Biography
Born in the Old City of Jerusalem, Koenig became a Chabad Hasid during his teens. He was drawn to Breslov by Rabbi Abraham Sternhartz, a key figure in the chain of transmission of Breslov teachings from the early generations of the movement to the later ones. Sternhartz was the great-grandson of Reb Noson Sternhartz, who was the leading disciple of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. Sternhartz immigrated from Uman, Ukraine to Jerusalem in 1936 and taught many students, producing Breslov leaders for coming generations. Koenig became one of Sternhartz's leading disciples.
At age 18, Koenig married Esther Yehudit, the daughter of Rabbi Dovid Moshe Ehrentrau of Jerusalem. His mentor, Abraham Sternhartz, performed the wedding ceremony.
When the Jews of the Old City were expelled by Jordanian forces during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Koenig followed Sternhartz to the neighborhood of Katamon. He eventually made his home in Meah Shearim.
It was Sternhartz who entrusted Koenig with the mission of establishing a Breslov community in Safed. Koenig gave his life for this cause, raising funds and working to establish this Torah center, beginning in 1967.
Read more about this topic: Gedaliah Aharon Koenig
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