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Spinka (Hasidic dynasty)

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Spinka is the name of a Hasidic group within Orthodox Judaism. The group originated in a town called Săpânţa (Template:Lang-yi), Maramureş, Romania, near the Hungarian border.


Rebbe Yaakov Yosef Weiss previous Spinka Rebbe of Boro Park and Bnei Brak, grandson of the Chakal Yitzchak
File:Spinkaztl.jpg
Rebbe Samuel Tzvi Horowitz - previous Spinka Rebbe of Williamsburg - affectionately known as Reb Hershele Spinker - grandson of the Chakal Yitzchak

Spinka rebbes

The first Spinka Rebbe was Grand Rabbi Joseph Meir Weiss, author of Imrei Yosef. He was succeeded by his son, Grand Rabbi Isaac Weiss, author of Chakal Yitzchak. The Chakal Yitzchak was killed 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)

  • Grand Rabbi Joseph Meir Weiss, (1838-1909 (ו' אייר תרס"ט)) - Author of Imrei Yosef
    • Grand Rabbi Isaac Weiss, (1875-1944) - Author of Chakal Yitzchak, son of the Imrei Yosef

Lineage of Spinka rebbes (Horowitz branch)

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

Lineage of Spinka rebbes (Kahane branch)

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

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

  • Grand Rabbi Joseph Meir Weiss, (1838-1909 (ו' אייר תרס"ט)) - Spinka Rebbe - Author of Imrei Yosef
    • Grand Rabbi Isaac Weiss, (1875-1944) - Spinka Rebbe - Author of Chakal Yitzchak, son of the Imrei Yosef
      • Grand Rabbi Israel Chaim Weiss, (d. 1944) - son of the Chakal Yitzchak
        • Rabbi Shmuel Friedman, Chief Rabbi of Ulem - son of Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Friedman, zt"l - son-in-law of Rabbi Israel Chaim Weiss

Important Spinka works

The main books particularly revered by the Spinka Hasidic sect (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

Main article: Spinka financial controversy

On December 19, 2007, Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Weisz, his Gabbi, 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][4]

In July, 2009, The Grand Rabbi pled 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." [5] 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

  1. ^ Alan Feuer (December 20, 2007). "Hasidic Rabbi and Assistant Are Arrested in Tax Scheme"". The New York Times. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |accssdate= ignored (help)
  2. ^ "Rabbi indicted in tax fraud and money laundering scheme in LA". San Jose Mercury News. December 19, 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-25.
  3. ^ "Jewish leaders arrested on fraud charges". United Press International. December 20, 2007. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  4. ^ "BROOKLYN RABBI AND SEVERAL ASSOCIATES CHARGED IN SOPHISTICATED TAX FRAUD AND MONEY LAUNDERING SCHEME". FBI Press Release. December 19, 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
  5. ^ Nathaniel Popper (July 28, 2009). "Ultra-Orthodox Rabbis Begin To Question Their Own Insularity". {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |accssdate= ignored (help)
  • (from the left): Grand Rabbi Naftali Horowitz, Kruly Rebbe; Grand Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Friedman, Ulemer Rav, both scions of the Spinka dynasty
    (from the left): Grand Rabbi Naftali Horowitz, Kruly Rebbe; Grand Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Friedman, Ulemer Rav, both scions of the Spinka dynasty
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