The Aleksander (Hebrew: אלכסנדר ) chasidic movement flourished in Poland from 1880 until it was largely destroyed by Nazi Germany during World War II.
Prior to the Holocaust, the Aleksander Hasidism (also written as Alexander) were the second largest Hasidic group in pre-Holocaust Poland. The Chassidus was second in size only to Ger, and attracted the artisans, merchants and water carriers rather than the elite Talmudic scholars and rich people that were attracted to Ger. Like the rest of Polish Jewry, almost all of Aleksander chassidim were killed in the Holocaust.
The philosophy of Aleksander is drawn from the Rebbes of Vorka and Pshische. Pshische stressed "truth" (Emmes) and Pnimius in ones service of the Creator. Vorka taught Ahavas Yisroel and Anava (humility) before G-d and ones fellow. The Rebbes of Aleksander took these teachings and formed their own unique emphasis on the service of G-d and a persons relationship with their fellows. The core philosophy of Aleksander can be extracted from the book Yismach Yisroel (1911).
Between the world wars, Hasidic Jews from all over flocked to the small village of Alexander (as known by the Jews; or in Polish, Aleksandrów Łódzki) near Łódź, to spend the holiest days of the Jewish year in the presence of their spiritual leader, their rebbe, Rabbi Yitzchak Menachem Dancyger (1879–1943). The rebbe of Aleksander attempted to remain neutral in political issues while emphasizing communal prayer and the study of Torah. He was murdered by the Germans in the Treblinka extermination camp.
Today Aleksander has emerged from the ashes of the holocaust and continues in growing numbers in small communities in America, Europe and Israel.
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The founder of the dynasty of Aleksander was Rabbi Yechiel Dancyger (1828–1894), the son of Rabbi Fayvl from Gritse, a disciple of Israel Yitzhak Kalish of Vurke.[1]
His son, Yerachmiel Yisroel Yitzchok Dancyger (1853–1910), was even more famous, and accumulated a large group of followers. He was the author of Yismach Yisrael (Hebrew: "Israel will Rejoice" 1911), which he wrote together with his brother, Shmuel Tsvi (1840–1923), who later succeeded him and authored the Tiferes Shmuel. The teachings of the rebbes who followed stressed ethics, mysticism and ecstatic religious forms, putting less emphasis on studying the Talmud. The followers of the rebbes from Aleksander were primarily merchants and artisans, especially from Warsaw, and also in Łódź, where there were approximately 35 houses of prayer and study. There were also shtiblekh in numerous other towns, including Bełchatów,[2] Opoczno,[3] Piotrków[4] … In 1914 his brother Betsalel Yoir (1856–1934) began to serve as a rebbe in Łódź, thus starting a second branch of Alexander. After Shmuel Tsvi's death, the dynasty was continued by his son, Yitzchok Menachem Mendel Dancyger (1880–1943), whose accomplishments included the expansion of religious schools in Łódź and in Aleksander.[1] Unlike many chasidic leaders of that period, he was not interested in politics. During the Second World War, he was in the Warsaw Ghetto. Refusing to leave for the Land of Israel, he died along with his family in Treblinka. Nowadays, the community of chasidim of Aleksander exists mainly in Israel, but there are several synagogues (shtiblekh) in Boro Park New York, Monsey New York, Lakewood[5] Cleveland, Antwerp (Belgium), London, and Australia.
After the Holocaust, many Aleksander chassidim believed that Chassedei Aleksander was completely destroyed. They still sought to pray together on Shabbos in small shared "Shtiblech" in Europe or America. After the war many Aleksander Chassidim davened in the shul of R' Yerachmiel Yisroel Sekula of Sedovna in Brooklyn. Many survivors sought to find a new Rebbe and to rebuild Aleksander chassidus. Initially chassidim went to Rabbi Yitzchok Meir Zynger and approached him to be Rebbe, but he declined stating that "I am a businessman, not a Rebbe". The surviving chassidim later went to the Emunas Moshe, Rabbi Yehudah Moshe Tyberg-Dancyger, the son-in-law of Rebbe Betzalel Yoir, and asked him to assume the role of Rebbe. The Emunas Moshe was pressed until he relented and assumed the role of Rebbe. The present rebbe of Aleksander in Israel is the Emunas Moshe's grandson. Today there are several hundred Aleksander chasidim living in communities in Bene Beraq, Jerusalem, United States, Switzerland, Antwerp, London and Australia[6]
In addition to those books revered by all Hasidim, the most important book to the Alexander dynasty is Yismach Yisroel (Rejoice O' Israel), by the second Aleksander Rebbe and includes the teachings of the first Aleksander Rebbe, and also the Tiferes Shmuel by the third Aleksander Rebbe, and the Sefer Akeidas Yitzchok by the fourth rebbe, Rabbi Yitzchak Menachem Mendel Danziger. The sefer Emunas Moshe by the fifth Alexander Rebbe Yehuda Moshe Danziger. The compilation and publication of the writings of the previous rebbe, Rebbe Avrohom Menachem Danziger (d. 2005) is currently underway in the book Imrei Menachem (Words of comfort). Sefer Derech HaChassidus By R' Eliezer Danziger is also a popular work even outside of Aleksander. The current Rebbe is also coming out currently with his own seforim entitled "Imrei Kodesh". In addition to these works, are periodical publications such as Kovetz Torani, Karmeinu, Emuros Tehuros, and Perchei HaKerem.
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