Spinka (Hasidic dynasty)

Spinka is the name of a Hasidic group within Orthodox Judaism. The group originated in a city called Săpânţa (Yiddish: Spinka), Maramureş, Romania, near the Hungarian border.

Spinka rebbes

The first Spinka Rebbe was Joseph Meir Weiss, author of Imrei Yosef. He was succeeded by his son, Isaac Weiss, author of Chakal Yitzchak. The Chakal Yitzchak was murdered by the Nazis in the Holocaust.

After World War II, the group was divided among many Rebbes, descendants of the Imrei Yosef. Spinka Rebbes can be found in Williamsburg, Boro Park, Flatbush, Kiryas Joel, Queens, Bnei Brak, Antwerp, London, throughout Israel, and Europe. All are offshoots of the original dynasty. Several Spinka Rebbes live in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn alone, and Israeli branches are found in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak.

Among the surnames of the Spinka Rebbes are Weiss, Horowitz, and Kahane.

Lineage of Spinka rebbes (Weiss branch)

• Joseph Meir Weiss, (1838-1909 (ו' אייר תרס"ט)) - Author of Imrei Yosef
  • Isaac Weiss, (1875-1944) - Author of Chakal Yitzchak, son of the Imrei Yosef
    • Israel Chaim Weiss, (d. 1944) - son of the Chakal Yitzchak
      • Jacob Joseph Weiss, (1916-1988) - Author of Siach Yaakov Yosef - son of Rabbi Israel Chaim
        • Naftali Tzvi Weisz - Spinka Rebbe of Boro Park - son of Rabbi Jacob Joseph
        • Israel Chaim Weisz - Spinka Rebbe of Bnei Brak - son of Rabbi Jacob Joseph
        • Meir Eleazer Weisz - Spinka Rebbe of Boro Park - son of Rabbi Jacob Joseph

Lineage of Spinka rebbes (Horowitz branch)

• Joseph Meir Weiss - (1838-1909 (ו' אייר תרס"ט)) - Author of Imrei Yosef
  • Isaac Weiss - (1875-1944) - Author of Chakal Yitzchak, son of the Imrei Yosef
    • Abraham Abish Horowitz of Kruly, son-in-law of the Chakal Yitzchak
      • Samuel Tzvi Horowitz - Spinka Rebbe of Williamsburg - affectionately known as "Reb Hershele Spinker", son of Rabbi Abish of Kruly
        • Issachar Dov Berish Horowitz, (d. 2007 (י"ט תשרי תשס"ח))- Spinka Rebbe in Williamsburg - Beth Samuel Tzvi Synagogue - eldest son of Reb Hershele Spinker
          • Joseph Meir Horowitz - Spinka Rebbe in Williamsbug - Beth Samuel Tzvi Synagogue - eldest son of Reb Berish Spinker.
        • Abraham Abish Horowitz - Spinka Rebbe in Williamsburg - Beth Isaac Synagogue - son of Reb Hershele Spinker
        • Isaac Horowitz - Spinka Rebbe in Williamsburg - Toldoth Tzvi Synagogue - son of Reb Hershele Spinker
        • Nata Horowitz - Spinka Rebbe in Boro Park - Beth Abraham Synagogue - son of Reb Hershele Spinker
        • Naphtali Horowitz - Kruly Rebbe of Williamsburg - youngest son of Reb Hershele Spinker

Lineage of Spinka rebbes (Kahane branch)

• Joseph Meir Weiss (1838-1909 (ו' אייר תרס"ט)) - Author of Imrei Yosef
  • Nachman Kahane - Author of Orchos Chaim - son-in-law of the Imrei Yosef
    • Tzvi Hirsch Kahane of Spinka
      • Nachman Kahane, (d. 1976) Spinka-Kahane Rebbe of Bnei Brak - son of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch
        • Moses Eliakim Briah Kahane, Spinka-Kahane Rebbe in Bnei Brak - son of Rabbi Nachman
        • Asher Yeshayah Aryeh Kahane, Spinka Rebbe in Kiryas Joel - son of Rabbi Nachman
        • Elimelech Kahane, Rosh Kolel of Zidichov Kollel in Bnei Brak - son of Rabbi Nachman
        • Menachem Mendel Kahane, Spinka Rebbe of London - son of Rabbi Nachman
        • Kahane, Spinka Rebbe of Antwerp - son of Rabbi Nachman
          • Baruch Kahane, Spinka Rebbe in Williamsburg
      • Joseph Meir Kahane, (d. 1978), Spinka Rebbe of Jerusalem - son of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch
        • Mordecai David Kahane (1932-2011), Spinka Rebbe of Jerusalem - son of Rabbi Joseph Meir
          • ‎‎‏‏Rabbi Shlomo Shmuel Kahana Shlita (son of Rabbi Mordechai David) spinka Rebbe of Jerusalem
        • Alter Kahane, Zidichov-spinka Rebbe of Jerusalem - son of Rabbi Joseph Meir of Spinka

Lineage of the Ulemer Rabbis of the Friedman family from the Spinka line

• Joseph Meir Weiss, (1838-1909 (ו' אייר תרס"ט)) - Spinka Rebbe - Author of Imrei Yosef
  • Isaac Weiss, (1875-1944) - Spinka Rebbe - Author of Chakal Yitzchak, son of the Imrei Yosef
    • Israel Chaim Weiss, (d. 1944) - son of the Chakal Yitzchak
      • Shmuel Friedman, Chief Rabbi of Ulem - son of Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Friedman - son-in-law of Rabbi Israel Chaim Weiss
        • Yaakov Yitzchak Friedman, present Ulemer Rav of Kew Gardens Hills, Queens, N.Y., son of Rabbi Samuel
          • Chaim Joseph Friedman, Brezaner Rav of Boro Park, Brooklyn, N.Y., son of the Ulemer Rav
          • Berish Friedman, Spinka Rav of Cedarhurst, N.Y., son of the Ulemer Rav
          • Hershel Friedman, Seilish Rav of Williamsburgh, N.Y., son of the Ulemer Rav
        • Yisroel Chaim Friedman, present Ulemer Rav of Bayswater, N.Y., son of Rabbi Shmuel

Important Spinka works

The main books particularly revered by the Spinka Hasidic Hasidim (in addition to those revered by all Hasidim) are Imrei Yosef, Chakal Yitzchak. The followers of the Horowitz Spinka line also revere the book Toldos Tzvi. Since then many of the Spinka Rebbes have written books, and several prayer books have been published according to the nusach of the Spinka Rebbes.

Fraud scandal

On December 19, 2007, Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Weisz, his Gabbai, and six other men were charged in connection with an alleged tax fraud scheme in Los Angeles, California. American authorities claimed that the scheme involved soliciting tens of millions of dollars of donations to Spinka charities over a span of approximately ten years, then refunding 80-95% of the funds back to the donor through an Israeli bank, despite the donors' claiming a tax deduction on the full amount. Five Brooklyn Spinka institutions were also named as defendants.^[1][2][3]

In July, 2009, Weisz pleaded guilty to charges of money-laundering. On July 28, he spoke at a public symposium on business ethics in Brooklyn, NY, admitting and apologizing that "things happened that were not supposed to happen... we have to commit that in the future this will never happen again." ^[4] He disclosed a legal compliance plan developed in conjunction with a team of lawyers and accountants, to which all Spinka institutions were bound to follow, and which he offered to share freely with all other synagogues, schools and institutions.

References

Image gallery

External links

• Video of Berish Horowitz, Spinka Rebbe of Keap st. and Bedford ave. in Williamsburg, celebrating Sukkos
• Video clips of Meir Eleazar Weiss, the Spinka Rebbe of 18th avenue in Boro Park, celebrating Sukkos
• Video of a Wedding of scions of the Spinka dynasty, with the participation of several Spinka Rebbes
• Spinka rabbi arrested for tax fraud