Chabad Delegation Greets Sadigura Rebbe in New York

A delegation of Chabad mashpi’im greeted the Sadigura Rebbe, Rav Yitzchak Yehoshua Heschel Friedman, who is visiting his chassidim in New York. The delegation was led by Rabbi Shlomo Sternberg, a distant cousin of his.

By Anash.org reporter
Photos: Berel Meyers

A delegation of Chabad mashpi’im greeted the Sadigura Rebbe, Rav Yitzchak Yehoshua Heschel Friedman, who is currently visiting New York.

The current Sadigura Rebbe, the second to youngest of his brothers, was appointed as rebbe on the express instructions of his father, as recorded in his will and testament. The Sadigura Chassidus, as the other Chassidic dynasties that branched out from the famed Reb Yisroel Ruzinher, were known to have a close relationship with Lubavitch.

At the moment, the Sadigura Rebbe is visiting his chassidim in New York, and a delegation from Crown Heights also traveled to welcome him. Leading the delegation was Rabbi Shlomo Sternberg, menahel of Chovivei Torah. Rabbi Sternberg, as a great-grandchild of the Kapishnitzer Rebbe, himself a descendant of the Ruzhiner, is a distant cousin of the Sadigura Rebbe.

Also part of the delegation were mashpi’im Menachem Mendel Ezagui, Levi Telsner, Shmuli Klyne, Meir Nochum Friedman, and Yechiel Taubenblatt. The visit was organized by Chabad activist Shmuel Butler.

Butler first introduced Ezagui, saying that he had compiled the Sefer Dvar Malchus, which contained all the Rebbe’s sichos on the final two perokim of Rambam. He then introduced Rabbi Sternberg, and hearing that they were distant cousins, the Sadigura Rebbe gave him a special greeting.

R’ Levi Telsner was introduced next, and Butler told the Sadigura Rebbe that he was a ben bayis by Reb Yoel Kahan a”h. After being presented with a new sefer of Reb Yoel’s shiurim on the Rebbe’s ma’amarim, the Sadigura Rebbe asked Telsner who would be taking Reb Yoel’s place, prompting him to respond that the loss of Reb Yoel could not possibly be filled.

R’ Shmuli Klyne then presented the Sadigura Rebbe with a sefer of the Rebbe’s explanations on Maseches Tomid, which he had compiled together with Menachem Heller.

The delegation spoke about the longstanding connection between Lubavitch and the Ruzhiner dynasties, and the yechidus that the Sadigura Rebbe’s grandfather, the 5th Sadigura Rebbe, had with the Rebbe. Throughout the conversation, the young Rebbe mentioned points from the yechidus and from other places in the Rebbe’s Torah, showing fluency in Chabad Chassidus, and especially the Rebbe’s Torah.