A meeting held today in Bnei Brak resulted in a decision by chassidei Lelov for the chassidus to now be led by three admornim, who will succeed the recently departed Rebbe, Rav Shimon Nosson Nota Biderman zt”l.
At the meeting, three leading Lelover askanim, Rav Simcha Krakowski, Rav Mordechai Gelbstein and Rav Noach Goldberg, spoke with great emotion about the loss sustained by the chassidus on Yom Kippur. Rav Krakowsky, who was extremely close to the Rebbe, recounted the final moments of the Rebbe’s life as tefillos were said while the Rebbe was taken to the Beilinson Hospital.
After lengthy discussion, the multi-hour meeting concluded and it was determined that the Rebbe’s three sons, Rav Eliyahu Azriel of Bnei Brak, Rav Aharon, who lives in the U.S., and Rav Yaakov Yitzchok, who serves as rov of the Lelover bais medrash on Rechov Baharan in Yerushalayim, will all serve as official rebbes of the chassidus.
Rav Aharon has already announced that he intends to move back to Eretz Yisroel, and it appears that he will settle in Beit Shemesh, where there is a large and vibrant Lelover kehillah. Rav Eliyahu Azriel has consented to take on the mantle of rebbe with his brothers, while Rav Yaakov Yitzchok is unclear and may prefer to stay in his current position rather than take on the position of rebbe.
Either way, the meeting, attendees say, was an uplifting one and was rare in that three children were appointed to head a single chassidus. The decision, it is hoped and expected, will be warmly accepted by the general chassidus.
Anotehr chassidus which experienced a similar phenomenon was Rachmistrivke, which upon the petirah of the previous Rebbe, was placed under the headship of two rebbes, the Rebbe’s son in Eretz Yisroel and the Rebbe’s brother in the United States. Official Rachmistrivke stationary states that it is under the leadership of “Kak Ha’admorim Shlit”a,” under the leadership of the esteemed rebbes.
What was decided tonight in Lelov follows this model. Among the elders of Lelov, the decision was made with great satisfaction. Many noted that the late Rebbe’s derech was always one of shalom and achvah.
{Yair Alpert-Matzav.com Israel}
Hinei mah tov u’mah na’im sheves achim gam yachad.
May all people take this to heart and bring shalom into their courts.
Finally some great leadership.
Reminds me of all the stories I heard as a kid, where a Kehilla would offer the position to one of the sons of a recently departed Rebbe/Rav and said son would fight that he should NOT take the position. Some of them ran away from town and others simply refused to lead in front of his brother / uncle or cousin.
Hi
I am almost certainly a descendent of the first Lelover Rebbe, Dovid Biderman, through his daughter, Laja, who became Laja Krakowski. My great grandfather was Kalma Krakowski and he came from Lelow. Do you know anybody who can help me put the last link in the chain/
Regards
Leib H’Kohen