Halberstam (; born 1955) is an American born

Hasidic Hasidism () or Hasidic Judaism is a religious movement within Judaism that arose in the 18th century as a spiritual revival movement in contemporary Western Ukraine before spreading rapidly throughout Eastern Europe. Today, most of those aff ...

rabbi. He is the current

Rebbe A Rebbe () or Admor () is the spiritual leader in the Hasidic movement, and the personalities of its dynasties.Heilman, Samuel"The Rebbe and the Resurgence of Orthodox Judaism."''Religion and Spirituality (Audio)''. UCTV, 20 Oct 2011. web. ...

of the Bobov Hasidic dynasty. Appointed in 2005, Halberstam has a direct lineage to the founder of the Bobov Hasidic dynasty.

Early life

Ben Zion Aryeh Leibish Halberstam was born to the third Bobover rebbe Shlomo Halberstam and his second wife. His father had lost his first wife and most of their children in

the Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...

, but a son,

Naftali According to the Book of Genesis, Naphtali (; ) was the sixth son of Jacob, the second of his two sons with Bilhah. He was the founder of the Israelite tribe of Naphtali. Some biblical commentators have suggested that the name ''Naphtali'' may ...

, survived. Naftali was later reunited with the family in

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

Appointment

Right after his father's passing in 2000, Naftali was appointed as fourth Bobover Rebbe at age 69, while Halberstam was appointed as '' Rav Hatza'ir'' (assistant rabbi). Naftali died right before the

Purim Purim (; , ) is a Jewish holidays, Jewish holiday that commemorates the saving of the Jews, Jewish people from Genocide, annihilation at the hands of an official of the Achaemenid Empire named Haman, as it is recounted in the Book of Esther (u ...

holiday in 2005, which led to a

succession crisis A succession crisis is a crisis that arises when an order of succession fails, for example when a monarch dies without an indisputable heir. It may result in a war of succession. Examples include (see List of wars of succession): * The Wars of Th ...

over who should be the Grand Rebbe of the many Bobov Hasidim worldwide. When a vote failed to solve the matter the battle of succession was brought before a beth din (religious court) in 2007, which ultimately ruled that Halberstam would be declared the fifth Rebbe of Bobov () with its headquarters on 48th Street in Borough Park, while Unger can choose the title Rebbe of

Bobov-45 Bobov (or Bobover Hasidism) (, ) is a Hasidic community within Haredi Judaism, originating in Bobowa, Galicia, in southern Poland, and now headquartered in the neighborhood of Borough Park, in Brooklyn, New York. Bobov developed into a leadi ...

(), located on 45th Street.

Career

In 2014, Halberstam launched Kinyan Torah, a program to encourage laymen to learn

Talmud The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...

. Those enrolled in the program were able to take the monthly test and those who scored an 80 or above earned a stipend. The program was expanded to include young children in 2023. At times over a thousand test takers were recorded. In 2021, he launched a $125 million campaign to build new schools for the elementary boys and girl school. As of 2024, Bobov has satellite communities in Monsey; Toronto; Lakewood NJ; Linden NJ; London; Montreal; Antwerp; and Williamsburg NY; in addition to many locations in Israel.

Rebbes of Bobov

# Shlomo Halberstam (1847–1905), grandson of the Sanzer Rebbe,

Chaim Halberstam Chaim Halberstam of Sanz (1793–1876) (), known as the ''Divrei Chaim'' after the title of his writings, was the rabbi of Sanz (), and the founding rebbe of the Sanz dynasty of Hasidic Judaism. Life Halberstam was a pupil of Rabbi Sho ...

Ben Zion Halberstam Rabbi Ben Zion Halberstam (1874–1941) was the second Bobover Rebbe, known as the Baal Kedushas Tzion. He was murdered by the Nazis in 1941. Biography Halberstam was born in Bikofsk in 1874. His father was Shlomo Halberstam (1847–1905), ...

(1874–1941) # Shlomo Halberstam (1907–2000) #

Naftali Halberstam Naftali Tzvi Halberstam (, June 10, 1931 – March 23, 2005) was the fourth Grand Rebbe of Bobov. He succeeded his father, Shlomo Halberstam, as Grand Rebbe from August 2000 until March 2005. His death led to a succession crisis within Bobov.( ...

(1931–2005), older son of Shlomo Halberstam #Ben Zion Aryeh Leibish Halberstam (b. 1955), younger son of Shlomo Halberstam

References

Sources

External links

Kol Bobov: Bobover Music (Yiddish Site), of Ben Zion HalberstamLink to Bais Din Ruling (in Hebrew)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Halberstam, Ben Zion (II) 1955 births Living people Rebbes of Bobov American Hasidic rabbis Rabbis from New York (state) People from Borough Park, Brooklyn Descendants of the Baal Shem Tov