Cleveland (Hasidic Dynasty) - History of The Clevelander New York Dynasty

History of The Clevelander New York Dynasty

The Cleveland Hasidic dynasty currently located in Williamsburg, New York, was founded by Grand Rabbi Meir Leifer, who died in Los Angeles, California in 1941. The first Clevelander Rebbe was the author of Oros Hameirim, Likitei Amorim, and Hakufes Nadvorne. He was a scion of the Nadvorna Hasidic dynasty. He also was a disciple of Rabbi Moshe Greenwald of Chust, author of Arugas Habosem. He founded the current synagogue in Williamsburg in 1934 after he moved there from Cleveland, Ohio, making it currently the oldest Hasidic dynasty in Wiliamsburg. Reb Meir came to USA in 1922, and settled in Cleveland where he was the first rabbi of Congregation Bnei Yaakov Anshei Marmorish (currently known as the Green Road Synagogue Beis Ha Knesseth Shearis Hapleita Bnei Yaakov Kehilas Marmorsh) and later he founded the congregations Shomrei Shabbos, and Shomer Hadass Yisroel. Prior to living in the USA, Reb Meir lived in Budapest, Hungary, where he led a large following.

Reb Meir was succeeded by his son-in-law, Grand Rabbi Usher Mordechai Rosenbaum, author of Sifsei Riem, and Amoirois Tehoirois. In 1962 Reb Usher Mordechai founded the Clevelander yeshiva under the name of Yeshivas Bnei Mordechai. In 1981 the yeshiva was renamed Yeshivas Bnei Yisachar Ber. Reb Usher Mordechai also founded a kollel under the name of Kollel Yad Issumer. Reb Usher Mordechai died in 1991; he was succeeded by his son, the present Clevelander Rebbe, Grand Rabbi Yehoshua Heshel Rosenbaum.