Chernobyl () is a

Hasidic dynasty A Hasidic dynasty or Chassidic dynasty is a dynasty led by Hasidic Jewish spiritual leaders known as rebbes, and usually has some or all of the following characteristics: * Each leader of the dynasty is referred to as an ''ADMOR'' (abbreviation ...

which was founded by Grand Rabbi Menachem Nachum Twersky, known by his work as the ''Meor Einayim''. The dynasty is named after the northern Ukrainian city of

Chernobyl Chernobyl, officially called Chornobyl, is a partially abandoned city in Vyshhorod Raion, Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine. It is located within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, to the north of Kyiv and to the southwest of Gomel in neighbouring Belarus. ...

, where Rabbi Nachum was the

maggid A maggid (), also spelled as magid, is a traditional Jewish religious itinerant preacher, skilled as a narrator of Torah and religious stories. A chaplain of the more scholarly sort is called a ''Darshan (Judaism), darshan'' (). The title of ''m ...

(). The lineage continues to exist, although not always with the name Chernobyl. Several

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. ...

s are named Chernobyl. The central court is in

Bnei Brak Bnei Brak ( ) or Bene Beraq, 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 area of 709 hectares (1,752 acre ...

, headed by Rabbi Menachem Nachum Twersky. "Chernobyl dynasty" is also used as a general term for the

sects A sect is a subgroup of a religion, religious, politics, political, or philosophy, philosophical belief system, typically emerging as an offshoot of a larger organization. Originally, the term referred specifically to religious groups that had s ...

of the descendants of Rabbi Mordechai of Chernobyl; the dynasties of Chernobyl, Skver, Trisk, Rachmastrivka, Hornosteipel, and the past dynasty of

Machnovka Machnovka (various spellings) is a Hasidic dynasty Chernobyl dynastic group of families. It takes its name from the village Makhnivka in Ukraine, where its founder lived. Machnovka is an extant Hasidic group which survived the Holocaust. Its H ...

. It is similar to the

Belz Belz (, ; ; ) is a small city in Lviv Oblast, western Ukraine, located near the border with Poland between the Solokiya River (a tributary of the Bug River) and the Richytsia stream. Belz hosts the administration of Belz urban hromada, one of ...

, Makarov and Shpikov dynasties and their offshoots.

Founders

* Rabbi Menachem Nachum of Chernobyl, founder of the dynasty, was a disciple of the

Baal Shem Tov Israel ben Eliezer (According to a forged document from the "Kherson Geniza", accepted only by Chabad, he was born in October 1698. Some Hasidic traditions place his birth as early as 1690, while Simon Dubnow and other modern scholars argue f ...

(founder of the Hasidic movement) and the

Maggid of Mezritch Dov Ber ben Avraham of Mezeritch (; died December 4, 1772 O.S.), also known as the ''Maggid of Mezeritch'' or ''Mezeritcher Maggid'', was a disciple of Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer (the Baal Shem Tov), the founder of Hasidic Judaism, and was chosen ...

and author of the books ''Me'or Einayim'' and ''Yesamach Lev''. His father was Rabbi Zvi Hirsch, son of Rabbi Nachum Gaon of Narinsk. He was a maggid meisharim in the communities of Narynsk, Pogrebishti and

, and was poor most of his life. He died on 11

Cheshvan Marcheshvan (Hebrew language, Hebrew: , Hebrew language#Modern Hebrew, Standard , Tiberian vocalization, Tiberian ; from Akkadian language, Akkadian , literally, 'eighth month'), generally shortened to Cheshvan (, Hebrew language#Modern Hebrew, S ...

in 1798. * Rabbi Mordechai Twersky of Chernobyl, known as the Maggid of Chernobyl, was the son of Rabbi Menachem Nachum and Sarah. He was married to the daughter of Rabbi Aharon the Great of Karlin and then to Feiga, the daughter of Rabbi Dovid Leikas. Unlike his father, he was rich and traveled in a horse-drawn carriage. His teachings were collected in the book, ''Likutei Torah''. He died on 24 May 1837 and was buried in Ignatowka, near

Kyiv Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...

, survived by eight sons and three daughters. * Rabbi Aaron Twersky of Chernobyl was the son of Rabbi Mordechai and Chaya Sara. Born in 1784, he was named after his grandfather, Rabbi Aharon the Great of Karlin. In his youth his father forced him to serve as rebbe, and he traveled extensively through the surrounding cities. At his father's death, he assumed the leadership of his community and the surrounding area. Active in strengthening settlement of the

land of Israel The Land of Israel () is the traditional Jewish name for an area of the Southern Levant. Related biblical, religious and historical English terms include the Land of Canaan, the Promised Land, the Holy Land, and Palestine. The definition ...

, he died on 21 November 1871 and was survived by six children with his second wife.

Lineage

*Grand Rabbi Menachem Nochum Twersky of Chernobyl (1730–1797) – author of ''Meor Einayim'', disciple of the Baal Shem Tov **Grand Rabbi Mordechai Twersky (1770–1837) – the ''Chernobyler Maggid'', son of the Meor Einayim. His eight sons became

s and founded their own dynasties. ***Grand Rabbi Aaron Twersky of Chernobyl (1784–1871), eldest son of Rebbe Mordechai ****Grand Rabbi Yeshaya Meshulom Zishe Twersky of Chernobyl (1814–1881), son of Rebbe Aaron *****Grand Rabbi Shlomo BenZion Twersky of Chernobyl (1870–1939), son of Rebbe Yeshayo Meshulom Zishe ****Grand Rabbi Boruch Osher Twersky of Chernobyl (d. 1905), son of Rebbe Aaron *****Grand Rabbi Shlomo Shmuel Twersky of Chernobyl-Brooklyn (d.1936), son of Rebbe Boruch Osher and son-in-law of Rebbe Yeshaya Meshulom Zishe ******Grand Rabbi Yaakov Yisroel Twersky, Chernobyler Rebbe of Boro Park (1902–1983), son of Rebbe Shlomo Shmuel – the last Chernobyler Rebbe who was born in Chernobyl ******* Rabbi Shlomo Twersky (d. 2017), son of Grand Rabbi Yaakov Yisroel Twersky, Rabbi of Kehal Chasidy Chernobel in Lawrence, New York ******** Grand Rabbi Zvi Twersky – Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Toras Chaim in Romema,

Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...

, son of Rabbi Shlomo Twersky of Lawrence, New York **** Grand Rabbi Menachem Nochum Twerski of Loiev, son of Rebbe Aaron ***** Grand Rabbi Mordechai Twerski of Loiev (1840–1905), son of Rebbe Menachem Nochum ****** Grand Rabbi Avrohom Yehoshua Heshl Twerski of Loiev-Tshudnov (1860–1914), son of Rebbe Mordechai of Loiev ******* Grand Rabbi Chaim Yitzchak Twerski of Loiev-Kiev (1886–1943), son of Rebbe Avrohom Yehoshua Heshl of Loiev-Tshudnov ******** Grand Rabbi Meshulam Zusha Twerski (1917–1987), Chernobyl-Loiev Rebbe of Bnei Brak, son of Rebbe Chaim Yitzchak of Loiev-Kiev ********* Grand Rabbi Menachem Nachum Twerski (b. 1942), Chernobyl-Loiev Rebbe of Bnei Brak, son of Rebbe Meshulam Zusha of Chernobyl-Loiev ********* Grand Rabbi Yeshaya Twerski (b. 1944), Chernobyl-Loiev Rebbe of Boro Park, son of Rebbe Meshulam Zusha of Chernobyl-Loiev ****** Grand Rabbi Boruch Bentsion Twerski of Loiev-Uman (1875–1945), son of Rebbe Mordechai of Loiev ******* Rabbi Chaim Mordechai Twersky (1921-2013), Chernobyler Rav of Boro Park and Rabbi of Maimonides Hospital in

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

, New York, grandson of Rabbi Boruch Bentsion of Loiev-Uman ******** Rabbi Baruch Benzion Twersky, Chernobyler Rav of Monsey, son of Rabbi Chaim Mordechai of Boro Park ***Grand Rabbi Yaakov Yisroel Twersky of Cherkas, (1794–1876) – son of the Maggid of Chernobyl ****Rebbe Mordechai Dov Twerski of Hornosteipel (1839–1903), author of "Emek Sheilah" and four other – grandson of the Rebbe Yaakov Yisroel Twerski and great-great-grandson of Rebbe Zishe of Anipoli *****Rebbe Chaim Moshe Tzvi Twerski of Hornosteipel-Rachmastrivka (1866–1933) – son of the Rebbe Mordechai Dov. Son-in-law of Rebbe Nuchum of Rachmastrivka of the Chernobal dynasty *****Rebbe Ben Tzion Yehuda Leib Twerski of Hornosteipel-USA (1867–1951) – son of Rebbe Mordechai Dov ******Rabbi Chaim Aharon Twerski – son of Rebbe Ben Tzion Yehuda Leib – son-in-law of Rebbe Yaakov Yisroel Dovid Hager of Strozhnits ******Rabbi Menachem Nuchim Twerski son of Rebbe Ben Tzion Yehuda Leib – son of Rebbe Ben Tzion Yehuda Leib – son-in-law of Rebbe Yosef Zvi Kalish of Skernovitz-Bnei Braq (Vorka Hasidic dynasty) ******Rebbe Yaakov Yisroel Twerski of Hornosteipel-

Milwaukee Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

(1900–1973) – son and successor of Rebbe Ben Tzion Yehuda Leib, son-in-law of Rebbe Benzion Halberstam of

Bobov Bobov may refer to * Bobov (Hasidic dynasty), a Hasidic community from southern Poland and now headquartered in the neighborhood of Borough Park, in Brooklyn, New York, United States * Bobov Synagogue (Kraków) in Poland * Bobov Dol, a town in Bulg ...

*******Rebbe Ben Tzion Chaim Shloime Meshulam Zusia Twerski of Hornosteipel-

Denver Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...

(1923–1981) – son of Rebbe Yaakov Yisroel of Milwaukee ********Rebbe Mordechai Dov Ber Twerski of Hornosteipel-Denver (b. 1949), in Flatbush, Brooklyn – only son of Rebbe Shloime of Denver ********Rebbe Shalom Shachna Friedman of Hornosteipel-Beitar Illit – son-in-law of Rebbe Shloime of Denver *******Rebbe Mordechai Dov Ber Twerski (1924–1998), son of Rebbe Yaakov Yisroel of Milwaukee ********Rebbe Shmuel Dovid Beck of Apsha (b' 1950) Rav Beis Medrash Ahavas Dovid in Flatbush – son-in-law of Rebbe Mordechai Dov Ber Twerski ********Rebbe Shulem Noach Landau Rosh Yeshivas Veretsky in Flatbush – son-in-law of Rebbe Mordechai Dov Ber Twerski *******Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski, M.D., son of Rebbe Yaakov Yisroel of Milwaukee *******Rebbe Yechiel Michel Twerski of Hornosteipel-Milwaukee (b. 1939) – son of Rebbe Yaakov Yisroel of Milwaukee ********The Milwaukee Rebbe has sons who lead their own communites in Chicago, Monsey, Lakewood, London, Milwaukee *******Rabbi Aaron Twerski, son of Rebbe Yaakov Yisroel of Milwaukee ***Grand Rabbi Yitzhak Twersky of Skver, (1812–1885) son of Rebbe Mordechai; son-in-law of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh of Skver, a patrilineal descendant of the Baal Shem Tov **** Grand Rabbi David (Duvidl) Twersky of Skver (1848–1919) – son of Rebbe Itzikl ***** Grand Rabbi Mordechai Twersky of Skver (1868–1919) – son of Rebbe Duvidl ****** Grand Rabbi Yitzchak Twersky of Skver (1888–1941) – arrived in America in 1923, son of Rabbi Mordechai ******* Grand Rabbi David Twersky of Skver-Boro Park (1922–2001) – son of Rabbi Yitzchak ******** Grand Rabbi Yechiel Michl Twersky – present Skverer Rebbe of Boro Park, son of Rabbi David ***** Grand Rabbi Shlomo Twersky of Skver (1870–1921) – son of Rebbe Duvidl ****** Grand Rabbi Eluzar Twersky of Faltishan-Skver (1893–1976) – Rebbe of Faltishan (

Fălticeni Fălticeni (; ''; ;'' ) is a town in Suceava County, northeastern Romania. It is situated in the historical region of Western Moldavia. According to the 2021 census, Fălticeni is the third largest urban settlement in the county. It was declared ...

, Romania); son of Rabbi Shlomo; arrived in America in 1947. ******* Grand Rabbi Yisrael Avraham Stein of Faltishan (1915–1989) – Rabbi of Faltishan, and Faltishaner Rebbe in Brooklyn; son-in-law of Rabbi Elazar; arrived in America in 1946. ******** Grand Rabbi Mordechai Stein of Faltishan – present Faltishaner Rabbe; son of Rabbi Yisrael Avraham. ******* Rabbi Avrom Twersky of Faltishan (ca. 1920–1985) – Rebbe of Faltishan Borough Park; son of Rabbi Eluzer ******** Grand Rabbi Shulem Meir Twersky – Current Faltishan Borough Park Rebbe; son of Rabbi Avrom ***** Grand 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 1 ...

of Skver (1899–1968) – Rebbe of New Square; son of Rabbi Duvid'l ****** Grand Rabbi David Twersky of Skver – current Rebbe of New Square and Grand Rabbi of the Skverer Hasidim worldwide; son of Rebbe Yaakov Yosef ***Grand Rabbi Avrohom Twersky of Trisk, son of Rebbe Mordechai, author of ''Mogen Avrohom'' (d. 1889) ***Grand Rabbi David Twersky of Tolna, son of Rebbe Mordechai ***Grand Rabbi Yochanan Twersky of Rachmastrivka, son of Rebbe Mordechai

Scions

Scions of the dynasty include: * Grand Rabbi Menachem Nochum Twerski, Chernobyler Rebbe of

; * Grand Rabbi Yeshaya Twersky, Chernobyler Rebbe of

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 ...

; * The Chernobyler Rebbe of

Ashdod Ashdod (, ; , , or ; Philistine language, Philistine: , romanized: *''ʾašdūd'') is the List of Israeli cities, sixth-largest city in Israel. Located in the country's Southern District (Israel), Southern District, it lies on the Mediterranean ...

; * Grand Rabbi David Twersky, of

New Square, New York New Square () 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. As of the 2020 United States census, i ...

, leader of the Skver dynasty; * Grand Rabbi Michel Twersky, Skverer Rebbe of Boro Park; * Grand Rabbi Michel Twerski, Hornosteipler Rebbe of

; * Grand Rabbi Mordechai Dov Ber Twerski, Hornosteipel-Denver Rebbe of

Flatbush, Brooklyn Flatbush is a neighborhood in the New York City Borough (New York City), borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood consists of several subsections in central Brooklyn and is generally bounded by Prospect Park (Brooklyn), Prospect Park to the nort ...

; * Grand Rabbi Shalom Shachna Friedman, Hornosteipler Rebbe of

; * Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski, author and psychiatrist; * Rabbi Aaron Twerski, retired dean of

Hofstra Law School The Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University – also known as Hofstra Law School and colloquially as Hofstra Law – is a law school located in Hempstead, on Long Island, in New York, United States. It is affiliated with Hofstra Un ...

; * Rabbi Dovid Twersky, Rachmastrivka Rebbe of

; * Rabbi Chai Yitzchok Twersky, Rachmastrivka Rebbe of Borough Park; * Grand Rabbi Menachem Mendel Matisyohu Twersky, Trisker Rebbe of London; **Grand Rabbi Yitzchok Duvid Twersky of Trisk-Tolna, son of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Matisyohu * Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Eichenstein, Trisker Rebbe of

; * Rabbi Yitzchak Menachem Weinberg, Tolner Rebbe of Jerusalem; * Rabbi Amitai Twersky, Tolner Rebbe of

; * Rabbi Chaim Eliezer Twerski, son of Reb Mottel Twerski of Flatbush, Rosh Yeshiva Hebrew Theological College and Rav of Bais Chaim Dovid,

Lincolnwood, Illinois Lincolnwood (formerly Tessville) is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 13,463. An inner suburb of Chicago, it shares its southern, eastern, and a small section of its western boundary with ...

; * Rabbi Yitzhak Twersky, Tolner Rebbe of Boston and professor and head of the Center for Jewish Studies at

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

; ** Rabbi Mayer Twersky, son of Rabbi Yitzhak Twersky of Boston, Rosh Yeshiva of Rabbi Isaac Elchanon Theological Seminary of

Yeshiva University Yeshiva University is a Private university, private Modern Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox Jewish university with four campuses in New York City.

; ** Rabbi Mosheh Twersky, son of Rabbi Yitzhak Twersky of Boston, Rosh Mesivta of Yeshiva Toras Moshe in Jerusalem; * Grand Rabbi Yitzhak Aharon Korff, grandson of Rebbe Yaakov Yisroel Korff, Zvhil– Mezbuz Rebbe of Boston. File:Chernobyler Rebbe - Portrait.jpg, Grand Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Twersky, Chernobyler Rebbe of Boro Park, the last Chernobyler Rebbe to serve in

, alt=Black-and-white photo of a rabbi File:Skverer Rebbe With Torah.jpg, Grand Rabbi David Twersky, Skverer Rebbe and scion of the Chernobyl dynasty, alt=An elderly rabbi dancing with the Torah File:Yitzhak Aharon Korff 2.jpg, Zvhil-Mezbuz Rebbe of Boston, Grand Rabbi Y. A. Korff ''(center)'', and Rabbi Yitzhak (Isadore) Twersky, Tolna Rebbe of Boston ''(left)''. Courtesy of the Office of The Zvhil-Mezbuz Rebbe, Boston., alt=Two rabbis talking, with a third on the right

Notes

Sources

External links

Rebbes of Makarow-Berdichev (Chernobyl Hasidic dynasty)
– site (in Russian and English) of Zalman Shklyar (Russia, Moscow, icq 277236854)

*The Hornosteiple shul in Milwauke
Chernobler Rebbe...
{{Authority control