BCC schmoozing with his cousin, Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Hager, son of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Monsey and son-in-law of the Skverer Rebbe of New Square NY, at the Los Angeles reception of Mosdos Vizhnitz.

BCC schmoozing with his cousin, Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Hager, son of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Monsey and son-in-law of the Skverer Rebbe of New Square NY, at the Los Angeles reception of Mosdos Vizhnitz.

BCC’S mother's Chassidic lineage intersects and stems from Rabbi Chaim Hager of Ottynia (the Tal Chaim) (1863-1931) who was a brother of Rabbi Yisroel Hager, the 3rd Rebbe of Vizhnitz (the Ahavas Yisroel) (1860-1936); who was the son of Rabbi Baruch Hager, the 2nd Rebbe of Vizhnitz (the Imrei Baruch) (1845-1892); who was the son of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Hager, the 1st Rebbe of Vizhnitz (the Tzemach Tzadik) (1830-1884) (son in law of Yisroel of Ruzhin); who was the son of Rabbi Chaim Hager of Kosov (the Toras Chaim); who was the son of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Hager of Kosov (the Ahavas Shalom); who was the son of Rabbi Yaakov Koppel Likover (disciple of the Baal Shem Tov)

Photo credit Rabbi Yisrael Gelb

(Think about it: but for, WWII, BCC would probably be looking just like his Chassidisher cousins)

1. My Grandfather, Rabbi Baruch Hager, zt'l   (1899-1942).

My mother's father was Rabbi Baruch Hager of Horodenka, ABD Cozmeni, Bukovina from 1936 and then Dayan in Czernowitz, born in 1899 and died of typhus in the work camp in Warchovka, Transnitra Concentration Camp in 1941, married in 1922 to his first cousin Miriam, daughter of R. Shraga Feivel Hager of Zaleszczyki (Zalischik). He was very active in the Mizrachi movement and Zeire Mizrachi and was President of the Torah V’Avodah. She remarried in 1954/5 to R. Moshe Zvi Twersky, Admur Tolna-Philadelphia.

Rabbi Baruch Hager was the son of Rabbi Yechiel Michel Hager, Admur Horodenka from 1892 on his father’s death, born in 1872 and died of typhus in the work camp in Warchovka, Transnitra Concentration Camp in 1941 (as did his son Baruch), married his niece, Bluma Reizel, daughter of R. Haim Hager of Ottynia. He was one of the sons of the Imrei Baruch, he was appointed Rebbe (as were his brothers), after his father's petira on 20 Kislev 1892. Rav Yechiel Michel moved to Horodenka, to succeed his brother, Rav Shmuel Abba, who passed away childless in 1895. He married the daughter of his older brother, Rav Chaim (Rebbe in Antiniya). During World War I, he escaped to Chernowitz and served as Rebbe to the many Vizhnitz Chassidim there. He had one son, Baruch, who was later appointed Dayan in Chernowitz. After Sukkos of 1941, he was among 5000 Jews who were deported to Transnistria, and area in southwestern Ukraine, between the Dniester River ("Nistru" in Romanian) and the Bug River, north of the Black Sea. Also on that transport was Rav Aharon of Boyan, who came down with typhus and was niftar on 13 or 14 Cheshvan. Both Rav Yechiel Michel and his son Baruch came down with typhus in the work camp in Warchovka and died there.

2. My Great-Grandfather, Rabbi Yechiel Michel Hager of Horodenka, zt'l  (1872-1942).

Rabbi Yechiel Michel Hager was the son of Rabbi Baruch Hager, 2nd Vizhnitzer Rebbe (the "Imrei Baruch") and Zipora Hagar. His brothers were Rabbi Yisroel Hager, 3rd Vizhnitz Rebbe; R' Chaim Hager, Admur Ottynia (Itinia); R' Moshe Hager, Admur Shatz; R' Shmuel Abba Hager of Kolomyja-Horodenka; R' Yitzhak Yaakov Dovid Hager of Storozhinets-Vienna.     

3. My Great-Great Grandfather, Rabbi Baruch Hager, 2nd Vizhnitzer Rebbe, the "Imrei Baruch" was the son of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Hager, 1st Vizhnitzer Rebbe and Miriam Hager (1845-1892).

4. My Great-Great-Great Grandfather, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Hager, was 1st Vizhnitzer Rebbe (the "Tzemach Tzaddik") (1830-1884).

5. My Great-Great-Great-Great Grandfather, was Rabbi Chaim Hager of Kosow and Tzipora Hager (the ""Toras Chaim") (1795-1854).

6. My Great-Great-Great-Great-Great Grandfather, was Rabbi Menachem Mendel Hager, of Kosov (the "Ahavas Shalom") (1768-1825).


7. My Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great  Grandfather, was Rabbi Yacov-Kopel [Chassid of Kolomaya] Hager and Chaya Hager (1730-1787) and was a Talmid of the Baal Shem Tov.

Civil trial attorney Baruch Cohen meets his cousin Rabbi Ernster of Bnei Brak

MATZEIVAH OF RABBI BARUCH HAGER, AND HIS FATHER RABBI YECHIEL MICHEL OF HORODENKA, TRANSNISTRIA CONCENTRATION CAMP

Rav Yechiel Michel (ben Baruch) Hager of Horodenka (1941). One of the sons of the Imrei Baruch, he was appointed Rebbe (as were his brothers), after his father's petira on 20 Kislev 1892. Rav Yechiel Michel moved to Horodenka, to succeed his brother, Rav Shmuel Abba, who passed away childless in 1895. He married the daughter of his older brother, Rav Chaim (Rebbe in Antiniya). During World War I, he escaped to Chernowitz and served as Rebbe to the many Vizhnitz Chassidim there. He had one son, Baruch, who was later appointed Dayan in Chernowitz. After Sukkos of 1941, he was among 5000 Jews who were deported to Transnistria, and area in southwestern Ukraine, between the Dniester River ("Nistru" in Romanian) and the Bug River, north of the Black Sea. Also on that transport was Rav Aharon of Boyan, who came down with typhus and was niftar on 13 or 14 Cheshvan. Both Rav Yechiel Michel and his son Baruch came down with typhus in the work camp in Warchovka and died there.

TRANS-NISTRIA meant "beyond the River Dniester". The name Transnistria was decreed into existence by the Romanian dictator, Marshal Ion Antonescu, in the summer of 1941. Territorially, Transnistria was the largest killing field in the Holocaust. Many authors refer to it as "The Romanian Auschwitz". The name of that territory was in existence until the spring of 1944, when the Soviet Army re-conquered southern Ukraine.

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Concealment & Revelation

A Personal Account of the Second World War

By Rabbi Aharon Yeshaya Roter

Others in Our Room Die of Typhoid Fever

Right after my father’s burial, another person in our room came down with Typhoid Fever – the son the Rebbe of Horodanka, HaRav Baruch Hagar zt’l of Chernovitz. His wife summoned the doctor, who gave him an injection in his stomach. Immediately, the stricken man began to groan, and he continued non-stop until around mid-night of the 13^th of Kislev, when he finally died and his soul returned to Heaven. His son, Moshe, cried out to his grandfather, the Rebbe of Horodanka zt’l, “What will we do without Abba!” The answer came back, “The same thing that you will do without Sabba.”

In fact, the next morning, the Rebbe of Horodanka also passed away, and the plague continued to rage. The father and son were buried together in a special grave on the same slope where my father was buried the day before. That Friday, the 15^th of Kislev, they came to bury The Rebbetsin of the Rebbe of Horodanka, who had already been lying motionless for thirty days, and we thought she was dead. When the “Chevra Kadisha” party started to pick her up, however, everyone was startled, for she asked for a cup of tea. We brought her a cup of water, which she drank. Within a few minutes she, too, returned her soul to Heaven. Her burial was delayed until after Shabbos. By Sunday, the day of her burial, there was no longer anyone in our room suffering from typhus, for all who had had it were either dead or now on the road to recovery.

Soon, however, Rebbetsin Miriam, the wife of HaRav Baruch Hagar zt’l, also came down with the dreaded disease. In the midst of her fever, she imagined that she was sitting at a sumptuous Shabbos table. She even asked us to pass her the challah and fish. Despite our desperate situation, the request struck us as funny, and we could not help but smile. With HaShem’s help, her fever subsided, and she, too, survived the plague.

Chanukah With The Vizhnitzer Rebbe Zt''l

Mesiba Last Night For #Viznitz #Rebbe Shlita In #BoroPark

Vishnitzer Rebbe’s Mikveh Unearthed

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Hager, zt"l (1820-1884), Vishnitzer Rebbe and author of Tzemach Tzaddik, was the fourth rebbe in the Kossov Vishnitz dynasty and the first Vishnitzer Rebbe; son of Rabbi Chaim Hager, zt"l (1795-1854), Kosover Rebbe and author of Toras Chaim; son of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Hager, zt"l (1768-1825), Kosover Rebbe and author of Ahavas Shalom; son of Rabbi Yaakov Koppel Chosid Kapiletis, zt”l (d. 1787), one of the foremost disciples of the Baal Shem Tov.

Rabbi Yaakov Koppel Chosid was recognized by the Baal Shem Tov as a devout servant of Heaven and was invested with the chassidic cultivation of the entire Marmarosh mountain region in Romania, which included more than 160 kehillas. Rabbi Yaakov Koppel Chosid served as the shaliach tzibbur for the Baal Shem Tov and his melodious nussach hatefilah is still used by all Vishnitzer descendants.

The Tzemach Tzaddik was the son-in-law of Rabbi Yisroel Friedman, zt"l (1796-1850), legendary Rihziner Rebbe and author of Oros Yisroel and Ner Yisroel. The Tzemach Tzaddik began his leadership as Vishnitzer Rebbe at the age of 24. At that young age, he drew thousands of followers. After the passing of his father, the Toras Chaim, the number of his chassidim multiplied manifold. The reign of the Tzemach Tzaddik is treasured as the golden era of Vishnitzer chassidus.

Succeeding the Tzemach Tzaddik was Rabbi Boruch Hager, zt"l (1845-1893), Vishnitzer Rebbe and author of Imrei Boruch; followed by Rabbi Yisroel Hager, zt"l (1860-1936), Vishnitzer Rebbe and author of Ahavas Yisroel; followed by Rabbi Chaim Meir Hager, zt"l (1887-1972), Vishnitzer Rebbe and author of Imrei Chaim.

After World War II, the Imrei Chaim lived in Bucharest where he served the many refugees who gravitated there. After his brother, Rabbi Eliezer, zt”l (1891-1946), author of Damesek Eliezer, passed away, Rabbi Chaim Meir moved to Palestine and established the Vishnitzer community in Bnei Brak.

In recent years, with the influx of visiting chassidim to the city of Vishnitz in today’s Ukraine, Vishnitzer chassidishe activists have undertaken the rebuilding of the communal kehilla buildings there, including the residence and beis medrash where the Vishnitzer rebbes served.

Avrohom Menachem Adler, organizer of trips to the Ukraine, and Pinchas Schein of Kiryat Vishnitz in Bnei Brak, noticed that the Rebbe’s old home had a sub-basement. The Ukrainian caretaker refused to open locked stairways. After protracted negotiations and a healthy exchange of various currencies, the doors swung open. Downstairs in the hidden sanctuary, a fully functioning, rainwater-filled mikveh was discovered. Upon investigation, the mikveh was found to meet the most stringent halachic threshold.

The Tzemach Tzaddik was known to immerse himself frequently in order to maintain an exalted state of purity. When he commissioned the writing of a sefer Torah, the sofer lived in the Rebbe’s home and immersed in themikveh before writing any of the holy names.

In sefer Beis Shlomo 1:48, Rabbi Shlomo Drimmer, zt”l (d. 1872), Skula Rav, in response to Rabbi Yosef, Vishnitzerdayan, outlines the particulars of the most stringent mikveh and notes that the Tzemach Tzaddik is known to be passionately observant. Therefore, he suggests that the mikveh for the Tzemach Tzaddik should meet the strictest interpretations.

The activists intend to rebuild the home and beis medrash complex, including the mikveh housed in the lower level, so that visitors to Vishnitz will be comfortably welcomed and able to use the mikveh of the Tzemach Tzaddik. 

Some of my Vizhnitz Elter Zaides....

HaRav Chaim Hager of Ottynia, the Tal Chaim (1863-1931)

son of
HaRav Boruch Hager  The Imrei Boruch 2nd Rebbe of Vizhnitz (1845-1892) Boruch Hager was born in 1845 and was named after Rabbi Boruch of Medzhybizh at the behest of his grandfather, Yisroel Friedman of Ruzhyn. In 1885, aged 45, he inherited the mantle of leadership from his father, Menachem Mendel Hager, and became rebbe to thousands of Hasidim. He led them for only eight years until his death in 1892. His Torah thoughts were collected in Imrei Boruch by his son-in-law. Eight of his sons became rebbes in different locals: His eldest, Reb Yisroel, succeeded him in Vyzhnytsia; Reb Chaim became rebbe in Ottynia; Reb Moshe in Suceava; Reb Shmuel Avrohom Abba in Horodenka; Reb Yaakov Yitzchok Dovid in Storozhynets; Reb Pinchos in Borsha; Reb Feivish in Zelishtshik; Reb Yechiel Michel succeeded his brother in Horodenka. Another son, Reb Sholom, died in his youth. His sons-in-law were Reb Shmuel Dov Chodorov of Petriva; Reb Mordechai Chodorov of Kolomea, who published Imrey Boruch; Reb Sholom Yosef Friedman of Sadigur-Chernovitz.
son of 
HaRav Menachem Mendel Hager the Tzemach Tzadik 1st Rebbe of Vizhnitz (1830-1884) (son in law of Yisroel of Ruzhin) Menachem Mendel Hager was born on May 17, 1830 in Kosiv. He was the son of Rabbi Chaim Hager of Kosiv and the son-in-law of Rabbi Israel Friedman of Ruzhyn. He was appointed Rebbe at the age of 24, and soon after he moved to Vyzhnytsia, a small town close to Kosiv. As his reputation grew, so did his followers. He became known and admired for his charitable acts, sincerity in prayer and love for Eretz Yisrael. In his older years he endeavored to emigrate there. He had two sons, Reb Boruch and another, Reb Yaakov Dovid, who died during his lifetime. His son-in-law was the son of Rabbi Yehoshua Rokeach of Belz, Reb Shmuel of Sokal. His Torah thoughts were published under the title Tzemach Tzaddik. He died on October 18, 1884 and was buried in Vyzhnytsia. His son Reb Boruch took his place becoming the second Rebbe of Vizhnitz.
son of 
HaRav Chaim Hager of Kosov the Toras Chaim
son of
HaRav Menachem Mendel Hager of Kosov, The Ahavas Shalom
son of 
HaRav Yaakov Koppel Chosid (disciple of the Baal Shem Tov) HaRav Yisroel ben Eliezer
(1698-1760)

Viznitzer Rebbe Davening at Kosel

Me'ein Olam Haba - Larry Brandt\Nadav Bachar

Ya Ribon Viznitz - Larry Brandt\Nadav Bachar

Viznitz Chassidus In Bnei Brak

Viznitz Choir with child soloist Yanky Stern in the underground Kosel tunnel. Composed by Reb Pinches Brier.

2nd Night Chanukah 5773 With Viznitzer Rebbe R' Mendel In Bne Brak

First Night Chanukah 5773 With Viznitzer Rebbe R' Mendel

Aguda Leadership Of America Meets With The Viznitzer Rebbe In Ny

Skver - Viznitz - Rachmastrivka Wedding Cheshvan 5773

Erev Yom Kipur Tish 5773 In Kosov

Simchas Beis Hashoeva 5773 With Viznitz Rebbe R' Mendel

Kosov Rebbe Conducting Yahrtzeit Tish For the Leket Oni Tamuz 5772

A rare video of the current Viznitzer Rebbe Rabbi Yisrael Hager at Sunday Dollars which took place 22 years ago